PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH 

There it was, half-hidden by the blanket at the end of my toddler grandson's bed ... a peanut butter sandwich, with three bites taken, evidence of a parent's middle-of-the-night care for a little fellow woken by a 'bad dream'.

The adult hands that made this simple, powerful comfort had  guided him through a day of little/big adventures; had steadied him as he launched himself on a new balance bike; had waited ready to catch him as he determinedly pulled himself to the top of a 3metre rope climbing frame; then had supported his brave move into the big expanse of the lake, and shared the joy, the relief, the on-the-beach ice-cream.  

My grandson experienced - without needing to 'understand' - that love was always there for him and always stronger than his fear. In his life, the parental presence was  trustworthy - day and night. 

Maybe this little snippet of everyday life resonates with you? 

Maybe it's made you wonder whom you trust to bring you comfort and strength?

Maybe it's even made you think  about the equivalent of your   'peanut butter sandwich',  your kete rauemi wairua - your 'spiritual resource kit'- what you can draw on to calm your mind and soothe your soul? 

I know that , whenever anxious thoughts threaten to overwhelm my mind,  I turn to my kete rauemi wairua. It's been a long time in the weaving and gathering but now it holds words of scripture, lines and melodies of a chant or song, precious memories of time with loved ones, and the Jesus prayer * for it is the triune God, the Loving Presence whom I have learned to trust to steady and support me day or night.

Next time you take out the peanut butter jar, perhaps this story will come to mind and with it a reminder of God's love for you in the most ordinary moments of life.

* for more on the Jesus Prayer go to my website: https://partnersonpilgrimage.org and check under Resources 'Loaves and Fishes'

Joy and little ducks 'down under'

 1st January 2022

A new year's resolution  - the only one to be honest - is to do something each day that gives me joy.        Writing gives me joy - so I find myself back on line to share little bits of my life with you from time to time - to make a connection across the miles and minutes as I share the work of grace in my life. 

I have to confess that while writing is a joy-bringer, what would give me even greater joy would be if what I share with you opened a  window through which you might glimpse something of the Loving Presence  [ And a heartfelt thank you to my friend Bruce M. who first brought me the name of Loving Presence as a way of naming God] 

On our walk this morning to Kinloch Marina - Lake Taupo - I noticed a sleeping community of New Zealand scaups - shiny black little ducks with rounded flat beaks and bright yellow eyes - all closed of course as they bobbed up and down, the motion of the lake changing with the wind and the boats moving in and out of the small harbour. 

I started to think - 

I love these little ducks 

They're about a metre apart 

Good at social distancing!

Covid  

Sleeping 

And then I thought about how much sleep has been part of my last two difficult years - sleep to recover from my husband's health challenges and my own burnout, sleep as an alternative to action when action just seemed too hard,  sleep as a form of escape, the early days when sleep was rarely restorative ... 

But then I noticed another duck. 

Entering stage right,  it paddled gently across in front of the sleepers. Its bright eyes were open - wide awake it could see what was going on, could absorb the beauty of the morning and could alert the others to any threat. 

Maybe this little duck was reminding me of the Loving Presence in my life - always there, always ready to guide and encourage whenever I 'wake up' and see what's really around me; the Loving Presence always ready to connect me with neighbours whoever they may be, to remind me that we're in this life together and I'm not alone - 

and nor are you.