The Graze V.171: Shifting

Hi Friends:

The meadows at Mission Farm showcase abundance and beauty. In the spring, trillium, columbine, and lady slippers emerge. Mid-summer brings happy black-eyed Susans, milkweed, and Joe-Pye weed, filling the meadows with color. I meet many people who travel to Mission Farm specifically to see the wildflowers, bird watch, or forage for mushrooms.

The creatures, flora, and fauna that fill the 180 acres of woodland and animal habitat at Mission Farm reflect the core values that have emerged in this place: connection, conservation, and justice.

But what is the connection between our search for the Holy, our desire for justice, and our care for Creation? Norman Wirzba points out that it is impossible to speak about human flourishing if theWe all know that change is the only constant in life. Since the pandemic, it seems like everything is shifting at an unprecedented speed. Many things that once grounded us have changed, and now we are left with new questions: What is home? What does it mean to be connected? Who am I, and what is my purpose in life?

There are new rhythms and realities to be mindful of and so many things vying for our attention. The role of ‘church’ in our society has offered this opportunity in a simpler world. But things are shifting. Traditionally, Sunday mornings offered moments to pause and reflect. “Going to church” meant an opportunity to think about the people I care for and those who care for me. It provided a space in my week to bring my attention to the suffering and grief in this world. It offered a community to express love and gratitude and a search for something deeper.

But this model of a Sunday morning profession of faith is no longer enough. Life is shifting. How can we experience a connection that anchors us to daily life's deep meaning and beauty? We all know the luminous experience of a sunset that takes our breath away. We have experienced the deep beauty of a shimmering waterfall, or a clear night sky full of stars.

Can also find this Divine spark in ordinary living? Maybe you notice a sense of the sacred in the thrill of Nascar; the beauty in a piece of music; the taste of a fantastic meal; the warm sun as you hang clothes on the line; the feel of soil on your hands as you weed the garden; the pure joy of a dog on a walk. Or perhaps you have felt holiness in moments during a crisis; a sickness, the death of a loved one, or a natural disaster. We are promised that the love that binds together the universe is with us always.

What we pay attention to changes us. The people we love transform us. Our creativity remakes us. Our surroundings reshape us. What we notice brings the sacred into our lives.

May you notice the sacred. And may all of our living, loving, and choosing make us whole.

🌱 💚 Lisa