Rev Karen Urquhart
Rev Karen Urquhart
March 23, 2020
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We have been living with a new global reality for the past few weeeks - a time of uncertainty, a time of challenges, a time of blessing, and more time and space to refresh ourselves and get our lives on tract. Lent 2020 is proving to be a global retreat into the sanctuaries of our homes and families (although not all of us are offorded the luxury of loving families and a comfortable home). Many are homeless, live on the streets and have to fend for themselves. This is an opportunity to prayer for these ones and to do what you can to help them have a share of the blessings we enjoy.

Over the years, I have helped countless families prepare for the funerals of their loved ones. During a Christian funeral or memorial service, scriptures are read aloud to those gathered in the church, graveside or other special place. Today I share one passage for the bible that is often read on these occasions

For everything that happens in life—there is a season, a right time for everything under heaven:

2 A time to be born, a time to die;
a time to plant, a time to collect the harvest;
3 A time to kill, a time to heal;
a time to tear down, a time to build up;
4 A time to cry, a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, a time to dance;
5 A time to scatter stones, a time to pile them up;
a time for awarmembrace, a time for keeping your distance;
6 A time to search, a time to give up as lost;
a time to keep, a time to throw out;
7 A time to tear apart, a time to bind together;
a time to be quiet, a time to speak up;
8 A time to love, a time to hate;
a time to go to war, a time to make peace.

9 What good comes to anyone who works so hard, all to gain a few possessions? 10 I have seen the kinds of tasks God has given each of us to do to keep one busy, 11 and I know God has made everything beautiful for its time. God has also placed in our minds a sense of eternity; we look back on the past and ponder over the future, yet we cannot understand the doings of God. 

12 I know there is nothing better for us than to be joyful and to do good throughout our lives; 13 to eat and drink and see the good in all of our hard work is a gift from God. 14 I know everything God does endures for all time. Nothing can be added to it; nothing can be taken away from it.

We humans can only stand in awe of all God has done. 15 What has been and what is to be—already is. And God holds accountable all the pursuits of humanity.[a]

If you are interested in biblical study - here is a good place to start - or be overwhelmed!

http://www.textweek.com/writings/ecclesia.htm

 

As a little girl, I loved listening to my family read bedtime stories. It opened the world to me - beyond the confines of our house, our suburb, our country and even the world. Stories took me to places I'd never been to before, worlds yet unexplored. The world became richer, more beautiful, and filled with magic and posibility.

At school, each day our class would gather in a circle around the teacher's chair and listen to the daily reading. In church we would listen with our ears, whilst our minds and hearts connected with the story and word as they mingled with our imaginations and dreams. 

We are such an electronic/video based society, that I think we forget the power of spoken word.

When we stop and just listen, and surrender ourselves to the moment.

Where we cannot pause or fastforward - but immerse ourselves in the words and use our own minds and imagination to give image and texture to what we are reading.

We have forgotten the art of reading to one another. Even children get placed in front of TVs and ipads because stressed parents neither have thought or time to sit and read as in generations past. Even radio is on the decline.

So here in these unprecedented times of "self isolation" we have the opportunity to rediscover these unique human abilities - to read to one another. Stay home and read aloud! Read to you family, read to your friend on the phone who finds it hard to read, record what you read and share it on social media with your extended network. 

Read something nourishing. This is time for a healthy diet. Our minds do not need to get immersed in Stephen King novels or war tales at this time. Stay positive. There is so much healthy, nourishing soul food conatined within the pages - just waiting for you. It is TIME!

It's a simple way to refresh ourselves, learn and share love with others in these challenging times.

#GetThoseBooksOut #Read2Another #LoveOneAnother #HealthyMindHealthyBody #HealingInWords

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