This piece was originally written for the Godspace blog to be a part of their Advent theme Proclaiming Justice, Seeking Peace Through Advent. It was published on 21 December 2022 here. All images by Kate Kennington Steer. … And if, as autumn deepens and darkens I feel the pain of falling leaves, and stems thatContinue reading “Blue Christmas 2: light is in the horizon yet”
Tag Archives: pain
whole: day 26
We were spanked for each other’s sins. Spanked in syllables and by the word of God. Before dark meant home time. My grandmother’s mattress knew each of my siblings, cousins, and the neighbour’s children’s morning breath By name. A single mattress spread on the floor was enough for all of us. Bread slices were butteredContinue reading “whole: day 26”
whole: Sunday 2
But for God to reach us, we have to allow suffering to wound us. Now is no time for an academic solidarity with the world. Real solidarity needs to be felt and suffered. That’s the real meaning of the word “suffer” – to allow someone else’s pain to influence us in a real way. WeContinue reading “whole: Sunday 2”
K’s big birthday gratitude project 3
I often am to be found with a mug of tea, and love nothing better than sharing several pots with friends over the course of a long afternoon’s natter. So having the first of my birthday celebrations as a tea party felt right – and all thanks go to the staff at the Farnham PotteryContinue reading “K’s big birthday gratitude project 3”
day 11
As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being. Carl Jung Yesterday I wondered how the dark matter of my life might be a source of joy. Today I find myself wondering about ‘dark light’, which Wikipedia defines as:Continue reading “day 11”
day 9
What I fear and desire most in this world is passion. I fear it because it promises to be spontaneous, out of my control, unnamed, beyond my reasonable self. I desire it because passion has color, like the landscape before me. It is not pale. It is not neutral. It reveals the backside of theContinue reading “day 9”
day 5
Once in the Advent seasonWhen I was walking downA narrow street I met a flock of childrenWho all came running up to meSaying that they were prophetsAnd for a penny theyWould prophesy I gave them each a penny They started outBy rummaging in trash-cansUntil they foundA ragged piece of silk It’s blue, they saidBlue isContinue reading “day 5”
learning to lean
As I was journalling this morning about a blog post I recently finished writing and what more planning I needed to do for my own Advent series on imageintoikon, I found myself reflecting on the exact words Christine chose for the Godspace Advent theme this year. The verb ‘to lean’ caught at my attention. AsContinue reading “learning to lean”
psalms for passiontide: Holy Monday Psalm 36.5-11
I begin where I ended yesterday, reminding myself of Your steadfast love. The Message version of Psalm 36.5-6 tells me in no uncertain terms that I cannot underestimate the extent of Your love and of Your constancy; that when I try to speak of them no superlative is too extravagant: God’s love is meteoric, hisContinue reading “psalms for passiontide: Holy Monday Psalm 36.5-11”
advent apertures 2019: day 19
Sorrow everywhere. Slaughter everywhere. If babies are not starving someplace, they are starving somewhere else. With flies in their nostrils. But we enjoy our lives because that’s what God wants. Otherwise the mornings before summer dawn would not be made so fine. The Bengal tiger would not be fashioned so miraculously well. The poor womenContinue reading “advent apertures 2019: day 19”
image into ikon 