Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century

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Dead Water Revived

Photo by Kevin Garcia/Unsplash

Do you know the difference between dead water and living water?

I learned about dead water from one of my sons who had worked for the local Conservation Authority. One of his duties was to run tests on remote creeks and waterways. If they proved to be “dead water” then a crew would work to revive the creek back into “living waters”.

Simplifying the terms my son explained that some creeks may look lovely with clear and sparkling water but these creeks cannot sustain life, nothing lives in them and as such they are classified as “dead water”. In order to have “living water” there must be rocks, boulders and rocky pathways for the water to travel. It is healthy and helpful for there to be barriers that impede the water’s pathway, because having a not-so smooth pathway causes oxygen to get into the water and this oxygen changes “dead water” into “living water”, making it possible for fish, frogs, and turtles to live in the water.

There needs to be twists, turns, rocks, bumpy pathways and big boulders to restore “dead water” into “living water” and that is the same in life. It is when we know sadness, disappointment, struggles and all the other twists and turns that life brings that we are ready to receive “living waters”. It is in experiencing hardships that we are able to value a life sustaining relationship with God.

The woman at the well in the Gospel of John knew difficulties, she had 5 husbands, was an outcast from the Jewish faith simply by being a Samaritan and as a woman she was marginalized in the patriarchal society that she lived. She knew hardship and it prepared her well to receive God’s gift of living waters. She not only receives this living water but is so changed by the experience she cannot keep it to herself. She runs back to her village and gathers everyone together so they too can receive this living water of hope, joy, and new beginnings.

I suspect many of us are seeking this living water right now. This week we will arrive to the midway point of winter. For many this has been a difficult season due to days of isolation caused from COVID-19 restrictions and the deep freeze that has settled in.

So, next time you are frustrated over something that seems too difficult to overcome; stop and remember to wrap that difficulty in prayer and hand it over to the God of healing and life sustaining waters. As the Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “…knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”(Romans 5:3-5)

May you have the courage to ask for the living water that only God can provide.

Blessings,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

February 1, 2022
Buoying Boredom

Photo by Skyler Ewing/Pexels

Boredom had set in. Between the provincial COVID-19 lock-down, working from home (again) and days of frigid temperatures I had become tremendously bored. By week’s end I had tried three new recipes, planned every worship service through to the end of Lent and despite it only being January I had reached mid-June in my Read –The-Bible-In-a-Year Chart! But nothing was working; the world just seemed differing shades of grey.

Then, the most unexpected thing happened. Their arrival was marked by the strangest noise on the other side of my front door. I opened it slowly to find at least 70 to 80 of them all over my front lawn and filling the bare maple trees. This hungry crew had only one thing on their minds; filling their bellies with the berries of the Euonymus Bush that grows up the side of my house, from the garden to the roof, taking in all two and a half floors. I stood in amazement listening as their chatter filled the air, a most charming melody.

I slowly closed the front door then quickly ran to the living room bay window. The white polka-dotted plumage of these European Starlings added a certain jovial touch to the already fascinating scene. If it were not for the thin piece of glass that separated us I could have touched their fluttering wings and cupped their tiny feet in my hands; I stood among them as though I too was filling up on this feast.

There were about 30 Starlings fluttering mid-air waiting to dine, and as their turn arrived they would dive into the bush while others filled the hydro lines overhead. I wasn’t the only one taking in this remarkable event; two cars had stopped and with windows rolled down they too were mesmerized by this flock of hungry birds.

Then, just as quickly as they arrived they were gone. As if on cue they formed a large ink blot in the sky and flew out towards the bay. As I watched them depart I noticed my spirits had lifted, I was no longer weighed down by boredom but filled with awe.

It is as though I had slipped into a mid-winter slumber and it took the unexpected arrival of a flock of birds to undo the spell. Since their visit I have made a major discovery. Boredom isn’t a situation we find ourselves in but a state of mind, an attitude we choose. Nothing in my life changed, I was still working from home, the temperatures remained arctic cold and yet, my attitude is entirely different. I am wide awake now, noticing the smell of bread baking, the ribbons of colour with each sunrise and sunset, admiring the shadows the full moon casts over my backyard, tasting the comfort of bread pudding and appreciating the warmth and glow of the fire each evening.

I am deeply grateful for a God who refuses to leave us alone but instead holds before us daily reminders of fresh starts and a glorious kingdom. As it is written, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

May you also find finger prints of God’s presence in your daily life and may they be reminders of the glorious presence that never leaves you nor forsakes you,

Blessings,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

January 25, 2022
60 km Bike Ride, Because I Care

Starting February 1^st to the 10^th, 2022 I will be riding my bike 60 km to signify the distance between my home and the hospital where I work as a Spiritual Care Provider (Chaplain). I know for many a 60 km bike ride is nothing more than a pleasant Saturday afternoon excursion but not in February! It is a virtual bike ride. I will be doing the 60 km on my stationary bike charting the progress daily.

There is an excellent reason for this mid-winter jaunt. I and many others are raising awareness of Spiritual Care Providers in local hospitals as well as raising funds to help support the presence of Spiritual Care Providers in the Grey-Bruce Hospitals. The campaign is titled: “I Care ∴ I Walk (or ride): A Spiritual Care Challenge to Grey Bruce.”

In Grey-Bruce Counties there are trained Spiritual Care Providers in every hospital, hospice and at- home palliative care teams. If you or a member of your family have ever received a visit from one of the Spiritual Care Providers than you know the invaluable care they provide. These trained professionals offer a non-anxious presence in some of the most anxious situations life has to offer. Some are available On-Call 24/7 and are often called into crisis situations.

If you would like to support the Spiritual Care presence in the local Grey-Bruce Hospitals please consider sponsoring me (every $20.00 donation or more is receipted) or email the Spiritual Care Office for details: ehazen@gbhs.on.ca.

Recently, as I was ending a visit, the patient turned to me and said, “I didn’t realize how much I needed your visit until now. Thank you for coming and could you come back soon?” This sentiment is repeated often. Please consider helping us to keep the gentle and attentive presence of Spiritual Care Providers within our local hospitals.

Thank-you,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

January 18, 2022
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…

Photo by Magda Ehlers/Pexels

On the wooden shelf in my dining room sits a metal tin box that is painted blue with multi coloured flowers on it. Over 50 years ago I received this as a gift; it has held many treasures over the years.

During Advent this box was put away as the shelf was covered with Santa Clauses and Christmas Candles. Last week, I got it out again and before putting it back up on the shelf I opened it to see what treasures it held.

There were ribbons, a couple of recipes, a beaded necklace, an old house key, and a small note pad. On the note pad I had written the title, ‘My Favorite Things: June 1976’ and the list starts with rainbows, dandelion wishes, cotton candy, going to the beach, puppy dogs, watermelon, hot chocolate, tobogganing, my kitten named Peanut and the cartoon Scooby Doo.

I vaguely remember making this list. It was after I had watched the movie The Sound of Music and heard Maria (played by Julie Andrews) singing the song, These Are a Few of My Favorite Things. She was comforting the van Trap children during a thunderstorm. Maria cheerfully sang, “I simply remember my favorite things. And then I don’t feel so bad.”

As I put the tin box back on the shelf, I thought that perhaps it was providence that made me look inside that box. This latest lock down has been very discouraging; signs of the weariness can be found everywhere from those losing their temper to those simply refusing to follow the rules. My one friend shared that she witnessed three people ahead of her at the post office lose their temper with the postal worker who was simply trying to do her job. We all need to pause and remember our favorite things, so we don’t feel so bad.

As I sat down on a dining room chair, I began to list my favourite things wondering if they had changed in the last 45 years. In that moment my list consisted of fresh fallen show, birdsong, the smell of bread baking, puppy dogs, used bookstores, wool sweaters, lilac bushes in full bloom, the laughter of children, flowers that grow in sidewalk cracks, and sunsets over Lake Huron. Then two days later, while nodding off to sleep I again listed my 10 favorite things and the list had changed and even now, the list forming in my thoughts has changed yet again.

Since opening that tin box I have spent many moments redoing the list and it has been wonderful filling my thoughts with all that I find beautiful, noteworthy, and of value in the world. It sure is better than despairing over COVID-19, lamenting the terrible headlines, or worrying over what may happen in the future.

As James Allen writes in his book, As A Man Thinketh, “Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.”

Our thoughts are powerful; they shape our days. Why not choose happy thoughts?

So, what are your top ten favorite things?

Blessings,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

January 11, 2022
Make Your Life An Event!

Photo by Boris Pavlikovsky/Pexels

Here we are at the beginning of a new year with 365 blank days ready to be filled. Each day is like a page in a book and the story of that book is written by how you decide to spend your moments. How are you going to fill the pages of your life?

It isn’t difficult these days to find plenty to complain about. Those with little imagination can always lament but those with vision and wisdom write the story of their life with gratitude and gentleness.

They are the ones who see the touch of divinity in seemingly ordinary occurrences. They gather these occurrences like one may gather shells on the beach or stones along a hike. They are gathered and placed into one place to be reviewed and admired for the beauty they hold.

One way to do this is simply by hanging a calendar on your refrigerator and making note daily of all the beauty you witness. Record the day you bumped into an old friend at the grocery store and spent 45 minutes in the cereal aisle talking or the day your new arm chair arrived after months of waiting. Make note on that calendar of the brilliance of the full moon or the day you saw your first Robin in the spring. Ink in the day the daffodils bloomed, the roses filled the air with fragrance and the day you noticed the first red autumn leaf.

Then, as the year draws to an end create a ceremony of reviewing your year. Make a cup of tea or pour a glass of wine and in a quiet space slowly flip through the months making note of the days, pausing to remember the moments and savoring the memories. Welcome to the story of your life!

As John Lennon sings in his song Beautiful Boy, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” Don’t miss out on the beautiful story of your life by only using the calendar to write down Doctor’s Appointments, bill payments and when the car needs an oil change. Don’t miss out on the divinity in your life by only remembering who slighted you, what upset you and who made you angry. Instead, take a daily inventory of all the beauty your life holds.

Happy New Year Everyone,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

January 4, 2022
Contented Christmas

Photo by Taryn Elliott/Pexels

Do you recall the children’s game Snakes & Ladders? It is a square game board with 100 squares on it with the first one starting in the lower left corner and ending with 100^th square in the upper left corner. The game is easy, just roll the dice and move your game piece that many spaces. If you are lucky you land on a square with a ladder and it moves you upwards but if you are not so lucky you land on a square with a snake and you slither downward losing the ground you had gained.

On our board there was a long snake on the 97^th square that slide all the way down to the 13^th square. If you landed on it you were sent back to almost the beginning of the game. It was that snake that came to my mind last week when the COVID case count went above 4000 cases daily in Ontario. We began December with wonderful plans and why not? We had gone weeks with little to no new COVID cases in Grey-Bruce Counties; we had every reason to be excited. Then we landed on the 97^th square and slid all the way back down to the beginning. Now there are Government restrictions on how many can gather inside, outside and in stores. Theatres are canceling their shows and those who had travel plans are now staying put.

And yet, it isn’t exactly the same as last December because we’ve been down this road before and we know more than we did a year ago. For example we know that to end the spread we have to do some simple things like wash our hands, distance ourselves and wear a 3 ply mask. We also know this won’t last forever; this 5^th wave will flatten out just like the 3^rd and 4^th waves did. Like Maya Angelou writes, “Every storm runs out of rain.”

I did despair for a few days; the days we returned many of the Christmas gifts, downsized the menu and began to figure out ways to ZOOM with family members. Then I decided to try another approach to this Christmas; the approach the Apostle Paul teaches, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…”(Philippians 4:12). So, I am calling this my Contented Christmas.

This Christmas I am disciplining myself to be contented with whatever may be. And, once I settled into this contented mindset some amazing things began to happen. First, we went for a lovely evening walk through the woods under a star filled sky. We slowed to enjoy the silhouetted trees against the moonlit sky and to count the stars; the peacefulness of that walk seeped in and left me soulfully grateful.

Then, Sunday evening the kitchen filled with this otherworldly light, I went to the window and witnessed the most incredible full moon! It appeared like a perfectly round balloon hovering just above the tree line spreading an iridescent yellow and orange light through my backyard. We stepped onto the deck to bask in its glow. And, today, as I post this BLOG, it is the longest night of the year; we are at the tipping point. The winter solstice tips us towards gathering light daily.

So, yes, it is true, this isn’t the Christmas most of us had hoped for but despite COVID and its variants the Christ Child will arrive. The divine mystery of God’s enduring light will continue to shine in the darkness; a darkness that cannot extinguish its glow.

May you find a way to enjoy this holy season making the most of Christmas 2021 for it will never come around again! And may the love of the Creator, the joy of the Spirit and the peace of the Christ child be with you this Christmas and evermore.

Rev. Heather McCarrel

December 21, 2021
Park Benches!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels

There has been a new edition to our daily walks; park benches! Over a two week period in mid-October the park staff were busy arranging new memorial park benches throughout the park. Each bench has been donated in memory of a loved one. One can now have a rest half way up the 1 mile trail allowing for a panoramic view of the winding creek. Other benches were added along “Ring Road”, beside the Sydenham River, by each of the play grounds and in quiet out-of-the way spots in the park.

One of the highlights of my mid-day walk with Abby, my canine sidekick, is two women who share the same park bench. They can be found around noon proudly sitting behind their walkers which have been decorated with flags and ribbons. They both wear bright red headbands, navy coats and one has a lovely yellow scarf while the other wears a bright green scarf. Each as cheerful as the colours they wear.

There is an elderly gentleman who I often see sitting on a bench in a quieter part of the park. He nods in response to my “hellos” but never offers any more conversation. I have assumed the bench was donated in memory of his wife and it is while sitting there he daily converses with her despite her physical absence.

During one walk I found a sweet blue and white rabbit sitting on one of the benches, someone had carefully placed it there with a heavy rock upon its lap. I stopped and smiled as I thought of the child who is looking for this furry friend and the many adventures they must have shared; my hope was that the bunny found its way home.

Another time I witnessed a grandma sitting on the bench with a small child sharing a picture book. I knew a child like this, one who would carry books everywhere, always preferring books to jungle gyms or slides. I hope someday to sit on the same bench with one of his children, my grandchildren, sharing in a book while the others run and play.

This past week I noticed that many of the benches have been decorated with bows or Christmas decorations. Presumably this is done by family members of those whose names are on each bench; an act of remembrance which is most important during this sacred season.

In the few short weeks that these benches have been present they have nurtured rest, reflection, friendship, healing, and created countless memories. May we never forget to pause and appreciate the small things for as it is written, “Enjoy the little things in life for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things.”

Blessings,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

December 14, 2021
The Eternal Echo of Smallness

Photo by Lilaartsy/Pexels

At Bible Study last week one of the participants asked, “Why can’t God do something as big as the disasters? The flooding out west, the horrific carnage of the forest fires last summer or this pandemic that has taken over the entire globe. These disasters cannot be ignored. Why can’t God do something that is so big everyone witnesses God’s power?”

Her question expressed the true longing of the Advent Season; the longing for God’s kingdom to be realized.

Many others around the table nodded their heads in agreement and she quietly added, “I know God is at work. We hear about those who step up to help and we hear about those who survived against the odds. We hear the heroic stories and know God is busy turning things around. But why do we always have to look so hard to see the small acts of God?”

She has a point. God does do things in obscure places in seemingly unnoticeable ways; a baby born to poor parents in a barn who grows to lead an endless worldwide movement that begun with only 12 followers.

As the Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Corinth Church, “…God chose the small things…Yes, he chose even the things which seem to be nothing. He did this to destroy the big things.” (1 Corinthians 1:28)

Forest fires are eventually extinguished by each tiny drop of water and each sand bag does its part to hold back the flood. This is how God’s kingdom works, small and quiet acts that echo for eternity.

We can help realize God’s kingdom by small acts of peace, respect, and acceptance. What a difference the world would be if each one of us decided to do one small act of kindness every day; imagine the tremendous wave of hope, peace, joy and love that would wash over the world!

Blessings,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

November 30, 2021
A Determined Hope

Photo by Maria Orlova/Pexels

(Hello everyone, this is the second time you have received this BLOG this week. When I reread the original BLOG I noticed a big mistake. It is amazing how the positioning of two words can alter the meaning entirely. Perhaps you will notice the change….maybe you won’t! Thanks for joining us at Stainglass Lense!)

When hiking the trails through Grey-Bruce Counties it is likely you will come across one of the most hope filled images in all of God’s creation, a tree growing out of a rock. With its roots stretching over the sides of the rock and sinking deep into the earth while its limbs reach up to touch the sun, each tree seems to embrace these large rocks. This image has always encouraged me and I have pondered, is this an image of hope or is it an image of determination; perhaps, a determined hope?

This is the image that pops into my mind each Advent when the words of the Prophet Isaiah are read, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit (Isaiah 11:1).” In other words, out of a seemingly dead tree new life will emerge with a determined hope.

Isaiah is speaking of the kingdom which began with Christ and continues to be realized through the Spirit of God. In this kingdom the wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, justice will cover the earth as water fills the sea and peace will be maintained between all the nations (Isaiah 11:1-10).

Isaiah is speaking to those who know how to deepen their roots around hardship, embracing change while reaching upward. He is reminding us that with God there is always hope for new life to emerge.

This coming Sunday we begin our Advent journey. And, as is tradition we will begin by lighting the candle of Hope. I cannot imagine a better way to start any journey then with hope.

Blessings,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

November 25, 2021
At The Going Down of the Sun and In The Morning…

Photo by Ian Taylor/Unsplash

I hope the weather is lousy this Thursday. A bit of cold rain and a chilly breeze that cuts right through us would do just fine as we stand at the cenotaph shielding our faces from the cold, stamping our freezing feet against the hard ground, and rubbing our cold hands together. Then and only then, will we be in the proper stance for a Remembrance Day ceremony.

There should be a certain level of unease at a Remembrance Day ceremony. It is a reminder of the tragic sacrifices made by those we are honouring. We all are so tremendously blessed with comfort, luxury, and security, that we easily forget how deeply grateful we ought to be. We are indebted to those who bravely went into the unknown and fought against all that would take our freedom and comfort away: some returned silenced by the carnage they witnessed, others shared heroic tales, while many never returned.

Even as we gather for Remembrance Day this Thursday, there will be those in other countries battling for everyone’s right to freedom. They stand stoically before injustices and demonstrate sanctuary and strength for those who cannot fight for themselves. Some have returned torn and deeply discouraged, and most struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) haunted by the loss of their friends who will never return; all are heroic in their selflessness.

On the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month, may we stand in silence as an act of respect, gratitude, and pride of those who gave their all for each and every one of us. To neglect one minute of your time is a deep disrespect and only minimizes you – not them.

And when the trumpet sounds, may we turn our eyes skyward, thanking the great Creator for such brave souls.

We will remember them,

Rev. Heather McCarrel

November 9, 2021