And a little child shall lead them . . .

After a month of sorrow over the loss of a good friend and disconnection from another one, as well as being ill, this past weekend was most redemptive, because of children and young people.

First I helped with a Baptism preparation class at church, which was attended by four couples and three baby girls. While the parents were sent off for some quiet time alone, I watched two of the girls--so sweet, so healthy, so totally natural and pure.

Later, I performed in a church "talent show" we call Cabaret. As I was getting ready, a child about 4 looked up at me and said, "Oh, how did you get to be so beautiful?" Ah. Then my friend who is almost 15, graciously took pictures of me. Beyond that, however, much of the evening consisted of performances by kids from 5-17--from fiddle music to rock to classical to show tunes to ballet to a full-blown medley from their upcoming production of "Godspel". They were most certainly scared; a few were hard to hear even with a microphone; but they DID it. For fun, for "practice", for their adored leaders, for love? Probably all that and more. (And they had a great deal of help, support and encouragement from some loving and devoted adults!)

The next morning, bright and early, those same kids were dressed in their choir or acolyte vestments and helping lead a beautiful worship. One sang the Psalm; several lit candles and did other "altar" duties; one read the lyrics to an anthem, then sung by high school kids; several stood up front while their leader told of their recent inspiring overnight in the Episcopal Cathedral in Detroit and an upcoming mission trip; one little girl helped her father with ushering; an 8 month old batted at her mommy and giggled all the way up the aisle as they went to Communion. That's only what I noticed; I'm sure there were many opportunities to rejoice in the young just at the one service.

I often feel our young are over-indulged and over-exalted. So today I change my lens and notice what examples they set, what joy they exhibit and elicit, what hope they represent. Thanks be to God for children! May we love them well.

The Power of Play

Yesterday I was in a bad mood, to put it mildly. Everywhere I turned, I felt frustrated and angry. BUT--for the most part I restrained my desires to "fight back", instead sharing all the silly details with a dear friend who doesn't live here. Just writing helped; and his response helped, a lot. Caused me to ask myself questions and somehow brought feelings of peace. I felt heard, understood, and challenged to reach deeply for God within me, to do the grown up thing, to draw on my relationship with God, to love others as I would want to be loved.

Anyway, the "play" part: in the evening I went with three friends to dinner and the theatre. The meal was good Eastern European comfort food; the play was a revue called "Forbidden Broadway" in which 5 actors did spoof after spoof of well-known musicals. It was funny, funny, funny. I laughed till my still fragile throat was sore.

In bed later, I couldn't stop thinking about it--that is, when I wasn't running the words to "Adelaide's Lament" through my head. (I'm performing? it for our church cabaret Saturday night.) Not once did I ruminate about all the day's supposedly important concerns. Things fell back into place; I fell back into my place. I regained my balance.

Thank You, God, for the gifts of good friends, good food, and good theatre.

What Can a President Do?

I watched President Obama on 60 Minutes last night, which probably wouldn't have happened except I'd been watching the MSU basketball game and suddenly there he was. I watched video of his visit with Jay Leno earlier. He seems to be everywhere. How on earth does he keep strong and well and clear-headed? No matter what choices he makes, there are naysayers who don't have a clue what to do either. The fact probably is: no one really knows what to do and if any of it will make a difference. We may be on such a slippery slope, we can't stop until we crash into that large wall at the bottom. This is not comforting.

Barack Obama tries to be comforting; tries to be confronting; tries to juggle the economy, foreign policy, unemployment, education, health care, the environment, to name a few. And behind the scenes are many hard-working people, doing the best they can to unravel the knots this society has produced. Unravel them without unravelling us. It's mind-boggling.

Some say the President has no business going on TV shows like Jay Leno's. Yet probably more Americans watched him there than anywhere else last week. If he wants to stay connected with the public, which he continually says he does, he has to be visible, accessible so to speak.

As we walked this morning, Tessa and I, someone's SUV was warming up in the driveway. I wonder if the man started it from inside the house. After he got in, the garage door went down. You don't have a garage? You don't have a garage door opener? Don't you have a cell phone and a blackberry and an IPod and Wii? If not you are definitely not successful in this world. Because we've grown accustomed to our toys--yesterday's novelties becoming today's necessities. Maybe it's time for us to "divest" ourselves, if it's not too late.

Meanwhile, my comfort comes from the Center of all that is, including the Center in me. But even there, I ask stupid questions, wander around in confusion, nurse my fears and worries and wounds. Even there, I do not find peace today.

But there, and around me, I do find gratitude--for this hour, this place, this life. May you feel and express gratitude wherever you and the Center meet!

Praying Mary Oliver It doesn't have to be the blue iris, it could be weeds in a vacant lot, or a few small stones; just pay attention, then patch a few words together and don't try to make them elaborate, this isn't a contest but the doorway into thanks, and a silence in which another voice may speak. Source: Thirst I like the poetry of Mary Oliver and am looking forward to giving a review of her work at church Monday. It looks like I'll be well enough to do so and I'm grateful. The church had a healing service last Sunday, but I was too sick to go. :) Some Episcopal churches regularly offer the laying on of hands and healing prayer, but we hadn't done it on a Sunday morning in several years. Many participated and seemed deeply touched by it. How wonderful!! Who of us is healed and whole? It is so easy to make assumptions and to judge harshly. No matter what we think we know about another, there is always suffering we aren't aware of. So---what does our God require of us, "but to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God." Micah 6:8 Spring is here!!!