Stain Glass Lens of the 21st Century

Tag: COVID-19

  • Worth Keeping

    Worth Keeping

    Photo by Clay Banks/Unsplash

    Recently, while on holiday, I had the opportunity to attend worship at different churches.  Each service was meaningful in their own ways. One thing I noticed was that the wearing of masks was optional at all the services and only at one of the churches did the majority of those in attendance wear masks.

    While drawing my mask out of my pocket I looked around wondering what the difference was in this church compared to the others. 

    After the service I was told that there were a few folks from a group home who attended and the only way they can attend worship is if everyone masks.  This is done out of an abundance of concern around one individual who has a serious lung disease.  This faith community would rather all mask then have that one person not attend worship. What a beautiful act of belonging and love!

    This faith community has become one of my favorite churches as a result of this selflessness. 

    There are a few things worth keeping from pandemic living.  For example, I do hope the live-streaming of funeral services is here to stay.  This has made it possible for family members across the country to attend funeral services.  

     I also hope ZOOM meetings are a permanent change.  Given the long and nasty winter months we encounter here on Georgian Bay I rather like simply turning off my computer at the end of a meeting instead of white knuckling it through snow drifts and white outs. 

    There are many other changes the pandemic has taught that hopefully will remain but the one I witnessed at that worship service is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful changes; to do for others instead of selfishly taking care of only ourselves.

    When we look beyond ourselves and find ways to live that enhance life for others, we make a peaceful world possible.  

    The pandemic was a universal experience; people of all races, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status and age were touched by it and perhaps the best response is for us, without bias, to show selfless regard for each other by sharing respect, acceptance and patience. As the song goes,

    I’d like to see the world for once,
    All standing hand in hand.
    And hear them echo through the hills,
    For peace throughout the land.

    I’d like to teach the world to sing,
    In perfect harmony.
    And I’d like to hold it in my arms,
    And keep it company. (I’d Like to Teach The World To Sing by The New Seekers, 1972)

    Let’s all join in!

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • In A Word

    In A Word

    Photo by Pixaby/Pexels

    While at a meeting recently all those present were asked, “If you could describe your experience of the pandemic in one word, what would that word be?”

    I fumbled badly and it took me several words to finally conclude that the one word would be “faith”.  It was by faith that I journeyed the pandemic.

    This faith wasn’t a store bought faith with easy answers and platitudes printed on pretty cards. It wasn’t a faith that made the journey clear; there were twists, turns, and times of deep uncertainty.  As Martin Luther King, Jr wrote, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” It certainly was a faith of unseen steps.  

    As I reflect on the past two years I clearly see times when I riled against God questioning God’s wisdom and presence and also times when I sat in silence refusing to meet God even in prayer. It takes a deep faith to turn to God and admit disappointment and discouragement in God’s seemingly lack of interest or care.  That was the kind of faith that held me during this difficult time, an honest faith that dared to turn toward God demanding answers and when receiving none; returning again to what seemed like a one- sided conversation.

    Ironically, my faith deepened in those silent moments and now, as I look back it is with gratitude that despite the profound difficulties I experienced God’s presence in more subtle and unseen ways.  I suspect this dark time steeped me in God’s ways of steadfastness and endurance.

    It was with this faith that I firmly put my feet on the floor every morning and stepped into each day.  I deliberately chose faith over fear even when choosing faith seemed ridiculous.  “Every tomorrow has two handles.  We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.”  (Henry Ward Beecher) I chose the handle of faith and it has made all the difference.

    What one word would you use to describe your experience of the pandemic?

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • A Sweet Boil

    A Sweet Boil

    Picture by Nadine Primeaur/Unsplash

    It is maple syrup time!  Folks have been busy for weeks in preparation; wood has been stacked, trees tapped, buckets in place and now, as the days warm the sap has begun to flow.

    This afternoon I had the joy of watching a group of children tap a tree, then go to another tree and empty the bucket before finally arriving to the fire and watch as the watery sap evaporated into thick rich maple syrup.

    It seems to me the boiling stage is the most important part of the entire process.  And, depending on how quickly the sap is put to boil, the temperature of the boil, and how long the sap boils determines its quality.  Top quality syrup is classified as Grade A and is described as syrup with a light to medium amber shade and a delicate flavor while Grade B tends to be darker syrup with a stronger flavor.   Maple syrup is one of those rare things that sweetens and becomes beautiful after a boil. 

     As I watched the sap boil my thoughts turned to the long boil we all have been through these past 24 months.  It is exactly 2 years ago this week that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the pandemic and since then we all have learned how long a boil we each can withstand.

    Not everyone is up for a boil.  Some folks turn grouchy when life becomes difficult creating turbulence for all who surround them.  Others pull themselves up by the boot straps, square their shoulders and soldier on and then there are those who simply lean out of the difficulty and wait for it to pass.

    Peter, Jesus’ disciple, didn’t fare so well when he was put into a boil.  Merely days after promising he would never deny knowing Jesus,  Peter, while warming himself around a fire, was asked if he was a follower of Jesus and he answered, “no”.  Fearful an honest answer may cause him harm Peter lied, not once, not twice but three times as the fire heated up.

    Not everyone can handle the boil. 

    The good news is Peter had the opportunity to set things straight.  After the crucifixion, early one morning Peter was shocked to find Jesus on the beach cooking breakfast over a fire.  Peter takes this opportunity to admit his shame, ask for forgiveness and not only was he granted a new beginning he became the rock upon which the church is built.  It is never too late to start anew with the God of new beginnings.

    So?  How about you?  How did you manage the boil of the past 24 months?  Are there any fences you need to mend?  It is never too late to set things right and turn the boil into something sweet and beautiful.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Dead Water Revived

    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

  • Contented Christmas

    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 100th 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 97th square that slide all the way down to the 13th 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 97th 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 5th wave will flatten out just like the 3rd and 4th 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

  • The Good Shepherd

    The Good Shepherd

    Photo by Antonello Falcone/Unsplash

    Before beginning the BLOG I would like to welcome all the new comers to the Stainglasslens; in the past two weeks there have been several new “Followers” and it has been exciting.  I write weekly seeking to understand and/or celebrate God’s presence in the world, thank-you for joining me on the journey. 

    This Sunday we at the Kemble-Sarawak, Zion-Keppel Pastoral Charge will be meeting for in-person worship on the side lawn of the Kemble-Sarawak Church.  The scripture passages we will be reflecting on are John 10:1-10 and Psalm 23.  In both passages we are reminded of a Good Shepherd who cares and tends to us each.

    This Good Shepherd image has been one that used to carry me through difficult times.  It was comforting to think that I was a mere sheep and Jesus, as an extension of God, was my Good Shepherd who cared for and protected me from all evil.  As it is written, “Who can be against me if God is for me?” (Romans 8:31)

    But then life happened.  There came cancer, sudden deaths, I watched 3 of my best friends die horribly agonizing deaths and then the pandemic arrived.  Days of isolation, un-measurable pain, suffering, and a worldwide death toll in the millions. 

    Where is the Good Shepherd in all of this?

    I learned that the bullies can win, with their lies and smear campaigns.  I learned that the structure put in place by well-meaning and intelligent individuals to bring justice can be manipulated and used as a weapon.  I learned that sometimes the truth is not believed while lies, gossip and posturing make the headlines.  

    Where is the Good Shepherd in all of this?

    I once sat with a cancer patient who reasoned that all her troubles happened during the split second that God blinked.  The idea that our Good Shepherd actually saw all these terrible things about to happen and did nothing to stop them was too much for her, so instead, she reasoned that God must sometimes blink and in that split second anything can happen.

    Well, I know the Good Shepherd.  I am convinced of God’s existence, I have experienced too much to deny God does exist and I know that there is a life beyond this life.  As a Chaplain, a minister and just a fellow sojourner on this earth I have seen, felt and experienced enough to know with certainty there is more then we can imagine.

    So, how does one reconcile the knowledge of the existence of the Good Shepherd with the occurrence of horribly cruel and destructive events?

    For me it melts down to what is written in Isaiah 55:8-9,

    “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
        neither are your ways my ways,”
    declares the Lord.
    As the heavens are higher than the earth,
        so are my ways higher than your ways
        and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

    Can a sheep ever possibly understand the ways of the Shepherd?  No. 

    Can we ever possibly understand the ways of God?  No.

    That is why knowing the Shepherd makes all the difference.  To trust in God’s plan, to lean into God presence, to give all the pain, all the hurt, all the misunderstandings, all the times we cannot defend ourselves back to God and instead live in a childlike dependency, an innocent trust is, in my opinion, the only way we can travel this life without despair.  It is the only way we can be a kind, loving, and wise presence.  It is counter cultural to say, “Despite all the evidence, I trust in the Good Shepherd.”  This kind of faith and trust is a radical and life altering way to spend our days.

    It is the only way, I have found to inner peace and ironically, with this faith I have found a part of me open up  to experience God every day in small almost unnoticeable ways.  But before I could experience this presence I first had to give into trusting this Good Shepherd when trusting was the least logical thing to do.

    May the tests and trials of this life deepen your faith and bring you closer to the un-explainable love of the Good Shepherd.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

  • Tread Lightly

    Tread Lightly

    My hairdresser has quit!  I assumed the many weeks of being closed was the cause of a career change but was surprised when she shared that she simply could no longer take the abuse of customers.  She said it had become a daily occurrence to have folks arrive to the salon refusing to wear a mask, refusing to book appointments or refusing to follow the COVID-19 protocols of the salon.  And some of those who were able to follow these simple instructions would sit in her salon chair complaining nonstop about everything.

      “Each morning I dreaded coming in and by my lunch break I felt like a weight was on my shoulders.”  So, she took a full time job in a completely different field and no longer deals with the public. 

    She is not alone.  It would seem many are fed up with rude and toxic interactions.  I noticed last week a new sign was taped up at the McDonald’s drive thru.  It reads, “We believe in fostering gracious behavior in our restaurants and creating a pleasant environment for both our guests and staff. Please treat our staff with respect and dignity.  McDonald’s reserves the right not to serve abusive customers”

    A similar sign went up at a couple of grocery stores in town and the Dollar Stores.

    Let’s tread lightly. It has been a long pandemic for everyone. Yelling at the drive thru waitress or the grocery store clerk is not going to solve any of your problems.  I guarantee you will actually feel worse and most definitely so will everyone who heard you.  So, stop it. 

     Do yourself a favor and everyone around you, be kind if for no other reason than the kindness will come back to you! How you treat others is how life will treat you.  As Mother Teresa said, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

    Choose kindness,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Minister at Kemble-Sarawak, Zion-Keppel Pastoral Charge

    Photo by Matt Collamer,used with permission/ Unsplash

  • The Sum of Our Days

    The Sum of Our Days

    I had a friend die of COVID-19.  It was an awful shock; I didn’t even know she had been sick.  It all happened so quickly. 

    Death can be cruel; interrupting a busy and full life.  It is as though she was taken from us mid-sentence. 

    Her absence has caused me to ponder some difficult questions, “How much of my life have I lived?  Is it over 50% ?  Or, maybe the meter is up to 80% already?  Who can know for sure? What is the sum of my days?”  And, “Have I lived a life that reflects what I value most? Or, have I allowed worldly worries to consume me?”

    These are tough questions to sit with all alone so I shared them with a few friends and family members.

    One friend responded that he valued honesty but then quickly amended his answer with a slight grin admitting, “Well, I value others being honest with me but I know I am not always honest with others.  So, I guess my life does not reflect my values.”

     Now, to be fair this friend, who is in his mid-40s, 2 years ago did something pretty remarkable.  He left a high paying position of prestige and power and took a de-promotion because he was tired of being under so much stress. He noticed he hardly ever laughed and decided that was much too high a price to pay.  He shared that he actually doesn’t miss the extra income as much as he imagined and no one could pay him to go back to all that stress.  “In fact,” he said, “I feel bad for those left behind in the rat race; they have no idea what price they are paying.”

    Another friend answered that she values her family above all else but upon reflection confessed, “I value family but most of the time I spend with my kids my head is still at work.  I am thinking about the next project or I am upset about whoever angered me at work that day.  Rarely am I actually 100 % present with my family.” This realization hit her hard and she too made some changes.

    What about you?  What do you value?  Are these values reflected in your life? What is the sum of your days?

    As we slowly return to a post pandemic life it is time to evaluate what we want to pick up again and what can be left behind.  This moment, right now, is ripe with the opportunity to decide the sum of our days.  We should choose well, because who knows how much time is left?

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by Sunbeam Photography used with permission/Unsplash

  • Sanctuary

    Sanctuary

    Recently, I had the privilege of visiting a lovely church.  Its sanctuary is full of stain glass windows and this ministry has a rich history of being a beacon of God’s love for over 140 years.  As I stood, masked, at one side of the sanctuary, a church member stood at the other side sharing beautiful stories of this beloved faith community.  When it came time to leave, he looked longingly around and honestly admitted “It has been too long since I have been here. I don’t want to leave.”

    I deeply understood his sentiment.  Each Sunday, like so many others, I join worship virtually via the live stream from my church.  Thankfully we can “chrome cast” the service to our TV screen, and together my husband and I join with others to sing, pray, and reflect.   There are some advantages to gathering for virtual worship. For example, at my church the chat bar is open allowing those who join worship to share a “hello” and a bit of fellowship prior to and following each service. We can also freshen up our coffee during the service without anyone knowing!  But it isn’t the same as being in the church’s sanctuary.

    This pandemic living has me wondering where sanctuary can be found when one cannot go into the church building.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines sanctuary as “a place of refuge and protection.”  Some have told me their place of sanctuary is a special spot in nature- either the sandy shores of Lake Huron or Georgian Bay, while others enjoy the forest canopy and accompanying birdsong. There are a few I know who find sanctuary in their gardens, watching the antics of the chipmunks while tending to God’s beauty.

    Michael A Singer, author of The Untethered Soul and The Surrender Experiment, teaches that there are actually two worlds: one that goes on all around us, and one that goes on within us. He teaches that there is a power within us that pulls us upward. If we focus our inner self towards God, others, and eternity, we can create a refuge; we begin to create our own inner sanctuary.

    Where do you find your sanctuary?  Where is your refuge?  If you haven’t developed one, maybe this pandemic is the perfect opportunity to do so!  

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by Lua Valentia used with permission/Unsplash

  • Stillness

    Stillness

    It began as a daily observation but became a source of great healing. I first noticed little green tips pointing out of the cold, hard ground. They grew tall seemingly right before my eyes.  Then the buds appeared, growing slowly to reveal their hidden gems.  At last my flower beds are full of their yellow, white, pink and purple celebration, perfuming the air with promises of sunshine, warmth and joyful days ahead.

    These slowed-down COVID days have afforded me the time to sit still and capture all the life around me.  This life has been happening all along unnoticed.  Now I have charted the ever changing growth of the flowers, the budding and growth of the maple trees (have you noticed the bobbles they are now donning?) and the dramatic brightness of the forsythia bushes. 

    I have sat in silence enjoying the building of new nests and the refurbishing of old ones.  Many giggles have been shared over the amusing antics of the red, black and grey squirrels.  And I had no idea how many visitors there were to my backyard until now: midnight visits from raccoons and owls, followed by a chorus of morning birds rising alongside the spring sun on the backs of rabbits, skunks and the neighborhood cats.

    The ongoing affairs in my small piece of God’s Creation promises to entertain me in the weeks ahead.  I anticipate the lilac bushes bursting with colour, the blueberry bushes exploding with sustenance and the rhubarb growing tall and unyielding.  The vegetable garden has been tilled and waits to receive the peas, beans and tomato plants that now fill my window sills. And I can’t wait to see how many chicks the robins produce.

    The great Stoic Markus Aurelius wrote that having stillness allows us to “concentrate on living what can be lived (the present moment).” Only then, he said, “can you spend the time you have left in tranquility. And in kindness. And at peace with the spirit within you.”   (Daily Stoic: Ryan Holiday)

    May we all appreciate the gift of stillness which these Stay-At-Home days afford us and may we glean tranquility, peace and beauty with each and every day.

    Blessings,

    Rev. Heather McCarrel

    Photo by Melissa Askew used with permission/Unsplash

    P.S. With gratitude to Sandy Lindsay requesting that this BLOG continue in the Saugeen Times and with permission granted from my denomination it has been decided Stainglasslens will continue to part of this online newspaper.