Beloved:
     Wide awake at 4 am, it's so very, very dark and quiet.  It's the loneliest time of night when it seems all the world is asleep.  Of course it's not. Workers are working, monastics are praying, parents are rocking babies and it's afternoon in Asia.  

Beloved:

     We lost twigs and branches and our deck chairs scooted around.  The robin outside my kitchen window is steady on her eggs and the chicken coop is intact.  In a bit I'll go check on my neighbors as I hear the chain saw running at their house.  The sun is shining and the sky is magnificent. No one is more fortunate than me in the storms of these last few days. 

     Always, the greatest losses are little kids.  Every man becomes a daddy and a superhero as soon as they get to the rubble and start digging.  All those little bare feet.  All those brave teachers.  All  mamas who put our children on a schoolbus today, the only way we can honor the ones who lost their babies yesterday. 

      Having no choice but to go on, we do.  Grateful for the grace to be found even the rubble; so many kids are safe.  Those crazy brave storm chasers who allowed people to take shelter.  The thousands of first responders and money givers; helpers everywhere.  We can pray.  We can send money.  When it's time, we can go help.  In the meantime, we can live grateful for every grace within sight and sound this morning. 

     It is a beautiful day in Bloomington.  Wherever you are, whatever state of heart - touch the grace therein and take strength.  ~ peace & Prayers, pastor annette

     

P.S. ~  I'm excited about tonight's supper, from the current Martha Stewart magazine.  It will be better later in summer when  tomatoes come in but I figure anything that soaks in olive oil, garlic and salt for 8 hours will be yummy.  I’ve changed Martha’s version a bit - less dishes to wash!  I personally would eat this as a main dish but my family will want meat with it, something on the grill. 

Penne w/ Tomatoes & Parsley Breadcrumbs

●      3 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into one-inch pieces
●      approximately 1/2 cup of olive oil
●      1 tsp grated garlic (I used more)
●      course salt & black pepper
●      2 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, about 1/2 a baguette (someone ate the baguette so I'm using to hamburger buns. Martha would never stop rolling her eyes!)
●      1/2 cup packed parsley leaves (I'm trading basil for parsley)
●      1 pound penne pasta
●      2-3 ounces parmesan cheese, shaved or grated.   (My family will need more than 3 oz!)

1.  Combine tomatoes, 1/4 cup of oil, garlic and 2 tsps salt in a 9x13 baking dish. Season with pepper and let stand at room temp until tomatoes juice, 2-8 hours.  DO NOT PUT IN FRIDGE!

2.  Preheat oven to 450.  Toss bread crumbs and herb leaves with 2 tbsps olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Spread mixture in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and toast, stirring halfway through, until leaves are crisp and bread toasted, about 8 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, boil large pot of generously salted water.  Add pasta and cook to al dente, drain.  Stir pasta into tomato mixture and season with salt and pepper.  Top with breadcrumbs, cheese and drizzle with oil.  Serve. 

        “. . . . while the dew is still on the roses, “

Beloved:

     I was outside early today, pinning laundry on the line, watering flowers, and, this year, checking on the hens.  This morning I found four baby birds in a bucket attached to my front porch wall.  Their mama scolded me good from high in the serviceberry tree. 

     All fourteen chicks live peaceably together in their new coop.  They keep house all day long, scratching the ground, rearranging the brush, turning the soil for bugs and worms.  They are aces at processing my kitchen compost.  Later in the season I’ll set them loose in my garden to round up the Japanese beetles and tomato worms. 

     I love no work more than the outdoor chores of early summer morning..  I’m not tired yet.  The world is quiet and going slowly seems allowed.  Soon enough there will be emails to write, books to study and problems to address.  Then I will be tired and a bit more stressed, for the seeming shortness of time.  I’ll be tempted but resist regretting the morning’s easy pace.  Else what is life but to work and die?  Certain tasks may be delayed, or maybe left undone. while I politely decline to miss these baby birds.  For which I shall gladly be accountable. 

     Yet, on days like today - so awash in life and light and beauty ~ are we not also accountable?  Accountable to receive, be filled and give thanks to the Maker and Giver of all this glorious life and light and beauty?  I pray the day finds you filled with peace, contentment, joy and gratitude.  Do good work - but not too much nor for too long!  ~ peace and prayers, pastor annette 

Beloved:

     No doubt the English teachers sigh heavily and the good spellers giggle when they see this sign posted near the high school.  I passed it this morning and stopped for a closer look and a picture.  The work invested is evident in its hand lettering, and careful construction. It’s wrapped in plastic with heavy tape reinforcement at the corners.   It will take a very big wind to pull it off the stop sign to which it is bound. 

The sign makes me smile, thinking about church members’ conversation, should we change it or leave it alone?  and the decision to leave it ~ because they love their sign maker more than they care about the giggles and sighs.  

That’s church on our very best day - taking good care of everyone, especially the household of faith.  I’ve never been to a church that didn’t have at least one member in need of extra patience, extra gentleness and extra encouragement.  Usually, church was their primary community, their main source of human connection.  They are often our best teachers of Christ-likeness.

In other news, a robin is building a nest outside my kitchen window, not an arm’s length from my spot at the table.  She’s using strands of a dead spider plant I dumped a few weeks ago. I can’t cut anymore lilacs without disturbing her but the show is worth the loss.    The creeping phlox, giant allium, bleeding heart, columbine, forget-me-nots, solomon’s seal bluebells and lily-of-the-valley are all opening wildly and lots more is pushing through.  For this I sigh with great joy - at the visible sign of the Creator’s presence.

peace & prayers, pastor annette