Within this collection of stories, reflections, and writings, you will find windows into the mystery of God. Members and friends of our parish have written pieces for use as devotionals in this season of Lent. Most all of the works are original, and they range from poems to personal stories to reflections on scripture. Some will evoke tears or laughter, while others may not do much for us at all. The pieces are as unique as the writers, and they may not resonate with everyone, which is fine. But it is my hope that with each daily entry we will all find some way to connect with God.


My thanks to those who contributed to this project. It takes courage to offer something publicly as we have done with this collection. I know that some of you have gone well outside your comfort zone to reflect spiritually on parts of your life or to share ideas that you have treasured for yourself. I also want to thank Tiffany Ayers who used her skills as an editor to put this collection together and catch all of our typos and literary bobbles.


I pray that each of us would find this Lenten Season a holy and special time.


In Christ’s Peace,

Fr. Tom+

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

February 23

Polishing the Brash

Several years ago, it was mentioned that much of the brass at the altar had been worn down by too much polishing and would have to be re-plated to bring the shine back. The process of restoring this shine in preparation for our celebration of God’s greatest gift offers us an opportunity for renewal during the Lenten season.

Over the coming weeks as various pieces are taken to the trusty brass man to polish and lacquer, please join me in relating this process to our own Lenten journeys as a way of “polishing and rebrassing” ourselves to the glory of God on the greatest of days, Easter.

Amy Rogers

Psalm 23: 1-3

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.

Along with many other people, this is one of my favorite psalms. When I was younger, I always seemed to focus on the outward tangible things David says God gives us. But as I’ve gotten older and become enmeshed in my career and busy life, the first three verses really speak to me. Like so many other people, I have little free or down time. We live in a society where we always seem to be on the go. We’re impatient to get on with our lives. We frequently feel guilty if we sit and relax because there are so many other things we could be doing. Our “to do” lists get longer. Yet God wants us to spend quiet time with Him every day so he can restore our souls.

This snow storm we’re in the middle of right now is a good example. While we don’t see green pastures at the moment, we see beautiful pristine white pastures. The snow is absolutely beautiful on the trees, on the ground, as it’s falling from the sky. This snow storm is the still waters that God is leading us beside. We are forced to slow down because we can’t get out of the house and run around in our cars. We have a chance to become like kids again and revel playing in the snow. Think of the snow angels, snow forts, snowball fights! Cold, yes, but so much fun.

Watching the news, I hear about people who are sick of the snow and all that it brings, who just want to go back to their normal hurried lives, uninterrupted by God’s request to slow down and appreciate the beauty He gives us every day. Our news focuses on all of the negatives. I pray that once this snow storm passes, we will remember how wonderful it was to slow down for a bit, look around, and marvel at the grandeur all around us. Make time to restore your soul beside the still waters every day.

Sandy (Worley) Miller
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