the end of the day

It is the end of my day and I have nothing left to remember, no to do list, everything is done...and it is almost time to sit and enjoy an icecream cone.  Guilt free.  This is grace.

I found this prayer at  
http://www.ramshornstudio.com/for_grace.htm
 

I am bending my knee

In the eye of the Father who created me,

In the eye of the Son who died for me,

In the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me,

In love and desire.

Pour down upon us from heaven

The rich blessing of Thy forgiveness;

Thou who art uppermost in the City,

Be Thou patient with us.

Grant to us, Thou Saviour of Glory,

The fear of God, the love of God, and His affection,

And the will of God to do on earth at all times

As angels and saints do in heaven;

Each day and night give us Thy peace.

Each day and night give us Thy peace.

ACHANAIDH GRAIS

Ta mi lubadh mo ghlun

An suil an Athar a chruthaich mi,

An suil a Mhic a cheannaich mi,

An suil a Spioraid a ghlanaich mi,

Le gradh agus run.

Doirt a nuas oirnn a flathas

Trocair shuairce do mhathas;

Fhir tha 'n uachdar na Cathair,

Dean-sa fathamas ruinn.

Tabhair duinn, a Shlan'ear Aigh,

Eagal De, gaol De, agus gradh,

Is toil De dheanamh air talamh gach re,

Mar ni ainghlich is naoimhich air neamh;

Gach la agus oidhche thoir duinn do sheimh,

Gach la agus oidhche thoir duinn do sheimh.

Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

away for the day

There is GRACE to be found in the ability to leave one's house and especially those who share the space.  To spend your own time, in your own thoughts, in your own aura.  There is GRACE in going for a run in the sun and stopping at thrift stores along the way -a bonus to find a few artistic pieces of clothing that fit like gloves.  It is hard to keep that GRACE when the chaos and pressures of home overshadow an awesome day. 
It feels like looking at grace through a key hole.

living wall at the market

Farmer's market

'Tis the first day for the new location of Halifax's farmer's market.  What a glorious space!
There are lots of bright sunny corners, wide aisles, a living plant wall, and so exciting -the expectation of what the roof top garden will be like.  The builiding is green, there is wind power.
GRACE all the way around!

Thinking Ahead

Whenever it is almost time to go away on vacation, there is an enormous amount of work to be done.  The work is not difficult, just minute and taxing on the brain.  Think of it:  doing three weeks of bulletins at one time and trying not to confuse the dates and which announcements go where; arranging for responsible people to unlock the church door at all the required times; getting supply pastors and ensuring they are comfortable with leading service; setting up on call pastors for emergencies...GRACE today is being almost at the end of writing notes, emails, and trying to remember the information to be passed along.  A great big sigh feels so good.  Grace is so good!  God is so good!

Birthdays

This has been the best birthday in a long time; not that birthdays are usually anything but good. 
This year is different because I have Facebook updates coming to a Blackberry.  Every time my wall is written on the Blackberry blips.  All day grace has been heard in the blip, blip, blips.  The blips were friends from around the world sending birthday wishes.  Who knew I had so many friends?  Today 50-60blips later I feel blessed and LOVED!!! Graced -if you will.

A week at Camp Mush-a-Mush

It has been over a week since I engaged grace through words on this blog.  I have been a recluse acting as chaplain at family camp.  This week was grace in so many ways.
Being away from phones and electronics, from preparing meals, and from scheduling appointments and family events was only the beginning of beautiful.
Every day dining hall graces were sung.  The table graces had been written over the years by camp staff and sung to their favourite tunes.  This was really fun and the creative genius superb.
My son and I shared a cabin and neither of our running shoes made the cabin unbearable. Together we participated in a balloon shaving competition and made a winning erupting volcano.  A memory that I will never forget.  I met my son on a new level; creative, intelligent, fun, thoughtful, and caught a glimpse of him as an adult.
Every day the adults met for Bible Study in the outdoor chapel, under sun-kissed trees. The discussion was lively as we engaged scripture using our five senses.  Questions asked and blogged about included: "What does love smell like?  Does God smell the same?" "What does joy taste like?"  "What does God look like?"  "How do you hear God?"  We played with the smells of frankinsense, myrh, the sound of a brass bell, and a social justice personality colour chart.
Grace was heard and felt through my whole body as I would open the windows on my cabin to the view of trees and the lake.  I would play the bagpipes and the sound waffled across the water.  Very cool!
Grace was spoken through the pages of the children's stories read at evening campfires, the enthusiasm of staff, and the laughter of young and old.
God was in every moment.  God grew closer the longer we were a community focused around word, sacrament, and nature; the longer we were away from the business of our lives.  
I am now back home and back to the routine of daily church life. The goal is to carry the grace of camp for as long as I am able; a grace that is routed in nature, community, and word.