Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century

Tag: Christian

  • Living Like A Sparrow

    Living Like A Sparrow

    On my desk sits a little silver dog and he has one job and one job only; to remind me not to worry and to instead put my trust in God. 

    This dog’s name is Aaron, named after Moses’ brother.  Perhaps you recall the story when Moses had left Aaron in charge of the wandering Israelites as he sojourned with God?  When it seemed to the Israelites that Moses had been gone too long they began to worry he had abandoned them so they begged Aaron to create a new god for them; a quick and easy solution to all their fears. (Exodus 32)

    They busily melted all their gold and shaped it into a calf; they had created a god of convenience.  However, as the story goes, when God the Creator saw what they had done he wanted to “smite” them for their stupidity (apparently God called them “Thick necked” a.k.a. stupid!).  Moses interceded on their behalf and with thanks for God’s love of Moses these people were saved.  Moses arrived back to the Israelites while they were in the midst of celebrating their new god and quickly ended all the festivities and laid down the 10 Commandments!

    We as humans tend to make bad decisions when we are over whelmed by anxiety, fears and worries.  We all need something to remind us to calm down and don’t look for easy and quick solutions but instead trust that God has a plan!

    Jesus knew of our tendency to worry, so he asks, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:26)   Then he teaches we are to look to God for guidance and to look around ourselves for the wisdom of God’s kingdom; “look to the birds, look to the flowers: do they toil?” He asks.  Of course not and as God provides and cares for them so will God provide and care for each of us.  (Matthew 6: 25-34)

    As the old hymn “God’s Eye Is On The Sparrow” reminds us:   

    Why should I feel discouraged,
    Why should the shadows come,
    Why should my heart be lonely,
    And long for heaven, heaven and home,
    When, when Jesus is my portion,
    My constant Friend is He;
    Oh, oh-oh, his eye is on the sparrow,
    And I know He watches, watches over me.

    I sing because I’m happy (happy)
    I sing because I’m free (free free free)
    For His eye, his eye is on the sparrow,
    And I know, I know He watches over me.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel 

  • Be An Isaiah

    Be An Isaiah

    It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning when we stood in line at the local Hardware Store.  In front of us was a rather large gruff man who, with his jacket half open stood impatiently shifting from one work boot to the other.  As he stepped forward to take his turn he loudly said, “Well, that took long enough!  I don’t have all day.” With his face mask slipping he grumbled, “can’t you move any faster?”  He paid for his item and before leaving took one last stab at the young cashier, “You ain’t the brightest one around here are ya?”  and with that he stomped out the door. 

    My husband and I stood there looking at this young woman as her eyes filled with tears.  “He is an idiot” my husband quickly offered, I nodded in agreement.  The cashier tried to smile and then I added, “His comments were not about you at all, he came in angry and mean spirited, he left angry and mean spirited and he is now driving down the road angry and mean spirited.  It isn’t about you.  Try not to let it bother you.”

    The longer this pandemic lasts the more and more anxious people are becoming.  Daily there are news stories of fights breaking out in Walmart parking lots and road rage is on the rise. What are we to do with all the anxiety in the world?

    Truth is, each of us are not responsible for what others say or do. We are only responsible for our responses and our own words.  We each must decide how we want to respond during this difficult time.

    I found a perfect solution; be an Isaiah! 

    You see, Isaiah was one who lived in a highly anxious time.  He knew of war, exile, illnesses and death but he didn’t let it stop him from being one who spoke words of life.

    Every Remembrance Day (November 11th) here in Canada the words of Isaiah echo as a reminder of God’s vision of peace,

    “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
        to the temple of the God of Jacob.
    He will teach us his ways,
        so that we may walk in his paths….”
    He will judge between the nations
        and will settle disputes for many peoples.
    They will beat their swords into plowshares
        and their spears into pruning hooks.
    Nation will not take up sword against nation,
        nor will they train for war anymore..” (Isaiah 2:3-4)

    The Isaiahs of the world hold the hope not the hatred, they spread visions of peace not hurt, they remind us of the way home to God….they point to the pathway up the Mountain Top, above all the unrest to a place where we can better find God’s presence. They live their lives on a higher level, above all the petty activities that anxiety lures us toward.  

    What the world needs are Isaiahs, so be an Isaiah.

    Be one who has the wisdom, courage and faith to speak words of life into a world of pain.

    Be an Isaiah.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    The photo with this Blog was taken by Joshua Earle used with permission/Unshplash

  • Comfy Escape

    Comfy Escape

    Do you have a favorite place to escape when life becomes a bit overwhelming? 

    I recently rediscovered old stomping grounds that have brought me much enjoyment.  During my first return we celebrated a birthday and the second was even more exciting as we searched for Heffalumps and Woozles!  The 100 Acres Woods hasn’t changed in the 20 years since my last visit; Pooh Bear, Piglet, Christopher Robin and the rest of the gang were still up to their silly antics and they welcomed me back as if I had never left.

    One friend of mine retreats to Walnut Grove at least once a year and revisits Laura Ingles-Wilder while another returns to Jan Karon’s Mitford series every November and another has a shelf of books she re-reads yearly. This shelf holds favorite books that were her mother’s and when she sits in the pool of lamplight it is as though her mother sits with her sharing in the adventures of Gladys Taber on her rural farm filled with dogs, wild life and gardens. 

    It is not only healthy but essential we find ways during these pandemic days to fill our soul with comfort and familiarity.  Recently, I discovered a radio station that plays only music from the 1970s, music from the simpler days of my childhood.  These tunes transport me back to summer days of lazing in the sun and hanging out with my girlfriends reminding me of a carefree life that once was mine.  Some have taken to creating their own play lists filling their lives with music that brings happiness and peace.

    Ann Lamott, author and essayist, writes of the island she retreats to when life becomes overwhelming, her couch! With her favorite blanket, cup of tea and a good book she settles in for a long stay putting the world on hold while she safely floats on her island of calming comforts.

    Meik Wiking in his book, The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well, writes about the importance of creating a hyggekrog which roughly translates as ‘a nook’ in your home. This comfy place is a place where you relax away from the world; it does not have a TV and should not be confused with the TV or living room. Wiking created a hyggekrog in his kitchen window seat by adding cushions and a blanket. We decided to follow Wiking’s lead and created a hyggekrog nook in our home. With the purchase of a new love seat and the rearranging of some other furnishings the space in front of our fireplace was transformed and it has become our favorite place in the house.

    Whether it be a book, piece of music or a safe location I encourage you find your own island of comfort that beacons you to smile, relax and trust that all will be well.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    The photo with this Blog was taken by Paige Cody, used with permission/Unsplash

  • Thankful Joy!

    Thankful Joy!

    This week is Thanksgiving in Canada.  For us this usually means a long weekend full of family gatherings, fine foods and long walks under colourful canopies.

    But not this year.

    This year, a 2nd wave of COVID-19 has swept over us.  We are under a tidal wave of record-breaking case counts, unnecessary death losses and sturdy warnings to stay safe at home.  Only those who are in our “bubble” can dine around our Thanksgiving table.

    Thankfully, that hasn’t stopped God from blessing us with endless beauty that cleanses our souls and fills us with enough gratitude to last all year.

    The autumn colours have arrived and it is as though a spell has been cast, leaving us in a state of awe. The mystical beauty of autumn is causing traffic jams as folks, drawn in, leave their cars behind and step into the scenery.  I saw a photo yesterday of the highway through Algonquin Park, there were so many countless cars pulled over it forced the closure of the park!  

    Gladys Taber wrote of this luring of autumn in her book , Still Meadow Seasons, “I would be hard put to think of anything better on earth or in heaven than October…the world is lit with splendor, there are surely more colours than on any artist’s palette, and you can walk down the shining glory of the lanes breathing deep of an air that is cool wine to the lungs.” (153).

    May you decide to have a joyful and thankful Thanksgiving despite the COVID-19 restrictions and may God’s shining glory fill your days with awe and wonderment.

    Happy Thanksgiving,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel 

    The photo with this Blog was taken in Algonquin Park by Chelsea Lin, used with permission/Unsplash

  • Once In A Blue Moon

    Once In A Blue Moon

    Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any stranger; October arrives!

    October begins this coming Thursday bringing with it a full moon and, in 31 days, leaving us with a full moon; two full moons in the same month. October 1st is the Harvest Moon, which usually makes its appearance in September, and on October 31st, just in time for Halloween, is the even more rare Blue Moon.

    The Harvest Moon is named as such because it is particularly bright and rises early. In the past, this allowed farmers to extend their working day under the light of the extra-bright moon, gathering in crops to prepare for the winter months.  For my family, this year the October 1st Harvest Moon will take on extra meaning as my one son’s girlfriend is teaching us a new tradition.

    Vi Van moved to Canada from Vietnam when she was 8 years old.  She grew up in a Catholic home rich with Vietnamese traditions and now she is teaching these traditions to us!  We have a tin of Moon Pies waiting to be opened on Thursday, October 1st and there will be a lantern lit for our evening meal with a menu of festive fare.   

    This new tradition has extra meaning. When my children left for university my empty nest was most uncomfortable.  Little did I know then that they would return with new partners and our family would grow in numbers, traditions and love!  It is this I will be celebrating on my first New Moon Festival.

    As for the Blue Moon; don’t expect the moon to actually be blue.  The colour “blue” has nothing to do with this event, the moon will be big, bright and beautiful as always, but it won’t be blue.  There are several definitions of a blue moon, but the most commonly known one is a second full moon that occurs during one calendar month in the year. On average, this coincidental event happens roughly every 3 years. Because of its rarity we have the expression, “once in a blue moon”.

    As COVID-19’s second wave crests over us, let us not despair for God has sent us a reminder to look up!  May the waning and waxing of these full moons remind us of the ageless healing of a great and wonderous God.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    The photo used for this Blog was taken by Aaron Visuals, used with permission/Unsplash

  • Pumpkin Spice Season!

    Pumpkin Spice Season!

    Do you smell it?  The aroma of pumpkin spice is everywhere!  Pumpkin spice lattes, coffee creamers, muffins, cookies, pies, candles, oatmeal and even pumpkin spice flavored communion wafers (although I think that was supposed to be a joke!).

    Today, the first day of autumn, the day of unfolding the flannel sheets, taking inventory of sweaters, the hanging of autumn wreaths and garlands, dusting off the hearth while preparing the fireplace, and, the most dreaded of all autumn tasks, the donning of socks.

    I have waited until today to switch out the quickly fading summer flowers in my flower box and replacing the front door wreath with brightly coloured Flint corn.   The wheelbarrow will fill with all the summer annuals and the compost will be fed to its fullest.  The bird feeders will once again appear, filled and poised to welcome birds of many feathers.  Of course, these feeders will also feed the snippy little red squirrels, the playful black squirrels and adorable chipmunks. 

    This past month we have also welcomed, for the first time in 30 years, a beautiful grey squirrel and a rather loud night guest- a Great Horned Owl. 

    Supper will be chili with crusty buns followed with apple crisp.  By day’s end, my beloved puppy Abby and I will walk our daily tree lined path as she gaily chases after each leaf that falls and I soak in all the smells and sights of mother earth. The noisy Canadian Geese will gather overhead preparing for their annual trip south while the salmon splash about in the shallow Sydenham River, ending their final trip home.

    Each season is a cause for joy; each bringing gifts too beautiful to miss!  As author Stanley Horowitz writes, “Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting, and autumn a mosaic of them all.”

    May you take time to savior the gifts of this most mosaic season!

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    The photo was taken by Alex Geerts, used with permission: Unsplash

  • Lessons From Trees

    Lessons From Trees

    These cool evenings seem to have signaled the start of the yearly transition from deep shades of green to brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange. Once this week, during my daily walk, I stopped to admire one small maple tree that donned in equal measure leaves of red, yellow, orange and green; it looked so unreal I almost thought it a fake!  

    Later, as I stood on a rocky uphill path I paused and turned to admire the panoramic view.  I tried to decide which was the most beautiful.  Was it that splash of yellow to the right or the deep red of the lower lying foliage straight ahead or perhaps it was the random touches of orange that were appearing in many of the taller trees; which was the most alluring?   After much consideration, I decided they all were magnificent in their own unique way and together they added much to the view.   

    The scene reminded me of words written by Michael A Singer, “When you walk through a beautiful botanical garden, you feel open and light.  You feel love, you see beauty.  You don’t judge the shape and placement of every leaf.  The leaves are of all sizes and shapes…That’s what makes them beautiful.  What if you felt that way about people?  What if they were like the flowers, and however they happened to be seemed beautiful to you?” (Untethered Soul, 288)

    As I continued my walk, I decided to accept Singer’s challenge and to view every person like those magnificent autumn trees; each beautiful in their own way.  This may seem a simple task but as my week went along, I found a few instances where I had to pause and remind myself what the trees taught me; everyone is unique and exquisite in their own way. Besides, if we want others to accept us then we must be accepting of them.

    And, of course this also applies to each of us, we each are beautiful and unique masterpieces by the Greatest Artist of all artists so we must be easy on ourselves. 

    As you take in the array of autumn’s beauty be reminded that with the same awe that you look at those trees God looks upon each one of us.   

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by Chris Pagan, used with permission/Unsplash

  • What Lies Ahead?

    What Lies Ahead?

    Flight school is now in session and each morning I wake to the loud calls of Canadian Geese as they practice their flight formations readying themselves for their autumn trip south.  These young geese have no idea what lies ahead but they instinctively begin to prepare for this new journey, stretching their wings wide and learning when to pull ahead and when to ride on the tide of those ahead of them.

    The same is true for all the lovely butterflies who emerged this summer; they too are preparing for a new journey.  They truly are great explorers who after one transformational journey into and back out of chrysalids now, only a matter of weeks later, take flight to warmer climates.

    And we too are setting off in parts unknown.  This COVID-19 has set the pace, once again, and we follow into autumn not exactly sure what we will find.  We wonder what will happen when schools open, when some churches resume in-person worship services and office workers return to their cubicles. 

    It has been an anxious time, thankfully, there are some who have settled into this unknown rather stoically and like the Canadian Geese or butterflies seem to instinctively enjoy the unexpected.

    One thing we can be sure of is that no matter where this new journey takes us, we will not travel alone.  God, the one who is known to do new things, is with us and if we relax into that presence there will be many joyful surprises along the way.

    So, let us with trust and faith do as the Psalmist directs, “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalm 100:2)

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    (Photo by Grace Reany; member of Port Elgin United Church and used with permission)

  • Have You Been Forest Bathing Lately?

    Have You Been Forest Bathing Lately?

    In his book, The Little Book of Lykke, Meik Wiking explains Shinrin-yoku as a means of refreshing our souls and resetting our psychological health by getting a good dose of forest bathing! 

    During these stressful days of pandemic living I highly recommend you try some forest bathing.  All one needs is a good set of walking shoes, perhaps a walking stick and some comfortable clothing (just in case you got the wrong idea!).  Then find a patch of forest to “bathe” in. 

    This kind of bathing involves taking in everything around you with all your senses. Breathing in the fresh clean air, pausing to touch and focus your sights on every detail of the green foliage and at times closing your eyes to listen deeply to the birds, babbling brook or the wind through the leaves.   It is a mindful hike that may take your soul to great heights but you may physically not travel far.  In fact, even if one took a chair out to a group of trees and sat under them breathing in the entire experience, one would be forest bathing. 

    Wiking writes, “There is existing evidence of a positive relationship between happiness and exposure to green or natural environments in our lives.”  

    The forest, one of God’s earliest creations is full of divine mystery and undiscovered healing.  Many have said that they do not need church so long as they can walk in nature; that it is in nature where they meet God.  For me the mystical beauty of the forest is enhanced by my deep reverence for God’s church.  Without one or the other it would be a lopsided life.

    Even Job, despite all his hardships knew that God could not be contained by our understanding, “Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job 26:14)

     So, why not make time this week to go forest bathing either by a mindful walk in the forest or simply by sitting near a garden or a tree and rest long enough to hear God’s small whispers?

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    The Photo with today’s Blog was taken by Anastasiya Romanova

  • A Persistent Hope!

    A Persistent Hope!

    It started as a tiny, thin stem shooting up in the most unlikely of places- right between the patio stones and my driveway. I paused daily to cheer it on all the while thinking “It doesn’t have a chance to grow in such a place.”  But grow it did. In fact, it grew so tall it outgrew the side of our deck, and as I write it reaches up about 2.5 feet.

    And is it ever beautiful; full of lovely purple flowers! Google tells me its name is Harebell and it grows wild, which means it has the tenacity to root even in the most desolate places adding indescribable beauty.

    I have been calling her “Hope” for the past two weeks.  I asked my one son if he could snap a photo of Hope and he knew immediately what I meant (his photo is what I used for this Blog).

    Hope has a way of growing in the most difficult places such as discouraged hearts, downcast spirits, and pandemic fatigued souls.  These are not easy times; many are struggling with the endurance of living under the influence of COVID-19.  As I write it is the twentieth week of the pandemic in Grey and Bruce Counties with no end in sight.  I know I am feeling frustrated, bored, and restless.  There are moments I lament, “When will this all be behind us?”

    Then I commit myself to find signs of hope around me; I refuse to despair when God has filled creation with so much beauty.  I remind myself that this is but a part of the story, joy will return.

    The Psalmist knew this as well. Being honest about our discouragement is the best way to navigate ourselves back to hope, as Psalm 42 reminds us, the discouragement is only for a while:

    “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 42: 5 & 11)

    Poet Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) also found hope in this same flower for she wrote, “Hope is like a Harebell…” and I add because it is determined to root and blossom into all its beauty despite everything.

    So, go and be a Harebell!

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel