Month: November 2012

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         
 
For the saints of all the ages
who have baked the bread of faith
and allured us with the aroma,
we sing praise.
 
For the saints in our own lives
who, finding their way through the dark
became our light,
we give thanks.
 
For the unseen saints in this world
who hold it up with their prayers,
whose hope and labor save us
without our ever knowing,
we cry glory.
 
For the suffering saints
who are our only hope in this world,
who languish in prisons and slums,
reservations and townships,
who labor in fear,
who are trafficked and tortured,
who die of hunger even as we pray,
we ask blessing.
 
May we all be made holy
in wonder and gratitude
and steadfast loving kindness
toward all that lives.
 
 
 
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to unfoldinglight5(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved, 
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         
When you shelter beneath an 80 mile an hour wind,
and see it flatten great trees
and fill a city with the sea,
you feel small.
When you watch a drought erase a farm,
when you stand a quarter mile from a forest fire
and feel its heat,
when the sky clears and you see stars,
you feel small.
 
As small as you are in the storm,
the storm is smaller, so much tinier
than the love of God,
the infinite tender mercy.
The whole universe is small
in the hurricane of God.
 
 
         
         
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
 
__________________     
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to unfoldinglight5(at)hotmail.com

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and peace to you.

Everything is slow today.  Trees are down, roads are impassable, bridges are flooded, businesses are closed, power is out.  But everybody knows and is patient with it all.  A big tree came down in our yard, taking out power lines, phone, the works. (I’m writing from church.) The tree crew came and happily cut up and removed the tree and moved on to the neighbors.  

It’s not so bad, living by candlelight.  We’ll be without power for a few days, I bet.  But how can I complain? Others have been flooded out, homes destroyed, livelihoods damaged.  We all have different lives.  For some people today means no work; for others, more work.  For some people yesterday was a frightening disaster; for others, a lovely, calm evening.  In many places people will greet each other this morning with a casual “Hi.”  But in some places, even with strangers, they’ll ask, “Are you OK? Do you have what you need?” There will be offers of food and water, extra rooms and showers. 

In trying times what is usually secret is exposed: we are all vulnerable and needy and anyone you meet is likely to be facing challenges that you don’t know about.  The only way to go through life is the way we go through disasters: with compassion, patience and mindfulness.  Imagine if we always asked “How are you?” with the same concern we have after a disaster.  Imagine if we always treated people as if they deserved the respect and sensitivity of someone recovering from a difficulty—or, for that matter, someone celebrating a great joy.  We wouldn’t baby each other, but we wouldn’t ignore each other, either.  

In all our lives, as different as they are, it turns out that the one universal thing that is always needed, and always powerful, is simple kindness.  You may not be walking through visible wreckage, but never doubt that others are.  Just be mindful. 

Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

_______________________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
         
         

The power we lost for a few days
was nothing.
The tree we lost, a trifle.
And yet they were great gifts,
greatly to be treasured,
greatly to be praised.

There are those who still have no power,
or food or water,
or house.

A young friend lost her husband Tuesday,
far from the hurricane.

Whatever you take for granted
is already lost in the storm.

Be grateful for everything.
The sun. A toaster.
Hold out your hand and look at it.
Be amazed and grateful.
Tell the people you love
that you love them.

Every day, thank somebody for something.

         
         
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net

To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to unfoldinglight5(at)hotmail.com