November is a barren landscape growing peasant-bare and farmer-plain with austerity. Even so, the month is often offset by a royal light show in the skies. I am able to witness golden and purple hues in the light show of the rising and setting sun.
The sky has subtlety and nuance, not unlike what we see in a beloved aging face. Indeed, a remembered beauty is visible behind myriad gray. The horizon’s folds, lines and wrinkles are glowing with lambent light and depth.
Despite these darkening days, our sun is never vanquished. May I be illuminated like these incredible skies, my grayness enrobed within royal golds and purples.
(picture and words by Emily Gibson, "Barnstorming" https://barnstorming.blog)
Like Emily Gibson above, I've been contemplating a more deeply how to hold both the light and dark with greater patience and grace. I feel particularly drawn by how this late-November's blustery, cold, and gloomy gray-cloud days, can transform within minutes into that "royal light show" at sunset when dazzling colors of gold, pink and purples can be so astonishingly beautiful.
It is easy to lose heart by all the brokenness in the world. Yet, there are moments when the places of shadow and heartbreak are suddenly transformed by an unexpected arrival of love, hope or joy. It may come in small and surprising ways such as the impossibly-soft and tiny hand of a newborn grandchild, a kitten cuddle, a flurry of bluebirds in a backyard bush, a luminous full moon, or the haunting trill of a screech owl. What moments lighten your heart?
Annie Dillard writes, "I cannot cause the light, the most I can do is to try to put myself in the path of its beam." But when darkness overwhelms, it can seem an impossible task to take the few steps necessary to step onto the path of light's beam.
Then we need God's grace that Frederick Buechner writes about:.
The grace of God means something like:
“Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are, because
the party wouldn’t have been complete without you.
Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be
afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It’s for you I
created the universe. I love you.”
There’s only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be
yours only if you’ll reach out and take it.
Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.
~Frederick Buechner from Wishful Thinking
In the cold and gray moments (both outside and within us) may we lean into places of light and love. May we receive the gifts of grace and may we share the gifts with one another. And in the darkest times, when we feel halted by the heavy weight of life, may God (who loves us beyond our comprehension) help us to reach out our hands to accept the gift.
Carrie Newcomer: "Lean in Toward the Light"
Two upcoming offerings that offer a place of sharing light in this dark season:
Our online Advent Retreat theme will be "Longing for Light" in places of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. (see details below).
Also, there are still a few openings for our winter retreat at Mariawald from January 19-21, 2024.
For more details and to register visit: https://www.practicingsacredrhythms.com/event-details/winter-silent-retreat-3
(Please be in touch with Donna or Linda if you have any questions or difficulty registering.)
Our Advent Online Retreat "Longing for the Light" begins December 3
and will continue through Christmas Day, December 25, 2023
We will share Advent-themed blogs (including scripture, music, poetry and art, with reflection questions) twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays.
We invite you to take a few moments a week with us, as we walk through the Advent season together, watching for the Light of Christ coming into the world, bringing Hope, Peace, Joy and Love!
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Donations may be made to support our work.
You may make checks payable, and mail to, Donna Holstein, at:
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Eagleville, PA 19403
(If you wish to donate by PayPal, please contact Donna at donna.holstein@gmail.com)
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