If we haven’t been introduced before, hello! My name is Rebecca, and I’m the current Godspacelight admin. As Christine is out in Australia enjoying the summer weather and visiting with friends and family, I’ve been tasked with writing the weekly update.
A bit about my background- before I worked with Godspace, I worked as botanist across the Western US in Alaska, Washington, and Colorado. Christine and I share a love of plants and the natural world, which has likely been part of the inspiration for her upcoming retreat Preparing for the Garden Walk of Holy Week. The connection she has drawn between important moments of Jesus’ life and the ecology around him is a new angle on the final weeks of Jesus’ ministry to me, and has already prompted a lot of reflection on the significance and symbolism of the garden in my own mind. Especially for those who could use a moment to reset and prepare before the final week of Lent, I would encourage you to attend the retreat which will take place the morning of Saturday, March 25th.
Our Lent theme this season is Breaking Down Walls which can refer to removing external, physical walls, but also to internal prejudices and the limitations of our own perspectives. I enjoyed the new perspective offered by the post Lent and Rediscovering Our Humanity by John Van de Laar. He suggests alternative ways to practice Lent for those of us who may feel stifled or deprived by common Lent practices. Lilly Lewin also offers reflection questions for Lent in her creative reflection Freerange Friday: Pancake Prayers. Another post that challenges our perspective is Christine’s Meditation Monday – A New View of Mary and Martha, which expands on a passage from Mary Stromer Hanson’s book The New Perspective on Mary and Martha. She presents a fresh interpretation of Luke 10:38-42 and prompted me to reflect on how easy it is to make assumptions about the world around us without considering the limitations of our own perspectives.
One of my favorite things about working at Godspace is getting to see the Sine’s dog Goldie, so the post Beloved Pets—God’s Message of Love by Kathie Hempel was a great reflection on the important role pets can play in our lives. I also wanted to highlight another collaboration between Karen Wilk and Karen Tamminga-Paton that yielded Gathering Earth: A Hand Reflection, a beautiful poem paired with stunning artwork.
International Quiet Day by June Friesen was a helpful reminder of how silence and stillness can play a role in our church and personal practices. Life can so often feel chaotic and overwhelming, but I hope you each find moments of peace and stillness throughout the upcoming week.
Grace and blessings,
Rebecca