Rock and pebbles

There is a place in England called Cheddar - yes, that is where the cheese name came from. Around those parts is something called the "Cheddar Gorge" and there you can find the rock which, apparently, inspired the song "Rock of Ages". It is kinda cool, like a screen of rock which you can walk behind.

There are plenty of Biblical passages whic have references to God shielding us, drawing us close. For example Psalm 27.5:

"For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle * yea, in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me, and set me up upon a rock of stone". (1662 BCP Psalter)

"For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle: yea, in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me, and set me up upon a rock of stone". (1662 BCP Psalter) we need to think about God as rock and shelter but also to focus in on those things which anchor us, which mean something, which keep us strong. Throwing pebbles in a cleft is a dangerous enterprise - they bounce back at us. This is not the time for petty complaint, but for discovering what is means to abide in God and how to behave when God abides in us.

Dogs (and lilies)

We have two dogs. The one in the picture is Charlie. Our other dog, Solomon, is a big black (mostly) lab. He is the sort of dog who loves greatly and lays around a lot. Hence, no picture, the ones I have make him look half dead.

Anyway, after they have been out in the yard in the morning the get a treat. They know they get the treat, in fact it is the only time when Solomon will come straight back in, rather than guarding the castle from his perch on the dog shelter or the garden bench.

As they bounded in this morning and sat expectantly with their noses turned upwards, eyes bright and tails wagging I realized they don't worry, they are just excited for this moment.

On Sunday we were studying Sir Stanley Spencer's painting about the Lilies of the Field and the dogs reminded me of this passage - they neither sow nor reap, and yet their heavenly father clothes them. In this time of uncertainty it was a moment of return for me. Sometimes it can be hard to articulate these reminders which God gives us of God's presence. Our busy minds search for answers and certainty - but those things have never been a deep part of earthly existence. Worry will not add a moment to our lives and we are held beyond life, it might not make sense, but it is as true as a dog excited about his treat.

In all honesty

This yoga pose is called "Chataranga dandasana" or "four limbed staff pose". It is difficult, especially for women, be cause it requires upper body strength which we, often, do not have naturally. There are two ways of dealing with this. Firstly, we ca work at it until we can hold the pose or, secondly, we can do what we can do with our bodies and claim that that is the pose.

In yoga, as in life, it is hard to find and hold a pose, that balance between work and ease, and it takes practice. I was considering this as I thought about truth and lying this morning. Whilst we like to think of ourselves as honest many of us are not, at least not all the time. The way around thinking of ourselves as a liar is that we begin to construct truth in a different way. We spin relative truth around ourselves.

Saying something does not make it true, neither does thinking a thing should be different. There are truths which we need to work for - it is not true that everyone has food - should it be? There are truths which we need to stop ignoring. This Lent we may do well to notice our microaggressions against the truth, even as we find ourselves in an uncharted landscape where truth and expediency are confused with each other.