Trinity UCC Lenten Devotional February 25, 2015 by Jodi Kirk

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25^th:                                                            Jodi Lee Kirk

Scripture:

Jeremiah 17:12

A glorious throne on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary

Poem:

When I heard the Learn’d Astronomer (by Walt Whitman)

When I heard the learn’d astronomer;
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;
When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them;
When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;
Till rising and gliding out, I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.

Quote:

“....my sacred landscape is the foothills of the stars - I go there often to sleep ...”
–John Geddes, A Familiar Rain

Prayer:

Open my eyes so that I may see the sacred in the most ordinary of extraordinary moments. Help me savor the wonder and mystery of “now”.  Lord, help me let go of the constant need to get things done, to check off another box on my “do list”.  Release me from the frantic busy energy that seems to shape so much of my day. Remind me to take time to close my eyes and shut off the voices in my head, to breathe in the perfect quiet of your calming and grace filled presence.

Reflection:

My Summer Oasis 
 

            We do not have a real back yard. We do not have a wraparound porch … or a deck … or a patio, but when spring settles in and the promise of summer is just around the corner our driveway goes under a divine transformation. The long runway of black pavement becomes an oasis, a sanctuary of sorts and my beloved refuge.

            On the first truly hot day – oh how I long for that moment during this ridiculous and seemingly endless frigid and oh so bleak February – the boys will inevitably beg for their water table. No matter that they are almost 10 or that the once too tall blue plastic table is barely waist high, they demand that it be filled to the brim. Small plastic action figures take daring dives as Xavier and Gabriel splash and play. Soon the pavement beckons. It is the perfect canvas. Soon we are laying on the now warm pavement, sketching and drawing, filling the space with words and images in chalk that when pressed too hard turns into multicolored dust. Magic.

            The bird feeder needs bird seed. Big red and black pots are calling for fresh soil and new plants and flowers. We plant colorful marigolds and peonies, a symphony of red and gold with splashes of deep purple and vibrant fushia.

            Next comes my oasis. A canvas gazebo that provides shelter and shade from the soon to be blistering heat of the summer sun. Deck chairs with bright red cushions anchor each corner.  Pillows with images of sunflowers are lovingly placed on each chair. A low square table finds its rightful place in the center of my outside home.  We pull out a square plastic dining table with matching chairs and put the large umbrella – also fiery red – in the center hole. The transformation is almost complete. Two wooden Adirondack chairs are placed at the far end of the drive. A few other mismatched chairs are added to create the perfect gathering space around a small but oh so inviting fire pit.

            This is my summer sanctuary. In the early morning before the world is fully awake I sit at the table – journal in hand – and take that perfect first sip of coffee and soak in the wonder and mystery of  the sun rising as a light breeze brushes my face. It is quiet but not completely still. I watch the birds flit from feeder to the twins’ blazingly blue water table that they have claimed as their own.  Impossibly bold squirrels and chipmunks stop and stare as they feast on left over seeds and nuts that have spilled on the ground.

            Mid day I find myself drifting back to my canopy, lured by the comfort of an inviting cushion and the words and images of a book that never seems to get finished. I long to lose myself in story and character but am pulled away by the giggles and/or arguments of my boys. I am distracted by the whoosh of a scooter or yet another plea to come play, or get them something to eat

            The early evening air is perfumed by the smell of the grill. Joe is in his element. I am inside – screen door open – setting the table and ferrying supplies as I listen to jovial banter and the sound of his voice singing one of his favorite tunes.

            Evening falls and the boys are tucked in bed.  Once again, I wander outside. Tiki torches are lit as the older kids, Joe and I gather around the fire pit to play a game of cards and talk – about everything and nothing at all. I bask in the glow of the dying embers and the moonlight streaming down.  I give thanks as I look up to count the stars and my many, many blessings.

Writing Prompts:

·         “When I give myself permission to reflect, I…”

·         “I feel most connected to God when I…”

·         “Staring at the stars on a cloudless night, I wonder…”

Blessing:

May each of us experience the tranquility and peace that comes with a cleansing breathe and a recognition of the beauty that surrounds us … the mystery of the stars at night, the healing sound of a child’s laughter, the goodness of a stranger, the smile of a loved one, the wonder of a gentle breeze on a hot summer’s day. Soak in peace and mindfulness and allow the sense of what is possible to radiate from you and bleed into the too rushed and often impersonal events that are packed into the day.