It's a Good Friday

 

“If you want to see just how far

God has fallen in love with you,

then look at Jesus – look at Jesus on the cross.”

 

Rev. Alan Jones, Passion for Pilgrimage

quote from today's Good Friday sermon

The Prodigal Pup

Today's gospel is from Luke 15 in which Christ continues to shock both pharisees and scribes by hanging out with the less desirable members of society.  In response Jesus gives them the parable of the Prodigal Son. 

Below you will find a reprint of my blog post from three years ago.  I loved it then and I love it now.  And frankly (no pun intended), my wiener dog is the perfect prodigal prop.

"Every time I return home my dog, Lucy, goes berserk. First there's that sweet moment when she realizes that I have returned from wherever I've been. Then there is that mad dash to get to me. This can occur at a dizzying level of speed. This is followed by the jumping up on me, the piddling, the squeaking, and the frantic tail wagging. And the length of time that I'm away doesn't seem to factor in to her uber-excitement. I can be gone a week or 20 minutes. It's all the same to Lucy. And I love it for who else is so consistently overjoyed just by my walking into their range of sight?

Here's what I know about my dog. She is the spittin' image of the Father in the parable of The Prodigal Son. You know the story, boy is unhappy with his lot in life, asks dad for his inheritance, dad hands it over, boy blows it all and has to crawl back home. He is expecting to hear a litany of "I told you so's" but instead his dad acts just like my dog. Running, kissing, hugging, and I am undone by such a display of love - as I'm sure that son was. Like the Prodigal Son's Father, Lucy's mercy is neverending. I continue to learn a lot from her.

P.S. Oh yeah, and about that "put-out attitude" of the older brother. Definitely cat behavior."

Our Mothering Hen

Today’s Gospel reading from Luke 13 has the Pharisees trying to convince Jesus to run away from Herod in fear.

But Jesus doesn’t give in to the “what ifs” because there is nothing that will stand in his way of heading towards Jerusalem.

Speaking of Jerusalem, Jesus laments:



"How often have I desired to gather your children together

as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,

and you were not willing!"

I took this photo and the following prayer

(which was based on the Lord’s Prayer) from a previous blog post

because it was just that good!

"Our Mothering Hen

Who art brooding over us

hallowed be thy sheltering wings.

Forgive our unwillingness to come into your embrace

And gather us in, reluctance and all.

Free us from fear of foxes

And the sharp bite

of anything that separates us from you.

Open our eyes

To the plenty around us.

Open our hearts

That our plenty be shared.

Lead us not into contention

But into the dance of connection.

For thine is the grace that wakes us each new day

And thine is the mercy that puts our souls at ease

And thine is the love that sets our hearts alight.

For ever and ever, amen."

Tammerie Day - posted at Day at a Glance

bless our journeys

This past weekend while attending a retreat

at St. Andrew’s House on the Hood Canal

I walked over to Harmony Hill and spent some time

within this exquisite seashell labyrinth.

And this morning I came across

this prayer from the Iona Community

which fits perfectly:

 

“Lord, bless the journeys we never planned to take,

but through your surprising wisdom

discovered we were on.”

-Peter Millar, "A Time to Mend"

 

 

Which of us could have predicted where our

journeys have taken us?

Sitting on bench in middle of labyrinth,

looking forward to the journey back.

 

plaque at entrance to shell labyrinth

“In memory of all those who have

walked this path"- The Ferrari Family

without story

 

 

“Without Story,



information is nothing



but a lot of bricks lying about



waiting for someone 



to make constructive use of them.”



- Aidan Chambers

our stories connect us.

stories bring us home.

happy valenswine's day?

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Oh No!

You just remembered that you gave up all sweets for Lent?

Never fear!

There is always roses...

And even better...Bacon and Roses combined!

Does it get any better than this?

photo from here

Season of letting go

When I was a kid this was the appropriate facial expression

for the season of Lent. Somber, Dutiful, Suppressed.

After all, we deserved wrath for our wickedness.

But this is the beginning of the season of letting go.

Letting go of all that hinders us from being who we really are.

Letting go of all that is false – not true.

For we are loved and cherished by God who never ever stops

giving to us. Recalling that we are dust and to dust we

will someday return is not all gloom and doom

but a call to wake up. Our time is short.

Love one another with a holy love.

What will that look like on your face this season?