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Newsletter

Keeping Up with the News

by Christine Sine
written by Christine Sine

Wow, I cannot believe the response to my new book Celtic Advent: Following An Unfamiliar Path. Thank you for your encouragement and affirmation. So many of you have told me you have already purchased the book and plan to use it with friends. That really delights my heart, as I think Advent should always be celebrated within community rather than as individuals. So if you have not grabbed your copy yet, now is the time to do so. And don’t forget, if you are needing multiple copies you can order them directly from me at a discount price. I am encouraged by this as Celtic Christianity and its concern for both creation and for the disadvantaged in our society is an increasing passion of mine.

The series on Celtic Spirituality on my podcast, Liturgical Rebels has also been extremely popular and I hope that you are able to access these interviews. You can see all this year’s episodes of Liturgical Rebels here. I hope you will join our growing community of listeners. My interview with Christine Valters Paintner is now the most listened to of all the episodes. Next week we will post episode 19, an interview with Celtic artist and calligrapher Mary Fleeson. Mary lives on Holy Island and has a rich history in textile design and study of ancient manuscript techniques. Her beautiful artwork and books can be found at the Lindisfarne Scriptorium

Last weekend I facilitated a retreat on The Gift of Wonder with a small local church group. As I shared in my Meditation Monday: Douglas Fir and the Mice, it was held at a beautiful retreat site on the Hood Canal. Just being there and drinking in the beauty of the place refreshed and renewed me. I loved learning the story about the Douglas Fir and the Mice which I hope you will read. It is one of the most delightful stories I have read for a while and, as it probably originated with some of the native peoples here, was a very appropriate one to post on Indigenous Peoples Day.

Unfortunately the rest of the week did not go as well. I spent most of Wednesday at the hospital with my husband Tom for a heart arrhythmia. Fortunately it was able to be controlled and he returned home, but was advised not to travel. So I will be going to Australia on my own today. It was a hard decision to make and as you can imagine we are both very disappointed but we both feel at peace about the decision. Fortunately Tom will not be on his own as our small intentional community and several friends have all jumped in to help him while I am away. We appreciate your prayers that all goes smoothly as I travel and for Tom here at home.

Lilly Lewin was travelling this week and so we did not have time to write her usual Freerange Friday but should be back next week with more of her delightful insights and creativity.

As Halloween and All Saints Day approaches and you struggle with the waste of costumes and decorations consider some of the suggestions in these posts:

  • Resources for a Green, Fair Trade, Ethical Halloween
  • One Protestant’s Reflection on All Saints Day by Kathy Hempel
  • All Saints Day: An Opportunity to Remember Everyday Saints. By Lynne Baab
  • A Beautiful All Saints Day Prayer by Ana Lisa De Jong

The upcoming months have so many opportunities to celebrate and I hope you will take advantage of the broad array of resources available on Godspacelight. We have still not been able to correct the myriad of links in the posts and resource pages so if you click on a link like this https://godspacelight.com/2015/11/26/my-favourite-books-on-gratitude/ that takes you nowhere, remove the date in the middle so you end up with something like this:  https://godspacelight.com/my-favourite-books-on-gratitude/

Many blessings on you as the seasons change and we move towards the beginning of Advent. Remember Celtic Advent begins November 15th.

Here is another prayer I wrote on my recent retreat, a prayer that reminds me to greet each day as a unique and beautiful creation from God.

I greet this day with delight.
This never to be forgotten,
Never to be repeated, moment of wonder.
I greet the birds flying overhead,
And listen as they sing back to me,
A beautiful melody of praise.
I greet the sun shining through the clouds,
A soft glow of morning glory softly lighting the world.
I greet the trees whispering to me in the breeze.
Sit, relax, absorb the rhythm of our moving,
They seem to say.
I breathe in the fragrance of the air
Fresh,  invigorating life-giving to body and soul.
The wonder of it lodges in my mind,
Leading me into a new day,
It fills me with the joy of God‘s abiding presence.

Christine Sine

NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I receive a small amount for purchases made through appropriate links.

October 16, 2024 0 comments
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Meditation Monday

Meditation Monday – Douglas Fir and The Mice

by Christine Sine
written by Christine Sine

by Christine Sine

Over the weekend I had the joy of leading a small retreat at St Andrews House on the Hood Canal. It is a beautiful location, looking out over the water and surrounded by majestic firs and gardens full of herbs and dahlias.

The focus of the weekend was Walking in Wonder. God’s creation could not have put on a more magnificent display for us. On the first evening the Aurora Borealis delighted us with reds and greens and blue splashed across the sky. It was breathtaking. The following evening it was the reds and gold of the sunset that took our breath away and held us spellbound. We certainly got our daily doses of awe and wonder while we were there.

However it was the douglas fir cones I picked up on our awe and wonder walk that intrigued me the most. The cones are smaller than some, but what caught my attention was the “tails” that protruded out of the cone. Then one of the participants told the story of the douglas fir and the mouse and I was riveted.

Legend tells us that a long time ago there was a large fire in the forests of the west. Many animals ran around frantically trying to escape the flames. Tiny mice, not fast enough on their short legs to outrun the fire, tried to find shelter in various trees. The mice approached maples and junipers and many other trees asking for help but were continually denied, as the trees themselves were fighting for survival.  Finally they approached the large and mighty Douglas fir tree and asked if they could take shelter amongst its branches. The Douglas fir agreed to help the mice and allowed them to hide in its cones. They went in head first but their back end and tails still stuck out.  The mice survived the fire, and to this day, if you examine a Douglas fir cone you can see the tails of the mice sticking out of the scales of a cone. That is one cone I will never fail to identify.

Today is Indigenous Peoples Day in the US, and this seemed like a fitting story to tell as it probably has roots in the stories of the native peoples of North America. I love stories like this that have probably been handed down from generation to generation for hundreds if not thousands of years. They stir new seeds of wonder and delight within me, not just for the beauty of the pine cone, but for the whole forest from which it comes. This is what Robert McFarlane in his book Landmarks, would call re-wonderment of the world, something I highly recommended to the group I was facilitating and encourage all of us to do.

You may remember, that in his book, McFarlane gave a fascinating example of how we can change people’s attitudes so that they acquire a new view of our awe inspiring world. Evidently nn the Island of Lewis in Scotland there were plans to construct a large wind farm which would have destroyed the local windswept moorland, the natural environment which most people saw as useless. To re-wonder peoples’ impression of the land they gathered songs and poetry written about the moorland. They told stories about what happened there. They recovered its history and marked out new walking tracks and points of beauty – and the moorland was saved.

In our current world, steeped in injustice of systemic racism, of war and violence and climate change, this is very much what we need. We don’t just need re-wonderment of the world but re-wonderment of our view of God and a re-wonderment of our impressions of the people we share the planet with too. All of us are made in the image of God and every creature has a spark of divine life within it. Recovering stories that connect us to the land, its history and its people grounds us in special ways and can be truly awe inspiring. That pine cone I brought home to add to my collection is not just a pine cone, it is the bearer of special story that connects this place and the people who lived in it to us today. Now that really is awe inspiring.

Listening to this and other stories I heard during my few days away freed my imagination to create poetry again, something I have not done for several weeks. I hope you enjoy this poem which I posted on instagram yesterday.

October 14, 2024 0 comments
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Liturgical Rebels podcast

Episode 18 – with Christine Valtners Paintner, online Abbess of the Abbey of the Arts

by Christine Sine
written by Christine Sine

Christine Valters Paintner shares her journey through life, which she describes as reminiscent of the Celtic saints. She discusses her experiences living in different places, including Ireland, and the challenges and joys of following a pilgrimage-like path. Christine also talks about her love for Benedictine and Celtic spirituality, the importance of nature in her spiritual practice, and the significance of circles and circling prayers. She describes herself as a monk in the world and discusses the Abbey of the Arts, her online monastery. Christine also shares about her upcoming book, ‘A Midwinter God,’ which explores encountering the divine in seasons of darkness.

Christine Valters Paintner is a Benedictine oblate and the online Abbess at Abbey of the Arts, a virtual monastery integrating contemplative practice and creative expression. She is a poet and the author of more than 20 books on the spiritual life. Her newest book is A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness. Christine lives on the wild edges of Ireland with her husband John and dog Sourney, where they lead online programs for a global community.

    • You can find more about Christine Valters Paintner and her work at AbbeyoftheArts.com Transformative Living through Contemplative and Expressive Arts

 

October 9, 2024 0 comments
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Newsletter

Keeping Up with the News

by Christine Sine
written by Christine Sine

On Thursday I received my first copies of Celtic Advent: Following An Unfamiliar Path, which is now available at Amazon outlets around the world. I am very excited about this book, which provides a fresh approach to Advent that reawakens our awe as it opens our eyes and our ears, in fact all our senses, to the wonder of God’s story once more. In the company of saints and artists, storytellers and poets, this devotional encourages us to we tread a new path, step outside the boundaries of conventional knowledge, and explore new ways to enter the story of God. We walk with some well known characters like Patrick, Columba, Brigid and Hilda, but also with less known Celtic saints like Ia and Non. It takes us on a journey, a pilgrimage in fact through the six weeks before Christmas, beginning November 13th and ending on Christmas Day. Six Weeks, six themes:

  • Holy Wanderings
  • Guests of the World
  • Reaching for Hope
  • Searching for Peace
  • Joy In The Journey
  • Embracing Love

A big thank you to those who have already purchased copies. I understand they have already arrived in Scotland and Canada. This was a fun book to work on and I look forward to delving into it again, not as a writer but as a participant in the wondrous journey towards the birth of Christ. I hope you will join me, and don’t forget that you can purchase bulk copies directly from me at a discount price. They will take about 2 weeks to arrive, so get your orders in early to be ready for the beginning of Celtic Advent. Unfortunately this discount will only apply in the US. However if you want to purchase prayer cards to assist in your Advent journey, these can be purchased through Godspacelight, and can be shipped anywhere in the world. There is one set specifically for Advent and another set of Celtic cards you might like to look at. I am considering putting another set together, probably for next year. Let me know if you have any suggestions for that.

Video = Celtic Advent: Following an Unfamiliar Path

After I wrote my Meditation Monday: Stay Close to the Cracks, one person commented “we have to find that balance. I have often said that our goal is to stay close to the cracks, to know and even feel, the pain of others. But then, through prayer and meditation, to put those burdens on Jesus’ shoulders. I don’t think we are strong enough to carry them, but He is.” I agree wholeheartedly. I don’t think we should turn away from the hurts of our world and God’s beloved children who inhabit it, but sometimes we do need to limit what we watch, and make sure we check the facts that are inflammatory and sometimes confusing. God intends us to be involved in the world’s pain, reaching out as healers and comforters when we see the light shining in the cracks. The link to Leonard Cohen’s song, Anthem, was the most popular I have posted so far.

The Spiritual Practice of Giving God Joy, which I posted on Friday encouraged a lot of people to stop and consider the question “What does God enjoy about me?” I think it is an important question for all of us to write as we move forward as followers of Christ. I hope you will read the post and take seriously my suggestion to make a list of what about you gives God joy.

Many of you have very much enjoyed the last episode of Liturgical Rebels – my interview with John Philip Newell about Celtic Spirituality. I loved listening to this interview again and heartily recommend it to those who have not listened. John Philip Newell is a fascinating person. This week’s episode, another in our series on Celtic Spirituality, is an interview with another inspirational person Christine Valters Paintner, a Benedictine oblate and the online Abbess at Abbey of the Arts, a virtual monastery integrating contemplative practice and creative expression. She is a poet and the author of more than 20 books on the spiritual life. Her newest book is A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness. Christine lives on the wild edges of Ireland with her husband John and dog Sourney, where they lead online programs for a global community. I first met Christine Valters Paintner when she lived in Seattle many years ago, and continue to be enriched by her deep spirituality and insights. I think this is another interview you will really enjoy.

Lilly Lewin’s latest Godspacelight post, comes to us from the island of Iona. In Freerange Friday: Art is my Thinplace, she quotes Christine Valters Paintner in The Soul of a Pilgrim.  One of the metaphors I use in teaching the expressive arts is pilgrimage. On a pilgrimage, as in art-making, we take a journey to encourage the sacred within ourselves in a more intimate way.” I love that concept and am intrigued by the journey Lilly shares with us from her thin place, Iona. One celebration I forgot to highlight last week is world communion Sunday, the first Sunday in October when we join with followers of Jesus all over the world and form many different denominations to promote Christian unity and ecumenical cooperation. You might like to check out two previous Godspacelight posts about this Carol Dixon’s World Communion Sunday 2019 and June Friesen’s World Wide Communion Sunday 2021. They are both worth reflecting on.

As I mentioned last week, Tom and I are getting ready to fly to Australia on October 16th so my thoughts too are set on pilgrimage, though of a different sort. Part of the purpose of our trip is to attend a memorial time for my brother Nick who died a couple of months ago. I am also looking forward to catching up with friends and family. Can you believe it 16 of my medical school friends will gather with Tom and I for a celebration while we are there. Another friend is travelling all the way from New Zealand to spend time with us. It will be a fun trip, though we are not looking forward to that 15 hour flight from Los Angeles to Sydney. We appreciate your prayers for travelling mercies.

Today my heart is heavy as I read about Hurricane Milton so close behind Hurricane Helene bringing devastation to yet more lives. I grieve for those who have lost life and livelihood not just because of these disasters but because of all the devastation in our world. Ongoing conflict in Haiti, Sudan, Afghanistan and so many other places. Lives lost through drought and poverty and illness. For the ongoing impact of wars in Ukraine, and the Middle East. I think of those who are helping – first responders, FEMA, health care workers, volunteers from around the world. We cannot understand why God allows such devastation, but I am aware that God is very present in the midst of it.

God almighty, maker of the earth and all of life,
We grieve with you today,
For those forced to flee,
From hurricanes, wars and political unrest.
For places where violence flares
And we turn away,
Yesterday’s news
Overshadowed by today’s disasters.
Let us remember in the midst of our pain,
You are always with us,
Our shelter in the midst of every tragedy.
In the quiet and the storm you surround us,
Your love stays closer than a friend.
In this time of storm, of mudslide and disaster
Be with all who are vulnerable.
Hold them close as the winds blow, the oceans rage and the land slides.
Place your arms around them as the fires burn, trees fall and rivers rise.
Keep them safe from wind and rain and flying debris.
Guide those that respond, keep them safe.
Give wisdom to those who direct rescue operations.
Be with first responders, electric workers and emergency crews,
With all who reach out to neighbours with your love and compassion.
Comfort and protect them in the midst of danger and of strife.
May all find shelter under the embrace of your wings.

Many blessings on all of you today
Christine Sine

October 9, 2024 0 comments
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Meditation Monday

Meditation Monday – Stay Close to The Cracks

by Christine Sine
written by Christine Sine

by Christine Sine

Several years ago, I wrote a post on Godspacelight.com, Stay Close to the Cracks which was inspired by Leonard Cohen’s song Anthem. This weekend, in the midst of my joy at finishing my book and indulging in my joy practice, I recognized that joy needs to be balanced with grief and action over the many areas of devastation in our world. I watched a number of videos of swollen rivers and destroyed communities as a result of Hurricane Helene and I wanted to turn it all off. I also listened to Trump tell lies about Haitian refugees eating cats , the response of FEMA and Vice-President Harris, and I wanted to turn that off too. I watched the news about growing violence in the Middle East and the loss of more lives not just in Gaza but also in Lebanon, as well as in the other wars in Ukraine and the Sudan. That too I wanted to turn off. It is so easy to turn off our response to these horrors or to get angry because we feel impotent in the face of so many challenges.

However, as I revisited Cohen’s song and the post I wrote about it, I realized how very pertinent they still are for today. We need to stay close to the cracks in our society. Close to the injustice, the violence, the pandemics and the environmental devastation that are changing our world and crushed so many lives. There are so many cracks in our society – cracks in the social fabric that have made us aware of ongoing racism in our society, and the growing gpa between rich and poor. Cracks in our economic and health care systems as we all struggle with the impact of inflation and increasing prices on our lives.

Cracks Give Us Hope

 We must let the light shine through, so that we know how to respond without becoming casualties of our fears and all the pressures that are on us. Leonard Cohen’s prophetic voice still challenges us today as he reminds us that there is indeed a crack in everything but this is not a reason for despair but rather for hope because this is indeed how the light gets in. Similarly in Eager to Love, Richard Rohr comments that St Francis of Assisi asked us to stay close to the cracks in the social fabric of our world. It is a thought worth reflecting on.

It is in fact this thought that encourages me to look at the cracks in the pavement as I walk, to see what is growing and what responds to the light – the plants we call weeds, the plants we want to root up and get rid of this is what drives in the crack. We don’t like them. We don’t want anything growing in the pavement cracks that will disturb the neat and ordered pattern of our lives. We don’t want pandemics and racism and war to grow in the cracks. We don’t always want to see the light.

Weeds pushing up through the cracks.

Everything in our lives and in our world has cracks, wounds and broken places that tell of pain and suffering. Sometimes we try to cover them over, attempting to seal them off from the light. But this only makes them fester and get worse like a boil on our skin that needs to be lanced.

Yet it is in the cracks, the broken places of our lives and world, where violence flares and pain cries out that healing also happens. When we acknowledge injustice and the pain it causes, we take the first step towards wholeness. It is into the cracks that light can shine and water can seep. It is in the cracks in the concrete that seeds can lodge, germinate and take root. And as green shoots reach for the sky, the crack enlarges, the concrete crumbles and what was meant to live and breathe thrives once more.

How Do You Respond to the Cracks?

Sit quietly in the presence of God, allowing the love of the holy and ever present One to wash over you. Read through the prayer above several times. What cracks in your world, what places of woundedness and vulnerability that give you ongoing pain come to mind? In what ways have you tried to cover these over, perhaps with a facade of laughter or with a semblance of respectability? Or, as the effects of the pandemic still rage, and COVID continues to take lives, are you responding by pretending it isn’t happening and risking your life and of those around you by not wearing masks or staying home when you are sick? Are there ways you respond, perhaps with fear, or anger or intolerance that show these are festering? Perhaps there are things you need to confess or seek forgiveness for. Offer these up to God in prayer.

Now think of the light that shines into those cracks. Where have you seen glimmers of God’s wholeness? What has it begun to give life to? Are you aware of green shoots emerging towards the sun? How could you nurture their growth and make help them to thrive?

As I walk our neighbourhood, I notice several rain wise gardens on my route. What was once a solid concrete slab in some places has now been transformed into gardens that channel the water into the topsoil and down into the water table where the water can accumulate and provide for future dry periods. Even our church became rain wise several years ago so that the rain from the huge sanctuary roof no longer creates a flood of water that overflows the drains and clogs the waterways.

Dedicating St Andrews rain garden

Sometimes when we stay close to the cracks we realize that they need to be nurtured and strengthened to rebuild the fabric of our lives and our society. And as we nurture these it is not only the surface life that thrives but it is the deep wellsprings of the water table that flourishes too.

What is your response?

Read through the prayer above again. What slabs of pavement are you aware of in your life and society that need to be broken up with gardens? Is there something the spirit of God is prompting you to do that could help accomplish this?

Now listen to Leonard Cohen sing Anthem and allow the spirit of God to stir your imagination. Is there another response God is asking of you?

October 7, 2024 0 comments
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artfreerangefridayPilgrimagethinplaces

FreerangeFriday: Art is my thinplace!

by Lilly Lewin
written by Lilly Lewin

By Lilly Lewin

Happy Feast Day of St. Francis from the Isle of Iona! I have been on a personal pilgrimage on an art retreat with Wild at Art Scotland this week and my cup is overflowing! It has been a glorious week of creativity, beauty, walking, wondering, and taking time to notice the colors of the Island. Color speaks to me! It’s the thing I notice first, followed by contrasts and textures.  I love this workshop because it’s led by the amazing Scottish artist, Janet Melrose. Janet is one of those kindred spirist who listens and allows the people who show up and the gifts present to direct the way the course goes. She brings loads of ideas and resources and supplies but then sees where the Spirit leads us. It’s always wonderful to see the different styles of art that each participant brings. We are enriched by one another. We learn and are inspired as we create beside one another. Even though this is not, a quote, spiritual retreat, we have had ” great church” as far as I’m concerned! and the Holy Spirit is always active and moving! We received so many gifts and God surprises along the way!

One of those surprises was finding this quote from Christine Valters Paintner:

“Art-making as pilgrimage helps us to understand the arts a process of discovery about ourselves and about God. “

The Soul of a Pilgrim…Christine Valters Paintner

As much as I talk and write about, and go on pilgrimage, I hadn’t really considered the act of creating art as a pilgrimage!!

” One of the metaphors I use in teaching the expressive arts is pilgrimage. On a pilgrimage, as in art-making, we take a journey to encourage the sacred within ourselves in a more intimate way. “

The Soul of a Pilgrim…Christine Valters Paintner

I’m not sure why I never noticed this before! I’d never thought about the art making process as a pilgrimage!  Making art is a spiritual practice for me. It is how I connect with myself and with God. Making art gets me out of my head and into myself and helps me process emotions and express myself in the world. I was the kid who drew on every welcome card and envelope in the church pew back in the days before kid’s bulletins! I know that have been creating art since I was five. But only began calling myself an artist again at age 40! When I discovered the wonderful concept of thinplaces…I realized that ART IS MY THINPLACE!  Art making is how I pray and how I process, it’s how I worship and wonder. It truly is how I connect and feel close to myself and God.

Have you discovered your perrson thinplace yet?

Where do you feel God’s pleasure?

Where do you feel most connected to God, to the Holy?

What are you doing, Where are you when you feel most alive, most yourself, most at peace?

THAT IS YOUR PERSONAL THINPLACE! And we all need to give ourselves permission to go there and do the thing or things that bring us JOY and help us feel God’s pleasure ( just like Eric Liddle in Chariots of Fire)!

art of iona 1

art of iona

I invite you to take time to discover your thinplace this week. Bake, Create, Walk, Wander, Read, Rest, Be Still and let God surprise you!

Iona is physical thinplace, and art is one of my personal thinplaces.  I am so grateful for this week of refreshment. It’s been a wonderful gift! Now it’s how to get all the art back in the suitcase!

find your thinplace mug

1 find your thinplace

Learn more about your own thinplace and come experience a thinplace Finding Your Thinplace Pilgrimage to Iona Sept. 1-9, 2025! Only 12 spots! Give yourself the gift of a pilgrimage and reconnect with yourself and God!

©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com

October 4, 2024 0 comments
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Newsletter

Keeping Up with the News

by Christine Sine
written by Christine Sine

We did it! On Monday we uploaded the manuscript and cover for Celtic Advent: Following an Unfamiliar Path to Amazon publishing and yesterday it went live on their site. It is currently only available in the U.S. but should be available in Australia, Canada, U.K, Europe and even Japan, next week. I am delighted with this book which I feel will be a great asset to anyone wanting to extend their Advent experience to incorporate the 40 days of Celtic Advent this year.

If you are caught in the tension between the familiar symbols of Nativity scenes, Christmas trees and carol singing, and the desire for something unfamiliar which will jar you into fresh perspectives on the story of Jesus’ birth, then this is a book for you. Celtic Advent: Following an Unfamiliar Path, provides an unexpected approach to the Advent season.  The journey begins on November 13th, as we join the early Celtic Christians in a pilgrimage towards the manger. In the company of saints and artists, storytellers and poets, we tread a new path, step outside the boundaries of conventional knowledge, and explore new ways to enter the story of God. The witness of these faithful followers guides us to the baby Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us and enables us to stand firm in our faith, even when the world is in upheaval. I hope you will join me on the journey. If you are interested in buying bulk copies for a small group or Sunday school class please contact us for discounted price. Unfortunately this discount will only be available in the U.S.

On Friday we celebrate St Francis of Assisi and I got off to an early celebration with my Meditation Monday: St Francis Day and Blessing of the Animals. I love this celebration which is one of the important rituals of October for me. For many of us our pets are important parts of our lives, they relieve our stress, decrease our blood pressure and lengthen our lives. It is important to acknowledge their contribution to our good health and well being with a blessing each year.

Last week we published the 17th episode of the Liturgical Rebels, a fascinating interview with Celtic theologian John Philip Newell. Make sure you don’t miss listening to it. Next week Christine Valters Paintner will join us as we continue our series on Celtic Spirituality. I am learning a lot from these interviews and I hope you will too.

Lilly Lewin’s Freerange Friday: Finding Your Thinplace in Scotland was actually written from Scotland as she is currently on retreat on Iona again. I heartily agree with her comment that “pilgrimage transforms us both inside and out….if we are open and curious. If we are willing to take the time to pay attention.” I love reading about her adventures and am definitely with her in spirit if not in person.

Tom and I are currently getting ready to go to Australia on October 16th so my thoughts too are set on pilgrimage, though of a different sort, as part of the purpose is to attend a memorial time for my brother Nick who died a couple of months ago. I am also looking forward to catching up with friends and family. Can you believe it? 16 of my medical school friends will gather with Tom and I for a celebration while we are there. Thinking about this has made me look back at some of the posts on Godspacelight about friendship – Carol Dixon’s post for International Friendship Day last year, and my own post on The Wonder of Friends  and another “Strangers, Friends Angels Unawares”. It was fun to look back on what I have written about the delight of friendship over the last few years.

As I mentioned last week, we are also moving rapidly into what I like to call my “gratitude season” – the days between Canadian Thanksgiving, this year on October 14th, and American Thanksgiving on November 28th. It’s time to think about how you might want to shape this season. In preparation you might like to reread this post – Making Gratitude A Lifelong Habit. Creating seasons like this that mark the seasons and also the important celebrations of our cultures is a wonderful way to ground our lives in the presence of God.

As I sent Celtic Advent: Following an Unfamiliar Path, off to the publisher, I found myself reflecting a lot on what it meant to follow an unfamiliar path. This poem was the result this weekend.

Follow an unfamiliar path,
Let the light of God guide you.
Do not be distracted
By the cares of the world
And things you cannot change.
Do not stumble
When the road gets rough
And you cannot see the way.
Follow an unfamiliar path.
Trust in the One who created you.
Hold close to the Three who surround you.
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer,
Trust only in them.

Many blessings
Christine Sine

Photo by Taylor Marx on pexels

October 2, 2024 0 comments
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Meet The Godspace Community Team

Meet The Godspace Community Team

Christine Sine is the founder and facilitator for Godspace, which grew out of her passion for creative spirituality, gardening and sustainability. Together with her husband, Tom, she is also co-Founder of Mustard Seed Associates but recently retired to make time available for writing and speaking.
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