WALKING AND CONTEMPLATION

For me, during this Covid-19 pandemic, most days a walk has been a good counterbalance to the stay at home measures. Sometimes I've driven to a park or trail but usually just went out the door and around the neighbourhood. I feel like I've worn a groove in my neighbours’ sidewalks. Thanks to a good friend I recently learned that I could virtually walk elsewhere in the world and find that to be very intriguing because I can't envision actually doing the real thing any time soon.

I would dearly love to walk the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) in Europe with destination being the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Now I know that I can do so virtually. Gotta love modern technology! I log the miles I walk here and the program moves my little stick-self along the route and provides photos of what I would have seen if I had actually been there. It certainly has added interest and purpose to wearing out my shoe leather. It's amazing how every mile I've walked near my home has been accumulating and bringing me closer to my virtual destination.

I chose the Camino Portugues starting in Porto, Portugal, heading north along the coastline because I've been to Porto and loved it.

As I've walked through my neighbourhood, even when things have felt bleak, I've tried to appreciate nature as it blossomed from spring into early summer. I watched as daffodils had their turn and gave way to rhododendrons and then to foxgloves and blackberries. And I've thanked God for beauty and creation. (Now if I could only learn to look past the lawns left to go to seed and the weeds taking over what should be flowerbeds. Reminder to self: God created what we call weeds too. But I digress…)

In general, people seem to love to be in motion - from prams and jolly jumpers, through toy cars and pedal bikes, skateboards, roller skates, bicycles, motorcycles, jogging, swimming, running, cars, boats, and more. So it's not surprising that hiking or walking is an enjoyable activity. Disregarding walking as a competition or activity where we want to be seen as being successful, why would anyone choose to walk for a month?!  What’s the value? Why do I still say I’d love to do it? These are the questions I have been asking myself.

There was a time when a pilgrimage was undertaken because the ensuing mass and certificate of pilgrimage ensured believers would spend less time in purgatory but these days this religious reason is not often cited. However, I know that one of my desires would be to spend lots of time meditating on God and His mysteries and just allowing myself to be absorbed by the surroundings.

I remember walking a short portion of the Via Appia in Italy. There was something about the history underfoot and the connection to generations past that was very meaningful. There's also something about the personal connection of feet to the ground. Walking under the branches of a tree vs driving past it. Smelling the earthy air of flowers and fields vs hurrying by with windows up and air conditioning on.

Additionally, I would definitely enjoy chatting with other pilgrims during our together yet alone adventure. There would be lots of unhurried time either walking or sitting together in the evenings for sharing. I would love viewing the various vistas along the pathways and stopping in small communities for coffees or meals. Less desirable would be sore muscles and blistered feet that go along with it or the shared accommodations overnight.

Even on my short walks around the neighbourhood, I've noticed how quickly I can get into a mode of contemplation. My feet keep moving forward of their own accord and my scattered mind does a reset often settling on nothing in particular. . Lately I’ve thought a lot about the difference between loneliness and solitude. I can choose the one over the other if I have the will to do so. I can turn the negative sense of unhappy loneliness into a positive and constructive solitary state of mind. I am fully aware that I need God’s help to do this and I know He is very willing to provide the strength and faith required. I can then walk through each day on the path of inner peace and joy.

Spring/Summer 2020

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalm 23

 

 

Our religious activities should be ordered in such a way

as to have plenty of time for the cultivation of the fruits of

solitude and silence.

A.W. Tozer

 

Finding a comfortable place to be

When the future is uncertain, the past seems a safer place to be. 

Do you find yourself leaning towards comfort these days of Covid-19 pandemic? I do.

Good old-fashioned foods. Not only do they satisfy but are often made with simple ingredients that we probably have in our pantries or freezers. Biscuits. Bread Pudding. Pancakes. Mac and cheese. Baked beans.

Another question - do you find yourself leaning towards old comfortable friends and relatives these days? Even if the years have seen us move miles apart from each other, our hearts have never been distant so it's easy to reconnect. Someone we went to school with. Someone we went to church with. Cousins, aunts, uncles. A neighbour from 2 or 3 moves ago. Best friends when our children were born.

Did you pull out your old board games so you can sit around the table like in past days, rather than playing the digital version? Scrabble. Checkers. Puzzles – I hear they are hard to come by on the store shelves these days.

Are you, like me, tending to choose to listen to favourite music from years past?- even if listening to them on a thoroughly modern program like Spotify!!  Remember "A little bit country and a little bit rock n roll".  Elvis.  Doris Day.  Patsy Cline.  Louis Armstrong. Joni Mitchell.  B.J.Thomas.

Gospel music from the Gaithers comforts and encourages me.  Old hymns. Andrea Crouch.  Evie. Amy Grant. Any number of southern gospel quartets.

I'm rewatching old movies. Kinda wish I still had my VCR and collection of tapes.

Did you know that The Beverley Hillbillies TV show is on reruns?  Well, that's old vocab, actually it's available on a streaming service.

Gentle and comfortable books like Anne of Green Gables or the Mitford series are my choice these days.

And when I'm reading the Bible, I’m not back to the King James version of the church of my youth! -  but enjoy the NIV for the comfort and familiarity of the passages.

In general, I find I am not taking up the challenge of learning new information or tackling online courses.

A walk through the neighbourhood confirms that the natural world has not gone into hiding. I am revelling in the sight of green grass and blossoms, birds chirping and squirrels scurrying. It's comfortably the same as every year but somehow more precious today when everything else is off kilter.

Finding comfort in the past – the old and familiar - is very appealing to me right now. It seems like living in the present is akin to being in a waiting room while the future has been put on hold.

Then I remember Paul’s words in Ephesians 5, “So be very careful how you live, not being like those with no understanding, but live honorably with true wisdom, for we are living in evil times. Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes.  And don’t live foolishly for then you will have discernment to fully understand God’s will.” (TPTversion)

Here’s a quote I identify with--  “Our culture – and even our faith tradition – can easily convince us that it’s better to live somewhere other than the present. My time can be sucked into thinking about yesterday or tomorrow. But there’s an element of eternity in every moment we’re given. Today, I have breath in my lungs. Today, there’s life to be lived with God by my side. I just need to take a moment to see it.”  (Cheryl, Twenty-six Letters, online)

There then, is the challenge – “take full advantage of every day”!  There is no built in excuse for times of pandemics. In fact, more than just satisfying myself with something that feels comfortable, at this time it’s vitally important to step out of that zone of comfort and instead be the one to bring comfort to others in whatever way I can, today and every day.

This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it.!

(Psalm 118:24)

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http://uponreflect.blogspot.com/   

The Days are Just Packed!

I got up this morning, grabbed my device and automatically opened the day's online calendar. In my groggy state, I hadn't yet realized the futility of doing so. Today will be another day just like the other day.  In the midst of being Covid-19 homebound, my schedule is glaringly empty. 

This would be terrific if the replacement for activity wasn't anxiety.

So, what's to be done about it?

I'm trying to think of things that are not part of my regular busy routine - things that will stave off anxiety and fill my days with purpose.  I could: 

Pull out hobbies that have been pushed to the back of the cupboard. 

Write a letter to someone in longhand, walk to the mailbox and send it via snail mail.  Hmmm, I used to have some really pretty stationery - I wonder where it is.

Phone someone and talk for an hour instead of sending them a few lines in a text. 
Take a nap.

Clean light fixtures and wash windows. 
Do my prescribed back exercises that I tend to put off till later and later....

Knit scarves or mittens to be given to the homeless next winter. 

Try out new or old recipes using pantry staples, not special ingredients that would require a trip to the grocery store. 

Read some of the books that have been accumulating in stacks both physical and electronic for reading "one of these days."  

Pull out the piano book that I gave up on because it's too hard, and hunker down with some serious effort. 

The online courses and Bible studies I've seen advertised offer many great choices.

Take time to be silent, to be still, to pray.

Wow!  I hadn't realized my days are so full of possibilities!   Each person would no doubt create a list that is same but different.  What does your list look like?  Options abound!

I remember reading a Calvin and Hobbes comic book entitled "The Days are Just Packed " which is a great escape from the real battles of life. My copy has been lent to someone but just the memory of it makes me smile.

Now my daytimer is filling up nicely- the days are just packed!

[If you are receiving this due to subscribing via your email, you can go to the address below to see the blog in its published form, make a comment or view previous posts.  Thanks for reading my reflections. Velma.]

http://uponreflect.blogspot.com/   

Dear Mom, you'd be so amazed!

Dear Mom,

Today I was thinking about you as I cleaned house.  So much has changed in our Western Canadian world since 1987 when you departed this earth and even more of course since your early years spent on the Prairies before I was born in 1948. It would boggle your mind – it boggles my mind too!

For starters, keeping house no longer takes every day all day!

You'd be so amazed!

Living in the Moment

Live in the Moment

If you've been reading my occasional reflective postings you know I've more than once alluded to the challenges of growing older.  Recently the challenge in my heart has been to settle into living "in the moment".  I thought I had been, or thought I had been trying to, but realize that I haven't fully arrived (duh, of course not, do we ever “arrive” short of heaven’s gates?)

Goodness knows living in the moment is not a new concept but it’s new again to me right now. Here’s where it started.  I found myself saying to a friend a series of sentences like this:

I wish I was still doing….  I wish I could still be….   I wish I still lived at….

Hair Matters

Hair matters – it just does, doesn’t it?!

As the years have gone by, my hair styles have changed and so has my hair.  At one time I had masses of hair - a challenge to control. And at one time, it was a lovely healthy dark blonde.  At this point, the masses have thinned down and are still a challenge to control but in a different way. And dark blonde is giving way to gray, and no matter how much I try, I find it hard to think of it in terms of "silver threads among the gold"!  At the age of 3 my granddaughter said to me, “Grandma your hair is so pretty.  It's. ... it's. ... [searching for the right word..] ... it’s  gold!"  Sweet child, lovely sentiment, but unfortunately, wrong commodity!

And grey matters.  It starts early when we begin to fear greying, then there's the first couple strands we either pull out or try to pretend are blond, then we buy the hair color that promises to cover the grey….  And, well, you know….

DAILY BREAD

I can’t help but notice that a lot of things have been changing over the years – you too? But then again I know that not everything was better in the good ol’ days either. What are we to do with that?

In an effort to adjust, to understand and to adapt to my constantly advancing age threshold....

I can’t help but notice a few things

You too?! Me too!

Have you at some point said to someone, "You too?!"

Recently, chatting with a friend, I asked her if she missed her career.  When she said, with emphasis, “Oh yes!”, I exclaimed, "You too?!  Me too!"  The depth of our connection in that moment seemed to take us both by surprise! We agreed we missed going to work but at the same time, didn't have the energy to carry on and for many reasons, it was rather a relief to let it go - very much a push-pull thing.   So we discussed how we have all those hours per week to fill now - do we let our families take up the time?  how do we find volunteer choices that enthuse us? how much should be church involvement and how much community?  how much time/money should we spend on hobbies or travel?   Lots to discuss once we knew it was a shared topic of interest.

I have been thinking about how we – that is the over 65 set - are hovering on the cusp of change with regard to – well… many things – but today I’m thinking about use of the internet.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Did you watch the final episode of Downton Abbey? A lot was said about adapting and moving forward into the future and I picked up on it right away since that's where my mind is right now.  And besides, who can argue with the family of the Earl of Grantham?! This conversation takes place on New Year’s Eve--

Lady Cora, "The more adaptable we are, the more chance we have of getting through [meaning the future]" 

Husband, the Earl replies,  "We never know what's coming of course. Who does?"
The Dowager Countess says, "Makes me smile how every year we drink to the future ..."

and the response from Cousin Isobel was, "Well, we're going forward to the future not backwards to the past!"

To which the Dowager replies cheekily with a chuckle, "If only we had the choice!" [Some days I'm with her!]

The fictional story ended with an unspoken but definite nod to...

Since we don't actually live in a fairy tale world, we are perfectly aware that happily ever after is dependent on circumstances and wishful thinking.  But we also know that God’s Word tells us that joy is readily available in all circumstances.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him" (Romans 15:13)

Looking for blogs

I’m sure you’re surprised to receive this after such a long hiatus but I have a question….

Does anyone know of blogs or devotionals being written by Christian women of - shall we say - mature age?

[PS doesn't usually come first in a letter, but it does today.  If you don't want to continue getting my blog you can unsubscribe without hurting my feelings. The list is maintained by a third party and I do not know who subscribes and who doesn't.]

We have some excellent young women writing very well but I crave input from my own generation. The young use examples of pregnancy and child raising, career problems, buying first house, conflicts arising in a young marriage, how to cope with too much to do, etc. I can relate because those are part of my past. Been there. Got the T-shirt. Survived. But now my concerns include career gone, downsizing of home and belongings, losses of all sorts, relating to grown children and their children, having husband home all day because he's retired too, having to manage unscheduled time, etc. I know there are very good blogs and devotionals suitable for all ages and stages and I subscribe to a few. However, I feel the need for some closer camaraderie and I have found very few that fit the category.

Live the Lesson

​I pulled into the driveway the other day with both granddaughters in the back of the car in their booster​seats. I got out, opened ​one back door as I walked past, carried a few things to the ​house, unlocked and opened the house door, followed a few moments later by the 6 year old. Then ​I ​heard angry hollering and wailing coming from the car​ so I a​sked her what​ was​ wrong with her sister. She said, “I don't know, she won't come out.” So I walked back there to see the 4 year old sitting firmly on her seat.  She had unbuckled the seat belt but was refusing to budge and was hollering at full volume.  “What's up, child? What's wrong?” ​ Her answer was,​  “I don't want my sister to open my door, I want you to!”  But then, did she come out when I coaxed her? No, wouldn't move!  Finally I left her sitting there, whining, with the car door wide open and walked around to the other side. I opened that door to retrieve a book bag, ​at which moment that crazy child scooted across and scampered out in front of me quick ​as a bunny with a grin on her face!

Now tell me, what's that all about!!??  ​Well, I know there's always a lesson.  (God knows that some people even of a certain age still have lessons to learn therefore He gave me grandchildren!). So I thought about it a while (lots of thinking time in the wee hours of the night) and here's what I believe I was meant to learn. 

LIGHTING UP CHRISTMAS

Recently, as a winter day gave way to night, hubby and I hopped aboard a skytrain and headed downtown to check out Christmas in the city. Much of the line is elevated so there is a great view of the various communities that we pass through.  I can't say we were overwhelmed by Christmas lights but they were there continuously along our route. Attached to streetlights ... Apartment balconies ... Shopping malls and plazas ... Storefronts ... Front yards ... There were blowup Santas and reindeer ...  Trees in living room windows ... Tall trees in parks ... Sparkling - twinkling - glowing! (Personally my favourite was simply the silhouetted outline of tree branches against the last of the light in the sky. No twinkle, yet very beautiful).  

What's in a name?

Recently I visited an old - at least a former - workplace.  Not many “old” staff members are still working there but a handful of us chatted, caught up with each other’s lives and of course the conversation turned to reminiscing about old times and former coworkers. In the midst of it all, it really struck me how intensely memory was attached to a name - for instance, three little letters spelling “Liz”.  I was instantly flooded by remembrance of her face, her voice, how we shared with each other and talked about her pets, family, and vacations. I instantly remembered her personality, her hearty laugh, her kindness and dedication to her work, and certainly how sad I was when she moved away.  I've been musing on this ever since. 

What's in a name? I say -- everything!!

First names, family names, business names, nicknames – all!

All the Tomorrows

This morning, through the words of a song, I had a delightful experience in a very special way – in fact, in two ways.

Now that I am this certain age, I have been fretting more than I should about growing older, about all the changes, losses, and concerns that already have begun and that could possibly affect me soon.  I have mentioned previously that what I see when I look at older people is my own fearfulness. I know I'm not alone in this. Had a conversation with a friend this week who just hit the Golden Years and she expressed the same concerns. I've been stuck there in spite of knowing I need not be.  The chorus of the song below that we sang in church this morning affected me to the core!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living…

PRESENT TENSE

The lesson to my heart lately has been on living in the present, neither preferring the past nor fearing the future.  

 The past is gone - the future is not yet come - and the present?

 Well ... that's the problem.  

The Past.. Because of recent moves, I have found myself wishing I could go back to the way things were.

The Future.. Because of being a certain age, I have found myself looking at the elderly and worrying about how things will be.

The Present.. Because of the routine nature of daily life, I have found myself examining and questioning the way things are.

Part of my experience is that friendships define this linear look at time. In fact, that's how these thoughts started to coalesce. 

Getting emotional over rhododendrons

What a difference a few days can make!  Feelings are so changeable! 

Spring gloom, make way for Spring delight!

Is it just me or are the trees and shrubs putting on an especially good show this Spring?!

A recent walk through the neighbourhood had me marvelling. I was especially oohing and aahing over rhododendrons of every hue and size - they seem to have a magical brightness about them - this one looks like mine in my little front yard.  Many neighbours have hung flower baskets by their front doors or set out pots of bright blooms. The intensely green tips on the ends of the evergreen boughs are evidence of their health and growth. The deciduous leaves are still that fresh new colour. The grass is green and I can smell someone's new mown lawn. 

Spring Gloom

I haven't written much lately.  Have been in a bit of a funk.  

Blame it on... what...??

Spring has never been my favorite season. That’s the bare truth of it. In past years, living on the prairies, snow and cold cycled in and out. Usually there was a cold wind blowing across the still hard ground and frozen sloughs even on sunny days that beckoned you outdoors. Memories of planting garden on the May long weekend wearing coat and boots co-exist with memories of the same while sweating and getting a sun burn. Spring is fickle. Slow to deliver Summer.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Be Purposeful

It was a major comeuppance!

I took up learning to play the flute as an adult.  I was working in a junior high school at the time and the music teacher was coaching me.  She had taught me the basics but I was having trouble with making a clear sound and with finding exact pitch.  She listened to me for about 30 seconds then bludgeoned me with the words:

 “Don’t be such a wimp! Let me see you take a deep breath and blow that thing! Sound like you mean it!”

I was thoroughly chastened.  And to be honest, my feelings were a bit hurt.  I had been prepared for her to correct all sorts of periphery things – my stance, the way I held the flute, maybe even tell me the flute was faulty.  Instead she challenged me on the very core of making sound – be purposeful about it!  I learned that to make even the softest sound I must blow purposefully, though not strongly, across the mouthpiece.

That lesson was one I learned well.  That one statement of correction has profoundly affected my life.  In everything I do, or attempt, there it is - that benchmark!

BE PURPOSEFUL!

And so I reflect from time to time ...