[Vineyard, Niagara-on-the Lake, Canada, 2014]
Recently I “cycled off” a committee at my Quaker meeting I’d served on for several years, a volunteer job I’d gladly signed up for but which had required a lot of my time. Last July, for example, several of us on that committee were hiring a new staff person; even now, dear Reader, remembering that Thumbs Up /Thumbs Down hiring experience makes my heart race! (Apparently I am not cut out for personnel work!)
So I’m having a delicious summer. One perfect summer afternoon a couple of weeks ago, lying in dappled sunlight on a hammock, a Trollope novel in hand, I felt held, both that every-bone-in-your-body-support of a hammock, but also that deep and warm sense of being held by Spirit; of being loved unconditionally. Is this just summertime and livin’ easy bliss? I wondered. Or, because I’ve been toiling in the vineyard I’ve earned this blissful, peace-drenched, birdsong-sweet moment?
Part of me scoffed at this notion of earned bliss. “This is a broken world,” my mindful self reminded me. “And so much more you could be doing! When you get home. . . ” And, then and there, my mindful self ignored those puffy clouds and birdsong and the neglected novel on my belly to create a long To Do List for me.
Reader: I’ve pretty much ignored her list. And am taking great comfort in thinking about those laborers who, the parable goes, were hired late in the day but were nevertheless paid for a full day’s work.
I see an old woman with nut-brown, gnarled skin and stooped over from years of hard work. Of course the landowner didn’t chose her first-thing that morning! But when, grateful to be called to service, she put in whatever time she had left with vim and care, her work, like that other Biblical old woman’s mite, was priceless. (Or at least worth a day’s pay!)
Dear Patricia,
Hi, there, my so, so very dearly special, and dearest and precious sisterfriend, who you are For Always so, so very much, Patricia! Sister, I love this great and fun blog post article of yours and reading about your grandly fun-filled summer adventures, my friend-Patricia, I just so love hearing about this! Patricia, I am like you-my heart would race, too, in the thumbs up/thumbs down hiring process! I have such a soft heart that It would be very difficult for me to not hire someone and tell her and to fire people, sister!!!!!! Sister, I have such a soft heart that I could never be a teacher because I would want to give all of my students an A+(SMILE!!!!!!!!)
I love hearing about how you had such sheer joy, rest, and serene relaxation resting in your cool hammock and reading a great summer read book! What fun, sister! I remember when I was a little girl that my parents put up a hammock in our backyard and I had such fun resting in it. How fun for you, Patricia! Patricia, I think this is for you, precious sister, some much earned bliss from our Dear Spirit God just very especially for you that is so well deserved!!!!!!! Patricia, I just know somehow that you are such a good woman of our Good God and sister Christian! As a sisterfriend Christian you have and bear such a powerful Christian witness like with this very insightful, inspirational, and blessed blog of yours, my friend! With your masterful words of composition in the written word, Patricia, you have helped me so much in my walk with our Good God and blessed me so as you have also blessed, helped, and very much inspired your other very grateful and appreciative readers!!!!! I thank-you so For Always, Patricia!!!!!!
Sister, I love this parable so much as well! Our Good God is so Very Good and Patient, and is For Always available and waiting even when some people are not ready at first like others who may already be at that point beforehand and with our Good God remaining For Always ever Faithful!!!!!! I love your very preciously eloquent and beautiful words, sisterfriend!!!!! Patricia, your words are like a healing balm and give me such joy and blessings, and the very impetus to be the best Christian woman who I can be For Always for sure, my friend!!!!!!!
Patricia, please have a wondrously wonderful Wednesday, and may the rest of your week, and all of your days be so special, wondrously wonderful and very blessed, sister!!!!!! Thank-you so For Always, Patricia!!!!!!
Very Warmly and Sincerely For Always, my sister Patricia, with Peace and Love To You For Always, my precious friend, and Blessings and Even More Blessings To You For Always, my so very dear sisterfriend Chrisitian,
Your Christian lesbian black sisterfriend For Always in solidarity, Sherry Gordon