flurried schedule and Holy Spirit respite

Just back from our son's wedding at Hilton Head Island. . . the storm during the wedding was such a blessing and even romantic to hear the rain on the pavillion roof and feel the breeze. It was great to be with family and remember what is important in the midst of our busy lives! [And great to dance with my beloved, too.]

I went to do a healing Eucharist Wednesday at one of the churches I serve, and no one appeared. I had brought a cd with Beati Quorum Via on it so I cranked that up while I put Eucharist away and straightened things up. There are few windows in this church, and a storm was coming in. After I put out the candles and had carried most of my stuff to the car, I put out the lights and moved toward the altar in the dusky dark to get the cd player. The smoke was hanging in a flat plane over the altar and suddenly began moving toward me in perfect time to the choral anthem. As I stood transfixed, it enveloped me with such a sense of powerful and comforting Presence. I was by myself, but not alone.

Comments

Heidi Haverkamp said…
Jane, would you email me? I want to ask more about how you thought about presiding at your son's wedding. heidiruthha at gee male . comb
(you get the idea)
;)
June 25, 2008 at 8:50 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
    In the intervening time since my last post, I have been diligently pushing out a weekly column, From the Treehouse, for our church family.   That felt important during the Pandemic at its isolating height, but now we have returned to a crazier life, fraught with all of the anxiety Covid has brought, but missing the slower pace of the previous months.   I have been advised that people are now too busy to read those sorts of things,—and if my own inbox is any witness, I absolutely get it. I have been pondering this culture of ‘both/and’ that has pervaded keeping a church going in these challenging times.   Many things have two sides.   Streaming our services means those immunocompromised folks in our parish family can still stay connected, which is something we absolutely desire.   But it also means that those who might choose to return to church in person instead select an easier route.   I imagine them staying home in their jammies, with coffee and a croissant or panne de chocolat
Read more

One sleepy dog

Image
They do wear each other out. . .We got out of school for ice today so they are glad to have some of us home. I was glad not to drive again! Late nights in Prestonsburg on Wednesday make for sleepy Thursdays.
Read more

Veterans Day

One of the towns I drive through is Manchester, KY. Manchester is a town that supports its military citizens in a big way. Several weeks ago, a deployed group returned. Two miles out of Manchester, the posters and yellow ribbons welcoming them home were blowing in a gentle wind. You could feel the joy of the entire town at their return. East of Manchester, there is a marker with a rifle forming part of a cross. At the base is a pair of boots, and the helmet rests on the butt of the rifle. This week, flowers were added and today a large 4X6 flag flew low to the ground as part of this memorial. I think this particular remembrance might be for Sgt. Stanfill, who died in an accident on the Hal Rogers Parkway just east of Manchester a couple of years ago. Even though Sgt. Stanfill perished on the road I drive several times a week instead of on a far away battle field, I am glad the citizens of Manchester --or perhaps his family-- honor his service in such a way. We observed the tradition
Read more