The Mystery of Love

Walking home with iPod on shuffle I experienced a real mixture - from Jack Johnson's Banana Pancakes to the traditional carol 'Christians awake salute the happy morn ... rise to adore the Mystery of Love which hosts of angels chanted from above". Echoes of the Lads 'Beetroot stain' in the morning selection: A quirky devotional from before the days of Napisan OxyAction. I consider this the contemporary Christian song that the 16th Century reformers would identify with - it seems in its own unique way to capture those Reformed essentials of the wholly other God who reaches out in grace; who first loved us; and who is faithful and whose love is beyond measure.

It's a long time since I read Ian McEwan's Enduring Love. I think it is my favourite work from this author. With skill many of the dimensions of love were captured, explored, examined; all the while seemingly handled gently and with respect. My random music choices today have rekindled some of the affect I remember from the novel (the movie didn't evoke the same affective response). And led me to reflect again on what it means to live in love.

In the challenges and the mundane tasks of everyday I hope that I keep within a hair's breadth of an awareness of the great Mystery of Love in whom I live and move and have my being. And within a hair's breadth of attending to relationships with those with whom I know the joy of loving and being loved. Not taking this gift for granted. Living in gratitude. And getting on with what needs to be done. So be it.

There will be music despite everything

Christine is back at Abbey of the Arts and hosting Poetry Party No. 22! This is a good opportunity to exercise our right brain functions and everyone is invited. Christine writes:

I select an image and suggest a title and invite you to respond with your poems, words, reflections, quotes, song lyrics, etc. Leave them in the comments or email me and I’ll add them to the body of the post as they come in along with a link back to your blog if you have one (not required to participate!) I’ll add your contributions all week and then I will draw a name at random on Saturday from everyone who participates and will send the winner a copy of my most recent zine Season by the Sea: A Contemporary Book of Hours. Feel free to take your poem in any direction and then post the image and invitation on your blog and encourage others to come join the party!

The title from this post is a line from Jack Gilbert’s beautiful poem A Brief for the Defense (click over to read the whole poem). This line came back to my memory while in Vienna when we saw this street musician performing on the Graben, one of the city’s pedestrian zones. The cello is by far my favorite instrument and while standing there on a perfect summer evening and watching him play I thought of my father who loved music so much and wondered if, when he was young, the sounds of his favorite Austrian composers got him through the terrible years of the war.

Have there been times when music provided you solace? What do Gilbert’s words and the mosaic of images evoke for you?

Using a line from another poem can make a fun poetry prompt. I look forward to reading your own words of inspiration!

passion and control

exquisite mastery deep

soul delight ignite

Where's your wonder

Driving home this afternoon with the radio on left two lines running through my mind:

Wicked wise men where's your wonder?
From Loudon Wainwright III School Days on the album Recovery.

I was struck by this line. It set me thinking about the dangers we expose ourselves and others to when we lose our sense of wonder. No matter how wise, or evidence-based, or ideologically sound we are. How can our leadership be wonder-filled and not wicked?

Happy memories bloom in my heart
Translation of traditional Tibetan folk tune.

This was part of a documentary on Tibetan folk music recorded by students in their home villages. The researcher Gerald Roche said:

We found this in our discussion early on, that the reasons for songs disappearing fall into a few very simply categories. The first one is that life is changing really quickly in Tibetan places. It's mostly economic development, positive economic development which is improving people's living conditions, such as the mechanisation of work. For instance, in some nomadic areas there used to be felt-making songs, but people now sell their wool off and the felt is made by machine. You no longer need that song. People are using machines to harvest, so you no longer need a harvesting song. People are building their houses of bricks, you don't need a song to synchronise all the workers to ram adobe anymore.

The music was engaging (you can hear it on the link above). I liked this line. It fits where I am at the moment as I reflect back on our family experiences over the years. The happy memories do bloom. In a deep place. They can be overcome by not-so-happy memories. But good gardening technique can value each and keep them in healthy perspective.

May it be so

Fireworks!

Sally posted the Friday Five at RevGalBlogPals this week. I can't resist a quick play even as I have conference presentation to prepare for next week, bag to pack, and early morning flight to Brisbane in the morning. This is prob my last blog in a while - so thanks Sally. It's a good one!

Sally writes:
I have to admit that I am chuckling to myself a little; how strange it seems for me a Brit to be posting the Friday Five on 4th July! I realise that most of our revgals will be celebrating in some way today, but I hope that you can make a little room for Friday Five! From my short stay in Texas my memories of the celebrations are of fireworks and picnics, one year we went in to central Houston to watch the fireworks and hear the Symphony Orchestra play, we were welcomed and included, and that meant a lot!

So lets have a bit of fun: 1. Barbeque's or picnics ( or are they essentially the same thing?)
In 1962 our family (Mum, Dad, me and two sisters) was living in a rural area Maihiihi. In a birthday speech to our Mum in April 2006 we said, " Many of you will have visited us at the store in Maihiihi. For us those were the picnic years. I think our parents knew every creek in the ... districts and we frequently enjoyed lunchtime outings accompanied by a rather cold swim" So 'picnic' conjures up a very warm memory of family outings, often in the company of grandparents and friends. This one at the beach some summertime. AND I also love a 'barbie' at home or at the park with a crispy salad and lots of tomato sauce.

2. The park/ the lake/ the beach or staying at home simply being?
Yes to all of the above

3. Fireworks- love 'em or hate 'em?
Love
4. Parades- have you ever taken part- share a memory...
Now this is a USA 4th of July memory. 1996. We were in California for only six weeks and invited to join the Sleepy Hollow Church parade. It was a wonderful day and our children rode in style!

For those of us on this side of the world ANZAC parades are always moving as a participant or observer. I never go away without a tear. And while I said on this side of the world - it is amazing to know that there is a bagpipe composition to honour NZ (and others) who lost their lives 'upover' (if that is the opposite of downunder). This photo from NZ Society Scotland of the 2006 parade in Arbroath.

5. Time for a musical interlude- if you could sum up holidays in a piece of music what would it be?
Any Dave Dobbyn really. Here's 'Slice of Heaven' live from London

Beach trip

Today's Friday Five over at an open table set for a diverse group of people -- women pursuing or discerning a Christian vocation -- and their friends -- is posed by Mother Laura who writes:

The Grimes-Honkanen bunch is settling in after a challenging move, and bubbling with gratitude for our new "cozy cottage by the beach": a tiny rented condo on Pacific Coast Highway.

We're five minutes on foot from Sunset Beach for my daily choppy-but-gorgeous swim or prayer walk, often with dolphin sightings. Ten minutes south by car is downtown Huntington with its pier and window shopping, and the same distance north is Seal Beach, much calmer for family swimming.

Nicholas is equipped with shorty wetsuit and boogie board, and game to learn mastering the local waves from Mom--though I need to get a big softy and learn to surf before he does to maintain my cool cred. But Katie is still learning to swim confidently in the pool, and Midwestern-raised Matt prefers something more like his beloved Great Lakes. "No waves, no salt?" "Yes, darling, and no worrisome wildlife." "Except for the water moccasins, dude." You get the idea...it's all a matter of taste.

So in honor of summer, please share your own beachy memories, plans, and dreams with a "Beach Trip" Friday Five.

1. Ocean rocks, lake limps? Vice versa? Or "it's all beautiful in its own way"?

The latter I think. I do adore the sea. The salt I think because I'm very happy in ocean or harbour. Last year I had only the statutory 10 days break over Christmas and New Year (I was planning a summer hol later in January) and on New Years Day it really felt too soon to be returning to work the next day. But an afternoon drive to Cronulla Beach and a dip in the surf dispelled that gloom and set me up with renewed energy for the return to the workplace. (The major return to work was the following week when I led this prayer in a central city congregation.) But I also love the lakes and rivers abundant with water yet so sadly dying in our troubled world. It seems hard to believe that water security is a major public health issue in our rich country.
2. Year round beach living: Heaven...or the Other Place?
Heaven no question. I just couldn't think of a better lifestyle although I must admit I have not managed it to date. This abode is the closest - 5 mins walk from the river which is tidal almost its entire length. Have just worked out (after 18 months) the ferry route to town which takes longer and costs more but links me directly to the harbour. A good way to nurture my spirit.

3. Any beach plans for this summer?
Need to get through winter first! But this is a good prompt to make the summer bookings. I would like to explore the South Coast.

4. Best beach memory ever?
There are so many. Childhood boat trips with Grandfather in his dinghy with an outboard, tramping (hiking) around Lake Waikareiti with friends and spending a week in a hut right on the beach at the far edge, the Abel Tasman walk with spectacular sea views every step of the way it seemed, building sandcastles with children, and a few years later swallowing my feminist sentiments and beaming as they paraded in the Little Miss Beach Girl competition. BUT you asked for the BEST MEMORY EVER. That would have to be buying fish and chips at Kawhia, driving down to the water, digging a large hole in the black iron sand until we reached the thermal springs - then sitting in our own heated pool eating fast food as the sun set over the horizon and the tide came in.

5. Fantasy beach trip?
See above but with addition of a chilled bottle of champagne to accompany.

Bonus: Share a piece of music/poetry/film/book that expresses something about what the beach means to you.
Well this is the one that came to mind. An oldie (although the hymn writer and composer were both born in the 20th century). And I loved hearing Eternal Father in The Perfect Storm. Funny that these are more sombre - not in a way what I would have expected to come to mind when considering the beach. My mind works in mysterious ways... and recognises that threat and opportunity co-exist maybe???

Taking in the view

Sally offers this week's Friday Five at RevGalBlogPals and says:

This week I took some time out to stop and walk and take in the view; my son Chris is studying in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, too often we simply drive up there, turn around and come home! This time Tim and I took time out to take in the view. It occurs to me that we need to do that more in life....

Here's my play

1. How important is the "big picture" to you, do you need a glimpse of the possibilities or are you a details person?

A crazy mixture really. I do need the big picture and thrive in dreaming and brainstorming and visioning situations. Yet much of my work involves the detail. I can hardly believe that I recently cited matching cryptosporidiosis (a gastro bug) disease notification data with drinking water supply quality data as an example of innovative work I have done. For many years I have been passionate about the needless loss of lives in house fires, where poverty is a key determinant. I have always admired Ian Roberts and his brilliant work in this area. I attended to the detail to statistically demonstrate what was patently obvious - that poor living standards are associated with a six-fold increase in risk of dying in a fire. At last Fire Safety campaigns were empowered to move from an individual responsibility focus only, to a community development approach.

2. If the big picture is important to you how do you hold onto it in the nitty gritty details of life?

Oh yes. This is an important question. With difficulty is the short answer. I am getting better at recognising the signs that I'm not holding on to it and making space. A couple of weeks ago I stayed at home and went for a walk along the river. I'm creating a few cards at the moment. Tonight I attended a meeting of the Tongan Congress within the Uniting Church and was blown away by the amazing LOUD praise of their young people. Solitude, creativity, and collective worship are some of the ways I hold on to the big picture.

3. Name a book, poem, psalm, piece of music that transports to to another dimension ( one....what am I thinking....)

There is a balm in Gilead ... (PCUSA Hymnal)

Psalm 121 - probably a genetic link there as it was a favourite Psalm of my great-grandfather and has been part of most family occasions in the succeeding generations. I like any version but the Scottish Psalter sends special tingles down my spine.

Chris Mason-Battley's Karanga and Karakia

AND I do love old books. From the Family stash I have my Great-Uncle's dictionary, several special Bibles (see previous post) and some devotional books that belonged to my Great-grandfather.

4.Thinking of physical views, is there somewhere that inspires you, somewhere that you breathe more easily?

In this immediate time and place I love coming down Marsden Rd and looking out over the city of Sydney, then taking a back route so that I drive briefly along beside the Parramatta River. I do breathe in deeply and have a sense of being where I'm meant to be when I see that view from the top of the hill, especially at night with lights bright into the distance.

5. A picture opportunity... post one if you can ( or a link to one!)
The hot air balloon ride which began my second half-century ...

Welcome Home - Dave Dobbyn

A student assignment on one of my favourite songs that I discovered on YouTube. In a radio interview Dave Dobbyn said something along the lines of this song being written in response to the case of Ahmed Zaoui who was detained under 'anti terrorist' laws in NZ and given sanctuary with a Franciscan order in Auckland.