Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century

Category: Uncategorized

  • Grateful Reverence

    Grateful Reverence

    Photo by Pexabay/Pexels

    I was run over by the Holy Spirit this past week, it was a most disturbing experience!  One minute I was going about my business and the next I was left a speechless mess fully aware of God’s amazing presence.

    It happened while out walking my dog, Abigail, one warm afternoon early in October.  I looked up to the Canadian Geese who were practicing their V formation overhead when it happened, a humility so overwhelming I felt light headed with awe.

    I will never be able to fully understand or articulate the grandeur of God in that moment. As I looked around God’s glory shone through the salmon noisily splashing up steam.   To think God created something as remarkable as a salmon whose instincts know to return home every autumn to propagate the next generation or butterflies who began life as caterpillars are now winged beauties prepared to fly south.  This same God put into the hearts of birds to gather on hydro wires so together they may migrate and also instilled within the Canadian Geese to fly in perfect formation.  And then, one final touch God decided to have all the bushes and trees burst into celebratory colour!  

    If all of this wasn’t enough, God also created me, and you, so we can witness this beauty; an audience to God’s amazing creative genius.  The profound awareness of God’s closeness stunned me into a deep humility and gratitude that could only be expressed through reverence; a reverence for something much bigger, wiser and deeper than I could ever perceive.

    As John Milton, English Poet, wrote, “Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.”

    May your Thanksgiving be so full of gratitude that it results in a deep reverence that tunes you into God’s closeness.

    Happy Thanksgiving,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Autumn Aroma

    Autumn Aroma

    Once autumn arrives it is pumpkin spice everything.  I even saw an advertisement last week selling pumpkin spice brake pads!  Of course the service station was just having some fun with this pumpkin spice madness.

    For me the perfect aroma for autumn is not pumpkin spice but a bouquet of sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley, basil and oregano.

    With the threat of the first frost upon us the time had arrived to harvest my herb garden.  I cut each plant leaving the roots in place with hopes that next spring they may sprout again. Each herb released an intoxicating scent when cut, a means of departing the garden with one final farewell.

    Some of the herbs were delicately tied and hung upside down on a wooden rack in our mudroom, welcoming all who enter with a savory fragrance.  Others were prepared for a faster drying process in the oven.  With the oven warmed to 170 degrees and the necessary supplies gathered: reclaimed glass jars, parchment covered cookie sheets, and a mortar and pestle, I was ready to start.

    Soon the house filled with the best aroma autumn can offer. Not only does this process fill my home with a warm and delectable perfume it also adds a touch of summer to each winter dish. 

    Sure, pumpkin spice is nice but the signature smells of my own home grown herbs is a reminder of warmer days that help carry me through another cold Grey-Bruce winter.

    May we all find simple ways to honour this most rewarding season!

    Happy autumn everyone,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel  

  • Day-Tight Compartments!

    Day-Tight Compartments!

    Photo by Zachary Keimig/Unsplash

    In the spring of 1913 Sir William Osler, a Canadian Physician who was one of the founders of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, addressed the graduating class at Yale University with such a memorable speech it still echoes to this day.

    In his speech titled, “A Way of Life” he advised the graduates to adopt the “… practice of living for the day only and for the day’s work.”  By using the example of an air tight ocean liner that steadily sails the seas at twenty-five knots he concluded we each would journey life safely if we lightened our load by not carrying regrets of yesterday or worries about tomorrow. He warns that “the load of tomorrow, added to that of yesterday, carried today makes even the strongest falter.”

    His suggestion is that we focus only on the “life lived in the now in day-tight compartments.” 

    This phrase, “day-tight compartment” has become a mantra for me; repeated often as a reminder to not borrow sorrow from the past or to think up troubles in the future.  However, it seems to me that even Sir William Osler would agree that we need to plan for the future, everyone has deadlines to meet.  Often my work of today is to prepare the next Sunday’s sermon, or the next month’s preaching series.  We all must look ahead to be prepared for commitments and deadlines.  I wonder if the difference lies in preparing happily for that which we have some control but not wasting our present time in worrying about that which we have no control.  We often waste valuable time worrying over situations that only happen in our imagination, “Let us be of good cheer, remembering that the misfortunes hardest to bear are those which never happened.” (James Russel Lowell).

    Poet Kalidasa penned this beautifully,

    “For yesterday is but a dream,

    and tomorrow is only a vision,

    but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness,

    and tomorrow a vision of hope.

    Look well, therefore, to this day!”

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Healing Flames

    Healing Flames

    Photo by Dids/Pexels

    What a week we just had.  It began with terrifying news that unfolded in Saskatchewan at the James Smith Cree Nation that left 10 people dead and another 18 injured and ended with the announcement of Queen Elizabeth II’s death on Thursday September 8th, 2022.    

    Each story left us feeling untethered in one way or another.  Thankfully despite the sad headlines God’s presence continued to be on the move inviting us to look up and see beauty as it unfolded.

    Have you noticed?  The tree tops are beginning to look as though they are on fire with flames of red, yellow and orange foliage.  Looking up is the only logical stance when sad news surrounds us.

    The autumn leaves this week reminded me of how God calls us forth from difficulties into new beginnings.  Take for example what happened when the Hebrew people were under the yoke of slavery and trouble surrounded them on all sides.  God called an unlikely hero to save them all.

    Moses was out tending the flock on Mount Horeb when he saw a peculiar sight. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.  He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.  God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:1-5)

    Why did God use a humble bush?  Why didn’t God call to Moses from a towering tree?  The picture of God speaking from a lowly bush reminds me of a father stooping down to talk to his  children. (Reforesting Faith, Seeth)

    Also, note that God did not speak to Moses until Moses noticed the burning bush.  If we want to hear from God, especially in times of sadness, we need to pay attention to the miracles God places in front of us – even if it means turning off the computer, cell phone or television. 

    May we all hear the call of the trees to look up and pause long enough to breath in the undeniable healing of God’s renewing presence.

    As Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote, “Earth’s crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God: but only they who see, takes off their shoes.”

    May we all find reason to take off our shoes this coming week!

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • September Sunset

    September Sunset

    Photo by Sasha Martynov/Pexels

    This past Monday evening, the Monday of Labour Day Weekend, we enjoyed the sunset at Sauble Beach.  As we silently sat on the park bench, the sun steadily lowered itself into the distant horizon but not without vibrant shades of peach, pink and soft white.  We know that as the sun sets on one horizon it is rising on another.

    So, as we drove home in the gathering dark our thoughts turned to preparing for the week ahead, meanwhile; the sun was brightening the morning horizon for others.

    As the world turns on its axis, at 1,000 miles per hour, the sun rises, and sets and rises again.   It is a reminder of how fleeting our days truly are; weeks becoming months seemingly in a blink of an eye. 

    Now, as we head back into the busyness of September and our calendars fill with appointments, meetings and constant routine, may we remember to pause daily to acknowledge the divinity that surrounds us all and may this presence ground us in God’s enduring peace, joy and love.  

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Labour Day Weekend: It’s Not Too Late!

    Labour Day Weekend: It’s Not Too Late!

    Photo by Kyle Glenn/Unsplash

    We in Canada have been celebrating Labour Day since 1894; it has become a national statutory holiday.  Traditionally this day, the first Monday of September, was set aside for honouring laborers of the middle class. On this day there were picnics, parades and activities planned to bring together the laborers in a day of solidarity.

    Things are different now.  Today Labour Day is more about getting the children back into routine for another school year and for catching up on all the summer chores at home.  This has become the weekend when we begin to turn over the garden, pull up the bedding plants and air out the sweaters.  It has become known as the last weekend of the summer.

    But, truth is, the official last day of summer is 2 weeks after Labour Day weekend on September 21st.  That leaves almost 14 more days of warm afternoons at the beach or hiking our favorite trails or reading a good book in the shade of a tree.  The sun does set earlier by September which only creates more time for star gazing or enjoying a late summer campfire.

    The playful butterflies seem to linger in September inviting us all to enjoy the marigolds, Chrysanthemums and late summer roses.  May we accept this invitation and pause long enough to make a few more memories before this summer’s chapter closes.  As William Shakespeare writes, “Summer’s lease hath all too short a date”!

    Happy September,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Towering Acquaintances

    Towering Acquaintances

    It is our custom to walk the same path several times a week.  It is a 2.5 km trail that follows the river and twists and turns through a forest.  We have been walking this trail for many years; never tiring of the ever changing weather, landscape, flowers, shrubs and trees.

    This trail has been a stay point in our lives.  First we walked it with our small children in a stroller or carried on our backs.  We have photos of them proudly holding their first salamander, snake or crayfish.  There is the ‘Raccoon Tree’ and the ‘Owl Tree’, both having been the resting places of their namesakes. There is the tree that lovers have carved their names into for over 60 years and the tree that grows out of a big rock.

     As each of the children returned home from University they would join us for this evening stroll discussing future plans, hopes and dreams.  Now they return with their partners and we happily welcome them into our family routine. 

    One special stop on our evening stroll is a particular tree.  Nearing the end of the trail is a little pine tree that looks entirely out of place.  Somehow, the wind carried a tiny seed which managed to plant itself under tall deciduous trees.  With determination this seed dared to root, grow and stake claim to a small spot near the river.  We have been cheering him on ever since!  At first his tiny trunk was thin and bendable but now; due to strength gained from strong winds, heavy snow and from being trampled upon, he is strong.

    Last winter we dug him out after a snow storm and were thrilled to find him reaching up to us! It was then, impressed by his tenacity and persistence we gave him a name; Percival.

    Percival is a mighty fine name for such a small specimen of life.  Percival was one of King Arthur’s Knights at the Round Table.  Legend has it his courage and strength made him a hero; this little pine tree has risen to the heights of his name.

    On Sunday evening we paid Percival a visit.  We were relieved to find him at his tallest and as I ran my hands along his soft needles I decided to snap a photo.  Someday I will share this photo with my grandchildren and be able to share the story of Percival’s humble beginnings.

    I once asked members of a congregation if they could email me photos of their favorite trees.  It was amazing the photos I received.  One woman sent me five photos of the same tree spanning 3 generations; photos of weddings, birthdays, and family reunions all taken under this same tree.  Another woman sent me photos of a tree her son had planted on his first day of kindergarten and every first day of school they snapped a photo of him by his tree.  In the last photo he was in his graduation gown with the tree towering over him.  I also received photos of memorable Christmas trees and trees that held unique tree houses.  Each of these trees had their own stories to tell.

    Trees are one of God’s greatest creations; a steadfast in all our lives. So, do you have a favorite tree? 

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Thou Art With Me

    Thou Art With Me

    Painting by Canadian artist, Cecil Henry Greenhow ( January 27, 1935 – July 7, 2017)

    There is a painting that hangs in our upstairs hallway; it is oil on canvas in shades of blue depicting a city street on a blustery winter evening.  Among the snow fall and along the snow packed street two figures walk, their backs to us, one taller than the other, both huddled against the seemingly cold north wind.   

    This painting reminds me of the 23rd psalm. 

    The 23rd Psalm is a psalm for those times when life takes twists and turns leading us through the shadows of darkness.  There is no suggestion that we can take a detour around the dark valley; it is a path we all must travel.  But there is a promise that we will never travel the darkness alone. As Rev. Dr. Limburg writes, “Like a good shepherd who cares for the sheep, like a loving parent who holds the hand of a child, the Lord promises to be with us on that way through the darkness.” 

    The tall figure in the painting reminds me of God’s presence walking beside us all the way; even through the blustery storms of life.  As Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:20 “Surely I am with you always.”

    The same everlasting God who cares for us today will take care of us tomorrow and every day.  As the 23rd Psalm teaches, either God will shield us from suffering or God will give us the strength to bear whatever befalls.  As Saint Francis De Sales writes, “Be at peace, then, and set aside all anxious thoughts and worries.”

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Sweet Summer Mornings

    Sweet Summer Mornings

    Photo by Torsten Kellermann/Pexels

    Abby, my canine sidekick, and I enjoy starting the day early.  After a quick breakfast Abby is ready to follow me down to the water barrel where I begin to fill watering cans.  The splashing of water seems to wake the birds and slowly they join us with their perfect pitch. With our wagon full of heavy watering cans we follow the softly lit path down to the garden. The next half hour weeds are pulled, vines are placed on poles, roots are watered and, on a good day, fresh vegetables are gathered.

    Each summer day begins with this most enjoyable routine; until recently.  One morning a neighbor snapped a photo of a bear that was meandering down our street, calmly enjoying the sunrise; Abby and I would have been at the garden as he passed by!  A week later I was surprised to see a tall thin fox running down the street and disappear into the forest.  And, if this wasn’t enough, my friend was shocked to cross paths with a porcupine early one morning.

    I decided to play it safe so we stopped our morning routine.  I simply took Abby out on a leash each morning for a few minutes.  It was decided that evenings would be our time in the garden.

    This decision didn’t work out too well.  By the time evening arrived my tiredness would win out and the garden began to show signs of neglect.  Also, restlessness had taken up residence in my soul expressing itself through impatience and tiredness.  My morning routine had grounded me in a quiet time of prayer and solitude that resulted in a profound sense of connectedness with God; I was missing this deeply.  

    So, we bravely re-committed to our much loved morning routine.  Abby and I have been returning the wagon to its place by the water barrel just as the sun’s early rays climb over the horizon. It is with joy that I drink my morning coffee with a touch of dirt under my nails and a happy dog by my feet.   We have not met any wild beasts and if we do, we have decided to simply smile, nod and quietly go about our business.  You see, us early morning types tend not to be very social.

    Rumi wrote, “The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.”  I am grateful that each morning starts with this quiet time; a time when I can listen to the secrets of the breeze.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • The Best August, Ever!  

    The Best August, Ever!  

    Photo by by Anne Nygard/Unsplash

    How did we get to the last week of July already? Where has the time gone?  If you were to make this August one of the top 3 Augusts of your life, what would that mean for you?  What would it take to make this an amazing August?

     I would begin by making a list of all the things that would make this my best August. This list would be all things I can control such as: go berry picking then bake a pie, plan a weekly BBQ for my closest friends and family,  sit on the beach and slowly run my toes through the sand, photograph the sunset every day for a week, read a good book in the shade of a tree, roast marshmallow’s over a camp fire, ride my bike in the first rays of the sunrise, eat vegetables straight out of the garden and go star gazing. 

    Next would be my list of ‘Bonus Things’.  This would be a list of things I cannot control but hope to experience such as seeing fire flies, wishing on a falling star, having a bird eat out of my hand, photographing a beautiful butterfly with its wings wide open, and a perfect balance of rain and sun daily to keep everything green and lush.

    Before the arrival of September I would hope to slow life down enough to savor fresh corn, listen deeply to the melody of a buzzing bee and as poet Denise Levertov writes, “Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August.”

    What would be the measure of an amazing August for you?  There are only a few days left to get your list prepared! 

    Happy August Everyone, Rev. Heather McCarrel