Godisnowhere - the Return

We have had the strange experience of starting and ending the year with real winters- snow, ice and cold; weather warning and travel restrictions.  
Last winter I had a series of blogs called godisnowhere - which translated to 'God is nowhere',  'God is now here' and, quirkier but relevant at the time, 'God I snow here'.  God certainly gets my attention with snow. Despite (in spite of) the inconvenience I love this weather; in this weather I know where I am or, rather, where I would wish to be. 
This weather makes me wish for well wrapped up walks with muffled blanket silences and ice-sharp cracks of sound followed by warm and peace-filled conversation or  'feet up with a book' evenings. At least that is what I have been wishing for - but have not been getting. 
The duty to work, the duty to shop, the duty to 'christmas' is weighing heavy - and heavier yet because, in this weather - it's just not right.  But duty has a way of getting its way; finding alternatives; putting on  the pressure to 'carry on regardless'. This 'carrying on' is a worldly concept -a stubborn attempt at not letting circumstances get one over on you. But if God has a hand in it then it is running away and it's dangerous to run in snow. 
 If I lived further north in the deeper cold or on an island measured by the changing tides then I would hear it more clearly -  it is time to join the land in rest; to treat the world with respect; to treat myself gently. 
Nevertheless, I hear it. 


`">


wordinthehand2010

Comments

claire bangasser said…
Interesting post, Word. Godisnowhere. Fabulous all the possibilities.

As for me, I no longer have a duty to work. I don't feel a duty to shop because our Christmases are turned lean. As to the duty to Christmas, again, as it gets simpler every year, I have time for 'interiority' (do you use this word in English?)

I wish you many many lovely walks in the silence, and silent moments, and great times in the darkness that loves and enfolds and protects and cherishes.

Thank you so much for your blog which feeds me.

Blessings.
16 December 2010 at 13:13
Mairie said…
Thank you Claire - much as I don't wish to wish my life away I look forward to a time with less duty - I shop less and Christmas simplier - but there is 'opposition' as to how far I can go. The time for interiority (I will use it now) is precious.
Thank you for your own words of grace and spirit.
blessing
16 December 2010 at 13:46
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Listen

Image
Jesus said: ‘I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’ Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them. So Jesus spoke to them again: ‘I tell you most solemnly, I am the gate of the sheepfold. All others who have come are thieves and brigands; but the sheep took no notice of them. I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe: he will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so ...
Read more

On and on and on and...

Image
Gospel Luke 18:1-8 Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’ And the Lord said ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’ A strange Gospel this; mostly because of the insinuation that we can get whatever we want from God just by nagging. ...
Read more

The Fourth Shepherd

Image
There are many characters in the story of the Nativity but one that we rarely hear of is the Fourth Shepherd. When the angels came that night to bring the Good News, they began with the most unlikely. Shepherds were a tough lot, weathered and self-reliant,  who had to survive out on the hills protecting their flock from the weather, the wolves and their own stupidity.  Once the shepherds had gotten over the shock and wonder of the glory of heaven shining all around them, they immediately wanted to go and find the baby; the lights of Bethlehem beckoned as brightly as the stars – ‘Come and see’. The could barely stop to wrap their cloaks around them. They took hold of  their staffs and each caught a light from the fire.  All except one. One young shepherd remained seated, looking into the fire. When the others asked him why he wasn’t ready, he replied that he was; he was ready to stay behind and take care of the flock. The other shepherds ...
Read more