What's the Story in Dalamory » peace

Comfort

freda — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:35:59 +0000

Sorry if you haven’t been able to get to my blog the last couple of days; there was a problem with the webhost.

It has been an eventful time at Dalamory. The Dance Class on Friday was energetic for both body and mind. Then I am sorry to say that winter has begun – snow included. And today I managed to spill/splash/splatter/throw a container of home-made soup all over the kitchen. Never mind, the poached egg was a good substitute. It was just as well we were being reminded about God’s comfort at church this morning.

Christmas is coming very fast, I really must get on with it. However, the undernoted Celtic Blessing is an ideal prayer to keep us grounded and comforted.

Deep peace of the running waves to you,
deep peace of the flowing air to you,
deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
deep peace of the shining starts to you,
deep peace of the shades of night to you,
moon and stars always giving light to you,
deep peace of Christ, the Son of Peace to you.

Contemplation and recovery

freda — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:35:03 +0000

It turns out that the bug had not quite had its way in the Dalamory Homestead, HBTW suffered his own collapse and took to bed. This involved wearing several extra jumpers, plugging in earphones to the radio and “coorying” under the covers for the best part of 24hrs. We are both now in the more pleasant stage of recovery. There is not much energy to do anything, but plenty of time for contemplation, light reading or watching the TV.

Especially this weekend it has meant time to focus on the Remembrance services. We couldn’t manage our own church this morning, so watched the coverage at the Cenotaph in London. Very moving it was too. Last night I watched the British Legion Festival of Remembrance from the Albert Hall. Maybe it was my convalescent state, but I found myself very tearful and ended the evening red-eyed with a bunged up nose. The stories of the injured and the relatives of those who had died, particularly the young war widows told of courage and sorrow. And somehow hope shone through all the same.

As ever, at this time, I think of relatives who were in the forces in the Second World War and Korea. I remember their stories and their sense of humour, which seemed so necessary to get them through it. I watch the parade of people in the march-past and note how they are getting older year by year. I know I often have a grumble about our way of life nowadays, but in general terms we are moving on and becoming a more just and fair society. I don’t believe that war and fighting is the way to spread justice, but I do understand that sometimes it has been inevitable. Some of my colleagues in the ministry had difficulty with paying respect and remembrance for the fallen, because of their strong belief in peace. I believe that life is muddier rather than straightforward, and as I get older I am more grateful for the freedoms we enjoy.

Oh dear – I had better stop before this turns into a sermon or a treatise on the Just War Theory. Things I used to wrestle with regularly.

Wherever you are, I wish you a peaceful Remembrance Day.

Sunday Blessing

freda — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:46:26 +0000

I found this over at The Rev and a Dog – it’s a new blessing to me and it is really beautiful. Happy Palm Sunday

May the blessing of light be on you – light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire,
so that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.
And may light shine out of the two eyes of you,
like a candle set in the window of a house,
bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.
And may the blessing of the rain be on you,
may it beat upon your spirit and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there a shining pool where the blue of heaven shines,
and sometimes a star.
And may the blessing of the earth be on you,
soft under your feet as you pass along the roads,
soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day;
and may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie out under it.
May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be out
from under it quickly;
up and off and on its way to God.
And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly.

Scottish Blessing

Happy St Patrick’s Day

freda — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:31:02 +0000

An electronic card reminded me that today is St Patrick’s Day. A lovely thought, so here are a couple of photos and a memory about Ireland.

One of the hobbies I hoped to take up in retirement was researching my family tree. The trouble is that the days pass so happily and I often get distracted by books or other toys, then the summer comes and there are places to visit and people to see. All excuses I know. However, I did manage a little research and discovered that one of my mother’s ancestors had been born in Ireland prior to 1840, then moved to Scotland presumably around the time of the great famines. I kind of came to a dead end there as I had no idea where he came from, though I suspect it would have been from the more Protestant north of the country.

I’ve only visited Ireland a couple of times and each time have felt a strong sense of belonging – particularly in the south-west of the country, so find myself motivated to try and find out if there are any connections in my family history to that area. Of course it could just be that the countryside is so similar to the west of Scotland where I have been happily settled for many years.

It’s wonderful to visit a new place and to feel immediately at home. I remember taking this photo of the sunset and feeling full of peace. Peace to you this day.

Getting to church

freda — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 07:21:11 +0000

Getting to church today is going to mean several layers of clothes and hiking boots. That is always providing there is no more snow overnight.

A peaceful Sunday to all my readers. Keep warm if you are in the frozen north of wherever you are.

Armistice Day

freda — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 10:49:59 +0000

At 11am today millions of people kept a 2mins silence to mark the end of the 1st World War. I looked at my watch too late, but this blog post is a way of remembering all those who die in wars and conflicts and through terrorism.

Peter Millar, (a global peace campaigner and member of the Iona Community,) wrote a letter to his young granddaughter on the day of her Dedication/Blessing, of his hopes for her as she grows up. This next bit struck me as being most apt for today.

You will soon learn that we live in violent times. There are wars and rumours of wars in many parts of our interconnected world. Terrible poverty touches the lives of billions of people. Sadly, one of the causes of these wars is religion. So my hope is (my prayer is) that you will always be open to those who walk on a path other than Christian. May you be able to see the beauty and wisdom and truth in other cultures, traditions and faiths, while remaining true to your own understanding. There is no place in our world for religious intolerance – which is why it is crucial for you to embrace both cultural and human diversity in love. I love the prayer which says “Stay with us, Lord, for the day is far spent and we have not yet recognised your face in each of our sisters and brothers” Without this wide compassion, the world in which you are growing up will only become a place rent asunder more and more by war, famine and increasing injustice. Never make your God too small or too domesticated.

Ministers, Pastors and Priests will be leading services all over the UK this coming Sunday, in which they try to keep in balance gratitude for sacrifice and honour of the dead, whilst at the same time not glorifying wars and violence. Remembrance Sunday was always a day which moved me greatly, especially the open-air short services at War Memorials. As the generations who lived through the World Wars die, my generation has a responsibilitiy to remember and to learn lessons.

Peter finished the letter with a beautiful Celtic Blessing, which I would wish for all of us this day and every day.

May the raindrops fall
lightly on your brow.

May the soft winds
freshen your spirit.

May the sunshine
brighten your heart.

May the burdens of the day
rest lightly upon you.

And may God enfold you
in the mantle of his love.

Prayers for Peace

freda — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 06:50:58 +0000

Universal Prayer for Peace
Iona Community

Lead me from death to life, from falsehood to truth.
Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust.
Lead me from hate to love, from war to peace.
Let peace fill our lives, our world, our universe.
Peace, peace, peace.

Peacemaking

freda — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 06:54:29 +0000

Six ways of peacemaking suggested by Jean Vanier. Ways to peace for conflict within the world, the community, and amongst family and friends.

Respect every individual human being;
Create space for people to grow and become mature;
Always stay in dialogue;
Keep adapting mutual expectations;
Enjoy the differences among people;
Always direct your attentions to those who suffer most.

I wonder what you make of these?

Bluebell Peace

freda — Sun, 30 May 2010 17:10:58 +0000

Bluebell – Peace on Sunday

A prayer for peace

freda — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 06:56:34 +0000

God of the nations,
whose kingdom rules over all:
have mercy on our broken and divided world.
Shed abroad your peace in the hearts of all people,
and banish from them the spirit that makes for war;
that all races and peoples may learn to live
as members of one family,
and in obedience to your love.

Uniting Church in Australia

What's the Story in Dalamory » peace

Comfort

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