What's the Story in Dalamory » Prayer

freda — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:08:29 +0000

There was something understated about our Harvest Festival Service today, and it was all the better for it. Being a small church ours had a small display of gifts, produce and flowers. The non-perishable gifts were to go to a local charity for struggling families, the produce to a local soup kitchen for the homeless, and there was an opportunity to donate money for The Lord’s Larder charity. No huge or awkward fuss, but a genuine thanksgiving for people and the gifts of this world and the people in it. It was made all the better for there being a blessing of a new baby who was visiting – (he is to be baptised next month in his home church.)

I tell you all of this – and I hope it is obvious how thankful I was for the service and the usual warm and friendly welcome, as an introduction to one fateful Harvest Service I remember a good number of years ago. The display was lavish – it was a large town-centre church – and there were a number of people helping with the decoration of the church as people arrived the day before with gifts. But the bickering was unbelievable. It seemed that there was no easy agreement as to which gifts/produce should take pride of place. In other words it was the antithesis of Christian love and a sense of working together. It was set to escalate into a pitched battle. The Minister (not me) appeared, complimented all, tweaked one or two things and set out to thank the helpers. All of a sudden things calmed down.

The next day at the service, (where I was helping,) I couldn’t help but smile to myself as the beatific faces before me sang sweetly of God’s love and provision. And I was glad to see the attitude of helpfulness and camaraderie carried forward as the same helpers stayed behind after worship to make up parcels for the elderly housebound and retirement homes. I suppose the moral of the story is that it is important to help with a good grace, and that we don’t have to compete to be important all the time.

I hope you have had a good Sunday time of contemplation, however, whatever and whenever….

Catching up

freda — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:22:14 +0000

Where have the last five days gone? I seem to have spent each day either tremendously busy and frantically rushing to catch up, or falling asleep on the spot. Today has been a good day so far. It is 4pm and to date I have done the following:

Stumbled under the shower at 7.30am with the alarm ringing in my ears
Showered, pilled and potioned
Morning Pages – a device to help writers – see later
Quiet Time
Breakfast
Planning Meeting with HBTW
Paperclog – or rather the worst of it. You can now see the desk
Sorting out old shopping catalogues
Morning cappuccino – being a near food this is a highlight of the morning
Cleaning bathroom – made better by the knowledge that HBTW is cleaning the shower room at the same time.
Changing beds
Lunch – more food, Yum!
30mins sit down
Energetic walk with dog

Now I am nearly collapsed, but as I remember I promised to tell you about Morning Pages. This is a device recommended by Julia Cameron in her books about creativity, particularly in writing. Sometimes writers (and bloggers) go through a period of writer’s block; times when it is difficult to commit anything to the page or screen. Cameron suggests that first thing every morning, the writer sits with a hard-backed exercise book or journal and writes whatever comes into their head onto the page. (I call it splatting.)

You can start with - woke up, got up, feeling weary…….. or more unlikely for me: woke up, jumped out of bed, singing along with the larks. Huh! Then the idea is that you simply carry on splatting onto the page for as much of the three pages as you can manage. It’s similar to a device recommended by bloggers, ie sit at the screen and write whatever comes into your head, remembering you can delete the rubbish.

Interestingly, after commentators agreeing that the Julia Roberts character in the film is self-absorbed, I seem to be recommending a technique that is all about the self. Julia Cameron’s thesis, which develops throughout her books are all about clearing the diary to make a date with the self, looking around with a new awareness, living the adventure that’s there and so forth. More something you do in middle age as part of an awareness course, but there is some good advice, particularly in looking around and being thankful for creation. The advantage of doing all of this in the context of a Meditation or Quiet Time, is that we can allow ourselves to know we are loved by God, Being, Spirit….. whatever is your sense of the universe.

I seem to be getting away into drivel now, so I shall stop and simply wish you, Dear Reader, Every Blessing.

New every morning

freda — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 06:01:28 +0000

God’s blessings are new every morning
Great is God’s faithfulness

Flower Festival

freda — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 11:23:03 +0000

A busy church this weekend – all part of the 200 years anniversary.

This is a to represent the Agricultural Show. Note the welly boots and umbrella. Someone suggested there should have been more mud.

This is the Teas and Tots group who meet in the Church Hall. I guess this is a teddy bear’s picnic….

The hats below hint at the origination of a local neighbours’ group. I presume a gent’s hat would be welcomed if thrown into the ring, as it were.

The Guides – a worldwide organisation with its own little group here in the country.

I think you will agree there is a wide diversity of interpretation and style.

People in the know will appreciate how much work goes into all of these displays. Also, the whole occasion over three days, provides an opportunity to meet and talk with visitors from near and far. We country people take our pleasures seriously!

Transfiguration

freda — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 07:01:44 +0000

To make an act of worship,

we bring ourselves:

perhaps a little tired;
perhaps a little preoccupied;
expecting much, expecting little.
And we bring
our thoughts:
some thankful and happy;
some worried and anxious;
some trivial, some deep.
And we bring
our words:
the unexciting language of everyday;
the difficult language of belief;
the expressions of faith and fear, of doubt and hope.
All the ordinariness of our daily lives
we bring to this act of worship;
that with Christ we might climb
towards the mountain top to meet God
and find our human offerings
transfigured
by the glory of divine love.

Seasons and Celebrations NCEC

Back at last

freda — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:56:48 +0000

Back home at last – in fact, I’ve been home for a few days. Getting back to normal routines like blogging and watching the news is taking longer to accomplish. The terrible events in Norway and the famine in East Africa dominate world events and everything seems a bit too much to cope with. That seems ridiculous to say when it is those involved who need our empathy, prayers and support. Forgive me, I must be suffering from post-holiday blues.

The weather has turned into summer and is wonderful, perhaps that explains some of the tiredness and lethargy. Bit by bit I shall recover and hopefully will have more to blog about than self-indulgent woes and an inability to cope with life.

We came home in time for a special service at church to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the church building. The whole village seemed to be there, plus members of the clan Gregor. Overall it was tremendous, well-supported, joyful and evidencing a community/village that is in good health and growing. Nibbles in the new community centre afterwards gave us all the opportunity to catch up and share future plans. This whole year has been one of celebration – a great way to celebrate, to involve a whole community and to get to know one another better. The Office Bearers and our minister, Liz Gibson, have been doing a wonderful job.

So why the tiredness and feeling lethargic? Particularly about getting started on this blog? I usually rush to the page, keen to share some news or something quirky I’ve come across on the web. My life is an ordinary one, with the usual ups and downs. Nowadays I tend to be grateful for peace, space to be reflective and time to meditate and pray. I enjoy catching up on reading blogs of people I have been getting to know online over the years, and I like it when they comment on what I have to share. Fortunately, most of their remarks are pertinent, encouraging and sometimes very funny.

The problem? Someone recently told me in person that my life is too small. Those were not the actual words, I had to look the words up in the dictionary. But yes……. my life is small. The marvel is that I can share my thoughts, fears, inadequacies, joys and triumphs with anyone who cares to open up the world of Dalamory.

Small and ordinary is good. I’m not a celebrity – imagine how awful that would be….. intrusive and worrying. I’m past my working life – and thankful to be retired…….. free to follow my own interests and to do what little I can to spread the news that God loves us all. I have no soap box other than a belief in goodness overcoming evil…….. even in the face of the tragedy of the shootings and deaths in Norway.

And I want to say thank you, faithful reader, for being here.

Busy … busy … busy

freda — Sat, 21 May 2011 10:37:26 +0000

Many a retired person has said, Where does all the time go? And many a working person has felt a slight twinge of envy at those who seem to have all the time in the world. My reason for not posting is honestly being busy. And we were helping someone celebrate a very important birthday.

Since last speaking with you, here are some of the things that I have done.

Gone walking in a rainstorm
Admired the dripping leaves
Been enveloped in the sweet fragrance of azaleas in bloom
Sensed the presence of God in the rain
Visited the library van
Visited a castle
Eaten too much yummy cake
Walked the dog in bluebell woods.
Hit the shops in Inveraray
Bought a new top
Gone out for a special birthday meal
Eaten too much
Gone to a garden centre
Eaten too much lunch
Walked too far in Oban
Bought a pair of trousers (they don’t fit….)
Because I’ve been eating too much
Answered some emails
Been for a check-up at the doctor’s (am doing very well thank you.)
Fallen asleep for an afternoon zizz…..
Because I’ve been eating too much

Have had a lovely few days and am now at the stage of collapsing in a heap with a new library book. Dreams of bluebells, azaleas and dripping foliage play over in my mind.

What to say about Japan?

freda — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:44:24 +0000

Sometimes I more or less ignore world events on my blog. On occasion I feel there is nothing I can add and at other times it is just so difficult to know what is appropriate. Just recently I’ve noticed other bloggers coming up with the same questions. The earthquake and tsunami are horrific and we are shown countless videos, images and harrowing interviews with victims. Add to all of this the nuclear troubles and it all seems too much.

Lesley on her blog, has something really worthwhile to say about prayer in this situation. Have a look if you can, and let me know what you think.

Lent promises

freda — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 07:18:21 +0000

This year I have been a bit behind with thinking what to do in Lent, in terms of spiritual discipline. In years gone by I’ve tried many of the usual things – giving up chocolate or coffee, for instance – and very hard they were too. One year I announced to my congregation that I was giving up guilt, but in a way that turned out to be a bit of a cop-out. I am far too guilty a Presbyterian for that to have much chance of succeeding.

This year I am trying something new. As I’ve got older it’s true to say that anxiety has become an ever-increasing problem. No amount of soothing inner dialogue makes this easy to deal with. So here’s the plan: whenever I am anxious I am going to visualise Psalm 139 where God says that he knows and loves us from when we were in our mother’s womb. Then, as that starts to calm me down, I am going to try and hear, with the inner ear, the voice of Jesus saying Don’t be afraid. I am with you.

I’ll try to keep you posted.

By the way, yesterday’s BMT was tea out in a tea shop and included a very large meringue. The tea was Earl Grey with bergamot and blue cornflowers.

Confusion and muddle

freda — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:14:29 +0000

All is confusion and muddle – at least that is what my head feels like at the moment. The undernoted photos give an illustration of what is going on.

This is the last photo in my camera prior to the dreaded lirgy. All was dark and damp and with remnants of autumn leaves clinging onto the twisted oak. Spring was obviously a long way ahead.

Today, things look very different. I struggled into a fleece and emerged into the pre-spring day with gingerly footsteps. These snowdrops are plump and full, and someone…. probably me, got muddled up when planting them up during last year’s tidy-up.

The air is still, the birds are in full chatter and there are little signs of hope all around.

In a garden, it is very easy to feel close to God and part of nature. I love the old Victorian hymn, quoted many a time before…..

The kiss of the sun for pardon
The song of the bird for mirth
One is nearer God’s heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.

And I can feel the healing taking place, slowly but surely…… Today’s, Birthday Month treat then – to look and listen and smell spring hanging on the air.

What's the Story in Dalamory » Prayer

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