Claimed, gathered and sent

Holy Week is almost upon us, I suspect that ordained or not, other revgal /pals calendars look a bit like mine, FULL, FULL, FULL..... Jesus was great at teaching us to take time out, even in that last week, right up to Maunday Thursday he withdrew, John 's gospel tells us he hid! He hid not because he was afraid, but because he knew that he needed physical, mental and spiritual strength to get through... So faced with a busy week: 1. What restores you physically? An afternoon nap. Usually my dog will join me. 2. What strengthens you emotionally/ mentally? Going out for supper Friday night with friends. This grew into a ritual after having Greek till 4:45 in the fall semester. We were so drained and this helped to rejuvenate us. It is now a tradition. 3. What encourages you spiritually? Gathering with the community for prayer, whether it’s chapel, lectio divina , or compline. 4. Share a favourite poem or piece of music from the coming week. O Sacred Head Now Wounded. 5.There may b...

Since our arrival on campus, Abby, my husband's Seeing Eye Dog, has been making friends. I have been walking with Ray around campus so he and Abby can learn the way. The plan was for Ray to meet me after class, to attend chapel and lunch. We did not know ahead of time that the class time would run much later than anticipated and that it would be followed by chapel. I called Ray and told him and he and Abby set out, unassisted, to make their way to chapel to join me. Ray said that Abby got so excited when she realized that they were going for a walk that she started to bounce, almost skipping along the way to chapel. She was in her glory as a Seeing Eye Dog, helping Ray get around campus. At the evening picnic, she was "off duty" and could be petted by any and all. She loved it. She even made friends with another student's pug, Bella. The difference in size didn't bother either one of them as they sniffed, licked, tails wagging the whole time. Perhaps we ha ve some...