Hello faith Pals
I hope you are warm and dry. First day of winter! It did have to come. We have had some spectacular autumnal days, haven’t we.
A haiku from Janet Soo, about last night’s storm:
Strong north winds blow
Trees bend and sway
SNAP - a big branch falls heavily to earth.
The first attachment hold the answers to the Bible Quiz! (the one called Image 7) The second one, Image 8, lists the books from the Bible, if you want to see those as well. How did you go?
The third attachment is a reflection from me about feet. Several weeks ago I sent one about hands; I thought feet should be included too!
Two quotes:
‘Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”-Mary Anne Radmacher.
‘A Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt. He said, “I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one.” The grandson asked him, “Which wolf will win the flight in your heart?” The grandfather answered, “The one I feed.”- Anon
May we continue to feed the loving, compassionate one!
‘Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.'(1 Peter 4:8)
‘Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.'(1 John 3: 18)
Happy birthday Myrtle! Myrtle had a wonderful birthday last Friday. All our good wishes go out to you as you continue to celebrate.
Now, some homework before your next email on Friday.
What is your idea of heaven? What do you think heaven will be like?
Blessings and love
Barbara
Look at your feet
A couple of weeks ago I sent around a reflection about hands. I thought I should do the same about our feet.
Look at your feet…yes, I am serious! What type of foot wear are you attired in? Slippers? Runners? Boots? Sandals? Or nothing?
Feet. Ignored for much of our lives. Some people find feet a little off putting, ugly, strange even-but without them we would fall over! 26 bones are in the foot (28 if you count the bones at the base of the big toe) and 14 in the toes. Maybe we should befriend them by using a 19th century slang word for feet: Dew-beaters! Feet knock the dew off as we walk (of course this means you have to be an early riser. I know Janet Soo qualifies as a ‘dew beater’!) Sometimes we only pay attention to feet/dew-beaters when something goes wrong, or when we need to visit a podiatrist.
Our feet have accompanied us through the highs and lows of our lives. Dancing during the happy events, such as weddings, graduations, special parties…and moving slowly through grief…perhaps even sporting solemn black shoes for a funeral, or decked out in slippers for many months if recovering from illness, or encased in a cloud of depression, unable to leave your home.
We often speak of the Lenten journey, but journeys happen outside the Lenten period as well. Cancer patients, indeed many people undergoing treatment, or learning to live with a disability, are often referred to as going on their ‘journey.’
What about your journey? The thing about a journey or trip is it has to start somewhere…and end somewhere! Sometimes our journey is to be here, right where we are, especially during this period of lockdown.
Take time to reflect on your life. Where have you come from, what have you encountered along the way? What paths have you taken through life? Have you ever been lost? Have you ever strayed from your loving God? If so, what or whom brought you back?
Take a look in your wardrobe, at your shoes (some of you may have taken time during lockdown to tidy your cupboards, so you may have already done this type of exercise!) Handle each pair and think back to when and where you wore this item of footwear. Did those high heels, at the back of the cupboard, grace the dance floor at a wedding, long ago? Say a prayer for that couple, for the memories of that day. Perhaps you are holding your every day, unexciting shoes that you wear everywhere because they are so comfortable. Have they accompanied you to the supermarket, as you dashed in to get a few items, keeping social distancing? Say a prayer of gratitude for God’s produce, and for living in a country where we have choice. Say a prayer for those with little, who go to bed hungry. Have these shoes tramped down hospital corridors, or the passage ways of nursing homes? Say a prayer for the patients, the residents, and for the staff.
What have you found there, under an item of clothing? A pair of thongs! You haven’t worn them for ages…unable to get to the beach, or now needing to wear sandals, to prevent slipping. Did these thongs take you to the beach with the children? Or were they worn in communal showers at caravan parks on road trips? Or pulled out to put on at an impromptu barbeque-to avoid accidental spills from the grill, and from the prick of bindi eye? Give thanks to God for the joy of family and holidays.
Perhaps the pair of shoes you wear quite often are of the sporting variety. If they grace tennis courts, or bowling greens, golf courses or cricket pitches…give thanks for the games they have helped you play, and for the sporting spirit that praises all participants.
They may have been part of fun runs, walkathons, Bunnings sausage sizzles, church fetes, op shop clean ups.
Perhaps you have a pair of warm slippers in your hand. Maybe these have been on your feet when you have prayed for others, or read your Bible. Maybe they were on your feet whilst watching the news, when you said a prayer to God for a particular troubling situation.
I think of Jesus in his earthly ministry. He walked everywhere, without comfortable shoes. On more than one occasion he demonstrated the gift of foot washing-not only refreshing tired and dusty feet, but mirroring a form of discipleship, part of our call to be Christian, is to serve. As we journey with Jesus, we dare to step within his own footprints. Our feet stop at the cross…overcome with grief…until we dance with great joy outside the empty tomb! Or, if we were journeying on the road to Emmaus-we race back, to tell others that we have met the risen Christ.
Christ invites us to the divine dance. Don’t worry if you can’t dance…your dew-beaters will know what to do. Don’t worry if you don’t have the right foot wear…all items are suitable, as are all people! Keep on the path (or the divine dance-floor), for He will guide you when you are uncertain, or consumed with doubt, He will hold you fast when you stumble, and He will be your eyes when you cannot see your way ahead because of tears.
May God’s love warm you like a woolly winter slipper, keep you on track like a well-fitted walking shoe, and bring joy to the depressed, with His own version of a sparkly dance shoe!
‘May the feet of God walk with you, and his hand hold you tight.’
Blessings
Barbara Allen
