Last week I ordered a book called Seeds of Devotion by Roger Butts, a hospital chaplain in Colorado. It was one of those ‘Recommended for You’ books that pops up on Amazon when you are ordering another book. I have just started reading it, yet already I am finding it to be a beautiful and inspiring read.

The author shares that at a critical time in his life, when he was wracked with self-doubt and confusion, he came across a single paragraph in a book of essays that provided him with the comfort he needed at the time. He says it was ‘his lighthouse and life jacket’ for those days and that it showed him the path home.

Here is the paragraph:
”The Great Surmise says simply this: At the heart of all creation lies a good intent, a purposeful goodness, from which we come, by which we live our fullest, to which we shall at last return. And this is the supreme reality of our lives.” Carl Scovel

Isn’t this paragraph a beauty? Roger then goes on to offer us the following reflection questions:

1) What do you think is at the heart of all creation?

2) What is the supreme reality of your life?

3) When you’ve been disoriented, confused, uncertain, has a passage or a mantra helped you? if so, what was it and how did it come to you?

Wow! What juicy questions! I have had the best morning contemplating them and writing out my answers.
I just had to share them with you too!!

Well, the stay at home order continues. The vaccination rate is slowly climbing toward the level it needs to be for restrictions to be lifted. The daily number of COVID cases in Ontario has begun to decline. The weather is improving and our bulbs are blooming. However, we still need to think up ways to stay calm, engaged, and relatively contented in the remaining days until the stay at home order is lifted.

I have been rereading various book series from my bookshelf. I got this idea from a 90 year old friend of mine who has told me that is what has kept her going during COVID. As I combed through my bookshelves this morning, I came across a couple more authors to recommend to you- one of whom I don’t think you will know.

That’s Dorothy Gilman. She wrote a delightful series of novels featuring the ‘witty and unpredictable Emily Pollifax—part-time CIA operative, full-time garden-clubbing grandmother from New Jersey.’ There are 18 novels in total and I remember thoroughly enjoying each one.

The other author is Steve Berry. He has a series of novels featuring former Justice Department operative Cotton Malone, who keeps getting called back to work when his former boss, Stephanie Nelle, needs his help. These books also give us the chance to learn a lot of history, but if you want to skip that and just read the action and interaction between characters, you can.

I have started to reread Mrs Pollifax and the Second Thief and within a few paragraphs I was into the story. This book was written in 1993 and as I am blessed with the ability to forget a story line, I know I am in for a very enjoyable few days ahead!

Hopefully as you comb through your bookshelves, you too will discover some old treasures. If not, I can heartily recommend exploring Dorothy Gilman and Steve Berry’s books!

May you be continue to be blessed with resilience, stamina, and fortitude to endure these COVID days, as well as with the enjoyment of some of the pleasures of nature in springtime.

As I write this, Ontario is back in a stay at home order which is in place until May 20. Vaccinations are proceeding, but not quickly enough to keep up with the spread of the variants at this time. Again, for the sake of the health and safety of all of us, we must find a way to comply with a stay at home order, while at the same time remaining as calm and contented as possible. How can we do this?

As I have been pondering this for myself, I have been realizing that close attention to creating and maintaining a calming and comforting routine is the most helpful for me. For instance, every morning I make a cup of coffee to take up to bed and drink while quietly reading and relaxing. At lunchtime, I look forward to coffee and a few Fudgeeos, while listening to favourite relaxing music in my study. At suppertime, we always light a candle as we sit down for the evening meal. After supper, we go for a 20-30 minute walk, after we have done the dishes together, then return for a cup of herbal tea and a couple of digestive cookies. At around the same time each evening, I go upstairs to enjoy a fragrant bubble bath, then tuck into bed with a relaxing novel. (I am still rereading the Mitford series!)

These simple things form the basis of a comforting routine for me and are touchstones for my day. The fact that I can look forward to them, and feel pleasure and comfort while engaging in them, is what keeps me going through the very quiet days while we wait to be released from a stay at home order yet again.

As you know, one of the questions I have been pondering this week is, “Why did Jesus die?”

I woke up this morning hearing these words in my head:
”Freedom is what we have, Christ has set us free. Stand then as free men (and women!). Do not allow yourselves to be enslaved again. Freedom is what we have. Christ has set us free!”

These are the words to a little song I learned when I was in my 20s. I knew these words came from the Bible, so I looked up their source, which turns out to be Galatians 5:1.

I then started wondering what Jesus Himself said about freedom and I found these blessed words:

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” John 8:31.

What could be better than that Jesus’ death be all about freedom?

I remember reading Richard Rohr’s book Falling Upward many years ago. His take on the meaning of Jesus’ death was that it was to demonstrate that life is about suffering, death and resurrection. This rang true for me. Jesus was living in solidarity with each of us, and experiencing what each of us experiences in our life here on earth.

I have some more pondering to do, but for this Easter, I am going to rejoice in the knowledge that Jesus’ death on the cross had in part, at least, to do with obtaining our freedom.

Hallelujah!

It has been a really interesting week for me. As you know, I didn’t want to focus on the actual suffering of Jesus on the cross this week, but I did find myself wondering what the people around me would say in answer to the questions, “Why did Jesus die?” and “Do you think He actually rose again?” I remembered in Matthew 16:13-15, that Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” and then He asked, “And what about you? How do you say I am?” I did end up asking a few people these questions and I received a variety of answers. It was interesting to me that I didn’t necessarily know ahead of time what people’s answers would be.

I then went back to look at the “I Am” statements that Jesus made. I found six of them.

John 6:35 “ I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry.”

John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness.”

John 10:14 “ I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me… I lay down my life for my sheep.”

John 11:25 “ I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

John 15:5 “I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.”

It has been really good for me to reflect this week on the question, “Why did Jesus die?” and on answering for myself Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?”

For me, the question to “Did Jesus rise again?” is a resounding ‘Yes!!’

I came across a poem of Rumi’s which helps me put into words how I feel about that:

This is love:

To fly toward a secret sky,

To cause a hundred veils to

fall each moment.

First, to let go of life,

Finally, to take a step

Without feet.

I hope that your Easter weekend is full of reflection and joy, good food and peace. Happy Easter!

I love this poem, written in the 14th century by an anonymous Japanese author :

The Edge of Center

All tempest has,

Like a navel,

A hole in its middle,

Through which

A gull can fly,

in silence.

I awoke this morning thinking about what a stirred up world we are living in right now. It can be difficult to find any place for our minds to settle down in peace. I was reminded of this favourite poem and sought it out to read and reflect on again. Yes, we are definitely living in a tempestuous times. Is there a quiet place in the center through which we can fly in silence, calm and inner peace?

This week is Holy Week for Christians. Normally, this week for me is characterized by shopping for the makings of Easter dinner. I am usually thinking of chocolate rabbits, turkey and cleaning the house in preparation for family coming, but not this year. We know it’s going to be another quiet Easter.

There is the possibility for quiet reflection, but what shall I reflect on? Thinking about Jesus suffering and dying is feeling too much for me to handle this year amidst so much suffering and so much dying. I do want to focus on Jesus, though.

I was reminded of the “I Am” statements that Jesus made, so I turned in my Bible to one of my favourite ones and read it again:
” I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep….I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” John 10: 14-15,17-18. New International Version

Ahhh! I read these words and I felt comforted. These words are the hole in the middle through which I can fly in silence and in peace this week. I have a shepherd. He loves me enough to lay his life down for me when I am in trouble. He has the authority to make this decision. Should he lay his life down for me, amazingly!, since he is not only my shepherd but my God, he can take his life up again.

Okay! Hallelujah! Amen!

Wow! Where did the past two months go? Suddenly, spring is here, at least for the next few days! I got to sit out on my chaise lounge basking in the sun this afternoon. Riches indeed! I am eagerly awaiting the first crocuses to bloom in my garden, and have already started visiting the local garden centre, just because it’s so exciting to be there! Vaccinations are proceeding at a better pace in Canada, and hope is rising. One day, all will be well and we will again be able to visit loved ones freely, and without fear. Hallelujah!

I spent the past two months completing the final edits to my new book, We Are Already Whole. My wonderful editor, Joan, again calmly and clearly took me through the process. Sheri, my dear friend and amazing graphic designer, again came up with a beautiful design and finished product. Dave Kerr again produced a beautiful cover illustration. Finally, we were able to self-publish and get it up onto Amazon on February 21/21. An auspicious day! After we checked for typos( there are always one or two despite all our best efforts!), I was able to order 50 author copies for people who had indicated an interest in receiving signed copies. For the past week I have been happily engaged in signing and mailing out books. It’s kind of like having a new baby- all I wanted to do was gaze upon its beautiful face! We will be having a formal Zoom book launch April 17th, to introduce and thank my editor, graphic designer and book cover designer and do one of the exercises from the book. It’s sad not to be able to do this in person, as with my previous three books, but we will make the best of it !

I am hoping this book, like spring itself, will bring hope to people. I believe it’s a book of good news- that underneath the layers of difficulties that we have all encountered in life, there is at at our core a very beautiful, whole place.

One of my favourite quotes in the book, written by Marcia Wiederkehr, states, “Oh God, help me to believe the truth about myself, no matter how beautiful it is.” I laughed out loud when I read this quote because it took me by surprise! It is often easier to focus on our flaws and faults than on our talents and strengths. My intention for this book is that we take a much deserved break from focusing on what’s wrong and look at what’s right, for 21 days in a row!

If you would like to take a peek at the book, just click on the books tab of my website and you will see that beautiful front cover design. If you click on it, you will be taken to Amazon for further details.

Here’s to spring, new life, hope, and happiness! May all of these be yours!

I had one of those nights last night where you wake up at 3am and no matter what you do, you can’t get back to sleep. As I was lying there in bed thinking about what might help, I remembered that I told you I was going to start rereading the Mitford series by Jan Karon. I padded downstairs to the big bookcase in the living room and found the first book in the series, At Home in Mitford. Looking inside the front cover I discovered that it was written way back in 1994. In a letter to the reader written in 2014, Jan Karon wrote that in the early days booksellers could sell it with a money- back guarantee, so universal was its appeal.

I settled in to begin to read and again, 27 years after reading the book the first time, I was completely disarmed and charmed by the first chapter. In that chapter, Jan Karon writes about how Father Tim, the protagonist, is adopted by a dog who he names Barnabus. I love the quote from E. B. White that the town vet shares with Father Tim : “A really companionable and indispensable dog is an accident of nature. You can’t get it by breeding for it and you can’t buy it with money. It just happens along.”

Although I am a ‘cat person’, I have seen how important and indispensable dogs are to their owners. One thing I love about At Home in Mitford is that scattered throughout the book are many such wise and informative quotations.

I thought I would write to you again this morning about Mitford, just in case you haven’t read it in the past. From my experience 25 years ago of sharing about the book with many of the people I knew, there was no-one that I recommended it to who didn’t truly enjoy it.

Also, at times such as these, I think we could all use a charming, disarming, peace producing read! I am so hopeful that if you do choose to read the Mitford series that you too will be blessed by it in these ways!

Enjoy!

Something else that has helped me tremendously in the past 2 weeks is having a bulb basket in the house. By this I mean a basket of tulip bulbs, crocuses and mini-daffodils. It has been so wonderful to watch them grow and then to flower. This basket has been bringing me the hope of spring, the fragrance of spring and a reminder that even in the depths of winter, hibernation and COVID, all is unfolding as it should, and new life is waiting just around the corner!

Oh man! We are only 10 days into our stay at home order, with 18 days to go. How, oh how, can we avoid falling prey to acedia? In my October 5,2020 post I explained that ‘acedia’ is a term coming from the Greek which means ‘ bored and listless, due to social isolation.’

Yup! That is close to where I am at!

I have the privilege and pleasure of being part of a phone tree for my church. I get to call several church members and inquire after their wellbeing during this COVID time. One of the women, a 90 year old, has been an inspiration to me. She has remained quite contented throughout this 10 months of COVID. She decided at the beginning to reread all the books on her bookshelves, and she has found this to be quite engaging and enjoyable. Her example led me to look at my bookshelves and I too have decided to reread a couple of the series I found there.

One is Jack Higgins’ novels. Jack wrote about 45 novels spanning a 40+ year writing career. They are simple thrillers, and very predictable. The good guys are very likeable and they always win out over the bad guys in the end. For times such as these, I find knowing this will be the outcome to be very reassuring, and I simply abandon myself to enjoying the read.

The other series is the Mitford series, written by Jan Karon. I loved the first book in the series, At Home in Mitford, when it came out in 1994, and I have thoroughly enjoyed each new book in the series since then. It’s time to reread them! They will be bedtime reading for me. They are beautiful and interesting stories about life and human nature in a small town in North Carolina, that I find to be reassuring and engaging too.

I bet if you look on your bookshelves, you will come across a book or a book series that you would enjoying rereading too. This practice is helping me to avoid acedia right now. I hope it will do the same for you!