Planning, planting, and growing time

April 17th snow

This is what I woke up to yesterday morning. It made me laugh. Of course, the snow didn't last. 

Spring is here, I keep telling myself, but like any Canadian spring, it's variable until suddenly it feels like we're in full summer mode. With things as dry as they are, we're keeping our fingers crossed for more moisture, and white stuff like this is welcome!

Those big pine structures are Lee's latest project. The original raised bed garden boxes are falling apart after nine years. We cobbled them together with stakes for the last few years to buy ourselves a bit more time, and now Lee is working on replacing them. He built fourteen of them in a day, plastered them with two coats of linseed oil last weekend, and dug two in while I was at work on Monday, though he was still digging through a bit of frost. He's a hard worker, and takes extra pleasure in his efforts when we eat food we've grown ourselves.

Our old raised bed boxes have meant that our soil generally thaws quicker in the spring, holds moisture better, and they keep the soil from compacting because we only walk the paths around them. Weeding smaller raised sections works well for me, too, and I plant the boxes quite densely so we end up with more produce than I ever did planting straight rows in more compacted soil. 

Unfortunately, the wooden 2x2s we used to hold the corners of our boxes together back in 2015 were the first part to rot out, so this time, Lee is using metal brackets to hold the corners together, and hopefully these boxes will last another ten years (with reusable brackets). Or maybe we'll just go back to planting in mounds again, if we're still gardening. 

It's hard to imagine what the future holds because of climate change and drought. I find myself wondering about planting a garden at all when our wildfire season started in February this year because we've had so little moisture over the winter. But I'm trying to be optimistic, and evidence of optimism can be seen in our greenhouse:

A few of my 64 tomato plants
(some to be given to friends and family)

Peppers and marigolds

Geraniums and nicotiana

For the last few years, I've enjoyed the challenge of growing my own bedding plants -- going through the garden catalog, picking a colour scheme, ordering seeds, and starting them early. When it comes to my tomatoes and peppers, whose seeds I save from year to year, I may have planted a bit too soon, but I was in the groove and couldn't help myself. Every year the tomato plants are a bit spindly by the May full moon planting time (my birthday this year) and I feel a bit embarrassed about giving them away to friends, but they've learned to dig them deep so that they build better root systems, and they usually do really well for all of us.

I guess we'll see what kind of growing conditions the Master Gardener Creator gives us this year. For now, I'm just enjoying this planning, planting, and growing time.

Monday Music Appreciation #28 -- That organ!

The Davis Concert Organ at the Winspear Centre for Music where I work is an amazing masterpiece in itself. But when you get someone who can play the thing, it's absolutely incredible.

I didn't get to post about our most recent organ concert for Monday Music Appreciation last week due to another trip to visit my father-in-law, but hold onto your hats. The piece in the video below was performed at the Winspear last week by Jean-Willy Kunz, with Kerem Hassan conducting the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. I sat in my usher's chair shaking my head with amazement through the whole thing, but I've only given you the last three minutes or so to listen to here. The final notes had me on my feet.

If you want more, Youtube has Guilmant's entire 20+ minute long Symphonie No. 1 in D minor for Organ and Orchestra, posted by conductor Jason Tramm, organ by Gordon Turk with the midAtlantic Orchestra (a 2018video made in Ocean Grove NJ) if you click here.

Imagine the floor vibrating under your feet and enjoy!

Monday Music Appreciation #27: My Sweet Lord

This one is for Francis, who came to the Community of Emmanuel yesterday for Easter Sunday Service, and who, after the service, insisted that we go out on the street and lead a chorus of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord." Of course, we didn't actually know the words well enough to do that, and most of the people in the lunch line up didn't either, so it was a hopeless cause. 

But here it is, all the same, a pretty cool piece of music with a lot of the Alleluias he wanted to sing. Just for Francis.

Sunday Reflection: Today's words for the Community of Emmanuel

 

Easter falls on the 5th Sunday of the month, which meant it was my turn to offer the reflection for my inner-city friends so that Pastor Quinn could have a little break from giving the sermon. Here's what I offered. I was more than a little emotional at times when I shared it, and in spite of being full of coffee and Easter chocolate eggs, the Community of Emmanuel was very attentive and listened more quietly than I imagined they would...

To all my readers, friends, and family, a joyous and blessed Easter season!

Happy Easter, my friends! Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!

We’ve just come through a heavy week…  the week Christians remember the betrayal, abandonment, unfair trial, mockery, violent torture, and death of Jesus, who came to teach the world that God loves us beyond death, into new life. But unlike the followers of Jesus who were lost in sorrow and confusion after his death, we know what came next.

But I’d like to invite you to imagine what it would be like if we didn’t know about the resurrection. From Good Friday until Easter Sunday morning, they were stuck in a place of darkness and unknowing. I invite you to quiet yourselves for a few moments, to sit comfortably with your feet on the floor, to lower your eyes, to breathe gently, and to listen and think about what that was like.

See if you can put yourself into the place of one of Jesus’ followers. Maybe you are Peter, or another follower of Jesus. Maybe you are Mary. Or maybe you are just yourself, back in the time of Jesus.

You are one of Jesus’ close friends. He speaks beautiful words to you about love and forgiveness, he heals you and your friends by listening to your hearts and your deepest needs, he helps you to believe in a God who loves everyone, but most especially, you. He laughs with you, feels your sadness with you, and talks with you as if no one else in the world matters. He cares for you, walks with you, eats with you, reminds you often about the beauty of the world, and sleeps under the stars near you.

Life is good and beautiful, just the way Creator wants it to be. And then suddenly, it’s not. Jesus is arrested. You follow him through the days of his betrayal. You hear all the unfair, made-up accusations against your friend, a man who you know is goodness itself, the best man you ever met and ever will meet. And then you see him die in the cruelest way imaginable, on a cross on a hill outside your city.

And you and everyone else who know him fall into shock and grief and confusion. This isn’t how it’s supposed to end! Jesus was everything good and true and beautiful, but he died, and nothing makes sense anymore.

He died. He died. He died. For a day and a half, all you can think about is that he died. The sadness exhausts you.

But wait, the burial cave is empty.

Empty?

How can it be empty? You saw Jesus’ body carried into the cave.

Running to the cave, your mind is moving fast. Someone stole the body. Someone wanted the cave for a different person’s burial. Or maybe it’s the wrong cave. There must be an explanation!

But when you arrive, you see the truth of the cave’s emptiness. It’s so empty. Jesus, your beloved friend, is gone. Dead and gone. You wonder how? Why? Where is he?

Sadness sweeps over you again, as it has so many times in the hours since Jesus died. Tears come, and they don’t stop. Your beloved friend is gone and will never be with you again.

But then a light catches your eye. You look into the cave again. Where did these two people come from?

They ask, “Why are you weeping?”

There aren’t enough words to express your grief, so you simply tell them you’re looking for Jesus’ body.

And when you turn to leave the strangers in the empty cave, a man stands there, blocking the path.

The gardener, you think.

“Who are you looking for?” he says.

Again, you say you are looking for Jesus’ body.

And the man sighs a deep, gentle sigh, and with all the love in the universe in his voice he speaks your name.

And suddenly, you know who he is! Your heart leaps to the sky and you are hugging your beloved friend, Jesus, and you are both laughing and crying with joy.

Listen to your heart and your feelings right now, and see if you can hear what the risen Jesus is saying to you this morning.

Pause…

I invite you to gently bring yourself back to the present moment, to the Community of Emmanuel, of God with us.

For me, Easter Sunday is usually a time of hope and joy. But it hasn’t always been that way. As human beings, we are all very much affected by the things that go wrong in our lives, by the mistakes we make, by the hurts we have to endure, by the losses of relationships that are important to us. And I am no exception.

When things pile up and seem very bleak, I am like Mary of Magdala, having a hard time seeing that the risen Jesus wasn’t just the gardener. I remember one particular Easter when there was too much heavy stuff weighing me down, and I was feeling miserable and lost and confused and very sorry for myself.

But something moved me to pull out my old, dog eared bible. Before I opened it, I said to Jesus, “I’m having a really hard time here. I really need some words to guide me through this dark night of the soul that I’m stuck in.” This is that beautiful old broken-down bible. I opened it, and this is where my finger landed. 

I read… 

"For see, the winter is past,

    the rains are over and gone,

The flowers appear on the earth,

    the time of pruning the vines has come,

    and the song of the dove is heard in our land.

The fig tree puts forth its figs,

    and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.

Arise my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!"

And a few chapters later, these words caught my heart:

Love is as strong as death,

    passion fierce as the grave.

Its flashes are flashes of fire,

    a raging flame.

Many waters cannot quench love,

    neither can floods drown it.

If one offered all their wealth for this love,

    they would be laughed at 

    because it would never be enough.

In that moment, I knew that Jesus was calling my name and speaking to me with all the love in the universe in his voice. And today’s story of Jesus is told every Easter Sunday morning to remind us all that no matter what we are going through, Jesus knows us and calls us by name, saying “Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!” Come to new life. It’s a bit early for spring here in Edmonton, yes, but listen to the sparrows that are singing earlier and earlier every day. See that the geese are returning. And soon little shoots will poke out of the ground as nature reaches for resurrection, just as I did. And that’s what I, Jesus, want for you too. Resurrection. New life. And the love that is worth more than money can buy.

Jesus knows us all by name. And in my case, he has a lot of names to remember – Maria Joanne Bernadette and two last names, and I'm also known as Cookie in my family of origin. Think of all your own names. I invite you now to put your hand on your heart, and silently, in your head, to say your own names. And then, the second time, say your name that is your favourite one and think about Jesus saying it gently and lovingly as he invites you to participate in his new life.

My prayer for us all this Sunday:

Brother Jesus, you call us all by name, with your voice full of all the love in the universe.
You invite us to let go of our hurts and pain and to live in the light and joy of your resurrection.
Be with us, and help us to feel your love for us, and to share it with others who need it just as much as we do.
Bless us and keep us in the hope that is life with you. Thank you, Jesus.        

+Amen

Tomorrow's not just Easter Sunday

Tomorrow is more than Easter Sunday. It's also Transgender Visibility Day, a day to celebrate the Transgender people among us. And this year, it's even more important to recognize and support our trans folk because they are coming under attack by politicians who want to win votes from their ultra-right wing, anti-trans supporters.

The thing about ultra-anything and anti-anything folks is that they define themselves by judging others different from themselves for one reason or another, and scapegoating them rather than accepting their differences. (Good Friday was all about scapegoating...) But celebrating diversity and inclusion enriches our world.

I know there are a few Trans Day of Visibility events planned for March 31, but I am having a hard time finding details -- perhaps because, since the Premier of Alberta's declaration against the Trans Community two months ago, Trans folks are not wanting to draw attention to themselves for fear of reprisals from ultra- and anti- folks. They're celebrating quietly. Even so, I do want to acknowledge the day because I happen to love my own trans child, and I want our society to come to a place where everyone is accepted and encouraged to be who they are.

I want to believe that we can all work together to find common ground, and to listen -- to offer each other curiosity and compassion rather than become entrenched in fear and in demonizing those who see life differently than we do.

I hadn't given the people hiding behind divisive issues much thought until I read this article about a counter protest I attended in September. There was very little dialogue or discussion there because it was too loud to even have a conversation.

These kinds of disagreements play into the hands of divisive powers (like the aforementioned Premier) who prefer that we are so engaged in arguing with each other that we don't see how the people  with power are fomenting more and more fear and rage -- which keeps us feeling anxious, hopeless, and powerless rather than working together to discuss and address the issues that are most critical. And often those critical issues are making the powerful even more powerful -- to our detriment. (I saw a post somewhere yesterday that said the top 1% of the world's wealthy have 44 trillion dollars among them. If that isn't sinful, I don't know what is.)

So I guess I'm calling all of us, especially anti- and ultra people, to curiosity, compassion, and conversation rather than judgment and condemnation of people who are different. And I want to celebrate Trans people who are making a difference, like Captain Beatrice Gale, the first openly Trans chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces, who appears in the video below. 

And I am saying to the trans community that I see you, I know and love some of you, and you are wonderful just for being who you are. Happy Trans Day of Visibility!

Good Friday 2024

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, this is a busy week for me. And the two things shared below are a big part of that busyness. I highly recommend setting aside your usual Good Friday practices and joining us!

The first is a good ecumenical reflection on where Christ is being crucified in our world today. The second is a beautiful, musical and meditative prayer (with the music of the Taizé community in France) that invites us all to center ourselves in prayer for the world. Neither of them are your typical Good Friday church experience -- but if we are followers of Jesus, we can take our faith to the streets and pray with people of all faith backgrounds. After all, he included all of us.

I will be attending both events. If you're in the Edmonton area, it would be lovely to see you there!

Monday Music Appreciation #26 -- William Prince's Gospel First Nation

I'm not quite sure what it is about this man and his music, but the more I listen, the more I appreciate his talent. We only have one of his albums, not being people who use online music platforms much. That one album is his 2020 recording, Gospel First Nation, which was a CD gift from our eldest. 

Gospel First Nation been a companion for Lee and me on most of our recent road trips to Lethbridge, with its fittingly reflective Sunday morning music as we head home. It's gotten so Lee and I really enjoy singing along, and maybe that's because the relaxed background vocals and simple melodies make it feel a bit like a family sing song, or an old Kris Kristofferson record that my parents had, Jesus Was A Capricorn.

William Prince took home a Juno music award last night for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year for his recording, Stand in the Joy. I have yet to hear it, but once this Holy Week -- the busiest week of my year -- is over, I plan on finding William on Spotify and having a good sit-down-and-listen session.

In the meantime, here's the title track of the CD that we play in the car on Sunday morning road trips. It's a gentle, wistful, and beautifully-filmed video that speaks to the realities of life in First Nations communities. In the midst of this very busy week, I'll admit to appreciating the image of Jesus living "peaceful, in a house without any kids, in Fisher Bay, Manitoba." Enjoy. 

Sunday Reflection: The days are surely coming

Today's reflection is brought to you by 

Jeremiah 31:31-34.

O God,

You say the days are surely coming...

When you will put 

your law in our hearts.

When you will be our God

and we will be your people.

When we will all know you.

When?

When? 

When?

More days than not lately,

it feels like we are as far from you

as we can possibly get.

But you say the days are surely coming.

Indeed,

they have come 

for some of us

who know you are with us.

But not everyone knows, 

so how do we bring them along?

Help us to show them

your presence in our lives

by our actions --

to inspire all people

to help change our world:

When we heal the hurts we have caused our planet

and encourage everyone

to choose harmony with creation instead.

When we find ways to help the displaced among us

who are looking to belong,

inviting everyone into community together.

When we include those who are excluded because of

race, 

gender, 

sexual preference, 

disability, 

poverty, 

or societal status,

helping all people 

to see each other's common humanity.

When we share about the need for homes and care 

for those who live and die on our streets because of

trauma,

illness,

and misfortune that are no fault of theirs.

When we work beside Indigenous peoples

for the justice they have deserved all along -- 

so that our relationships are truly reciprocal.

When we live in sufficiency

rather than excess

for the sake of future generations.

When we become peacemakers

who demand compassion and non-violence

from our leaders.

The days ARE surely coming,

you say.

O God,

give us the determination

not only to pray for their arrival,

but to create a world that does what it must

until they are HERE.

+Amen

Winter beauty

It's been a very dry western winter this year snowfall-wise. But two Sundays ago the white stuff came down and made the world beautiful. 

Even more so in the Rockies. My husband had a conference in Banff these last two days, and I came along to enjoy winter beauty.

Here's a bit for you to enjoy, too, though these pictures can hardly do it justice!

Monday Music Appreciation #25 -- A walking song

I had the pleasure of hearing James Keelaghan live on Saturday night, playing with the very talented Jez Lowe. It was a great concert, but it made me feel old when I did the math and realized that I've been a fan of James for over 35 years! He's written some great tunes in all that time, and I'm glad to know them. 

James is nominated for another Juno award this year for the album this tune comes from, Second-Hand. I love the positivity in the piece below, especially the chorus, given the times we live in:

Walk on, better days are comin'

Walk on, you don't have to walk alone

Hold on to the things you believe in

Keep on walkin' til we all get home.

You don't have to walk alone... we're all walking together. Enjoy!

Sharing a friend's writing

As the mom of a transgender person, I've met a few other wonderful trans folks besides my own child. One of them, Elli, had an important op-ed piece published in The Globe and Mail on Tuesday. The world is ever-changing, but as Elli explains so eloquently, we need to put the needs of trans people above our discomfort with change...

Click here to read Elli's article.

I share this because it's a lesson I have learned the hard way.

Our new friend

Meet Rocky. As in the Rocky Mountains, taking his name from their often white-capped peaks and summer blue lakes.

Budgies have had homes in my life for all but fifteen (or so) of my human years. I debated whether another one would be a good idea for quite some time, as they can live long lives, and love attention that I might not always be able to give.

But with the anniversary of Shadow dog's death early next month, and so much of concern happening in my world, I decided to welcome some liveliness into our home, especially since, due to many different factors, now is not the time to find another pup.

Today marks one month since Rocky joined our household, and he's slowly getting used to us noisy humans thumping around the kitchen/dining area and trying to teach him to talk. Because his wings were clipped to facilitate training, he ends up on the floor when he tries to fly, and often runs for cover under couch or coffee table. I expect that will change when his wing feathers grow back in and his confidence returns.

For now, the highlights of Rocky's day include a trip to the kitchen window to watch the sparrows at the bird feeder, short conversations (him just listening) while sitting on my finger or shoulder, and the odd millet treat. He also loves the sound of running water when we wash dishes, and certain pieces of music sometimes get him going.

There are many "budgie updates" (click here for one of my favourites) already among my moodlings from feathered friends in the past, which make me laugh as I remember those little birds. This is my way of giving readers fair warning that there may be a few more budgie updates, as I suspect Rocky's current sedateness will change over time, and he'll become a happy and clownish companion who brings us much joy.

Just as the others did!

Sunday Reflection: Mountaintop hospitality

Fences to keep out the homeless...

Today's reflection is brought to you by 

Mark 9:5.

I've always liked Simon Peter. So many of his responses to the wonder of walking and working with Jesus make sense to me.

Today's Gospel reading (Mark 9: 2-10) is another case in point. Jesus, Peter, James, and John have climbed a mountain where Jesus is shown in dazzling white glory, and they are joined, quite miraculously, by Moses and Elijah. 

I can see Peter, standing in total awe of the moment, mouth open in amazement, thinking, "Wow! This is incredible! And so beautifully unexpected!" So his offer of hospitality for the three holy men he is with makes absolute sense in terms of resting in the moment and enjoying each others' company. Not to mention how he would have loved a chance to kibbitz with the holy men of old. How cool would that be?

But most of the sermons I've heard on this reading have been somewhat unkind to Peter. They don't give him any credit for his willingness to truck back down the mountain and bring back tents for Elijah, Moses, and his Rabbi, not to mention the other trappings required for hospitality -- food, water, wine, and bedding for the night. Peter was willing to go the extra mile for a heavenly camp out.

My own city isn't so hospitable. People living in poverty in downtown Edmonton have been pushed elsewhere, fences have been erected all over the inner-city to prevent camps from reappearing, and our police chief and provincial politicians are congratulating themselves that they no longer have daily reminders of the struggling poor who have no place to live. The officials have done their utmost to soothe their own consciences without lifting a finger to put permanent roofs over anyone's heads.

The provincial government is patting itself on the back for serving 300 people so far at the "reception centre" it opened a month ago for people who have been displaced. That's maybe 10 people per day who have moved into temporary shelters, when we know that there are probably 1500 more people than shelter mats available. Besides, downtown social service agencies were already doing the same work more effectively when they knew exactly where to find the folks in the camps who needed their help. Now it's much harder with folks spread throughout the city.

... and more fences...

What's really terrible is that sheriffs and clean up crews are still working daily to disrupt the lives of those who prefer to live outdoors among friends they trust than in overnight shelters where they are surrounded by strangers who might steal their few possessions. Clearly, shelter mats are not the solution to homelessness. Permanent, supportive, and affordable housing is the only answer (and costs less than the daily wages of so many ruthless sheriffs and cleanup crews!)

So today, I'm inviting St. Peter to pray with me, and you can too, if you like:

Creator,

thank you for this life you have given me.

As Peter said, it is good to be here.

Rabbi Jesus, 

as Peter enthusiastically asked 

to make dwellings for you, Moses, and Elijah,

I ask that you inspire government leaders

to make many dwellings

where people who lack

... and more fences......

the kinds of homes that work for them

may live in safety, warmth, and dignity.

Give your spirit of compassion

to those who are blind 

to all but their own needs,

who try to soothe their consciences

by choosing to hide their faces from

poverty 

in its many forms

rather than heal it.

Inspire those of us who have homes

to do what we can

for those who do not. 

Help us all

to work together to build

beloved community

by ensuring that no one is excluded

and that everyone

is cared for.

Knock down all our fences,

O God.

+Amen

P.S. My friend, Glen, wrote an excellent piece for a national paper this week. You can find it by clicking here.

Monday Music Appreciation #24 -- a small piece of Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto

I've always been fascinated by the harp. Maybe that's because I can kind of play a 12-string guitar, and can't imagine dealing with forty-seven strings -- and seven pedals besides!

Last week was Education Concert week at the Winspear Centre for music where I work, and over six performances, school teachers and Winspear staff successfully brought nine thousand grade 4-6 students from their field trip buses into the chamber to listen to a show called "Heavenly Mozart," and learn about the instruments of the orchestra. Now that I think about it, it was a pretty amazing feat, logistically speaking! They all came and went without too much trouble (only one child ended up on the wrong bus after a concert, but she was discovered in time!)

Though I sat in the lobby for some of the shows (to direct kids to the washrooms, mostly), if it wasn't too busy, I snuck in for the Flute and Harp Concerto K 299 second movement -- the andantino, which you'll hear below. It is performed by the Croatian Chamber Orchestra (Zagreb), conducted by Igor Tatarević, with Tamara Coha Mandić on flute, and Diana Grubišić Ćiković on harp.

The conversation between the two instruments makes for a really lovely piece of music for a Monday. Enjoy!

Happy Lent!

The Lent Madness Logo

I wished a neighbour a Happy Lent yesterday, and she said, "Lent isn't supposed to be happy!" I replied that if it's a time designed to get us back on track with God, why can't it be happy?

Yeah, I know. I've had my share of dismal Lenten seasons. But with life as tough as it has been lately (for many reasons -- family illnesses, war, climate change, the local unkindnesses to homeless people, and the anti-trans ideology that threatens my kids and their friends), I need to spend my Lent focusing less on sin and misery -- there's enough of that already! -- and work with the good things that bring us all closer to Creator. 

So for the second year in a row, I'm choosing Lent Madness over penitential pessimism. Lent Madness is a completely different take on the March Madness tournament set up by the NCAA in the United States. Instead of pitting college basketball teams against each other in sudden death games, Lent Madness sets up 32 different holy folks in a so-callled "saintly smackdown" that invites readers to vote for one saint every day during Lent. It culminates with the vote on the final Golden Halo recipient.

Sound goofy? It can be a little silly at times (especially when the writers get into the saintly "kitsch" that can be found in online/souvenir stores), but it's also a way to learn about interesting Christians who have shaped our world through their compassion, conviction and faith. I explored a few of last year's contestants and found some really inspiring stories that motivated me to learn more about their faith and love for Christian community. (And don't worry, I was suitably penitential, too.)

Today's first saintly smackdown is between Thomas Cranmer (an English church reformer) and Thomas the Apostle, and it's never too late to get in on the event, though voting is available one day only -- tomorrow we'll have the opportunity to read, learn, and vote about two more holy folk.

I first heard about Lent Madness from Pastor Jim at ICPM, and couldn't help but participate fully last year. It was actually quite a moving experience, learning about saintly people I had never heard of, praying the daily prayers with some of the communion of saints I hadn't yet met, and discovering new holy friends who struggled with being human like we all do.

If you're looking for some saintly inspiration this Lent and want to join me and many other Christians from across North America, visit https://www.lentmadness.org/ and subscribe to the daily emails. 

And have a Happy Lent!

Monday Music Appreciation #23 -- Some cheerful music

Here's a bright and lively piece of music -- the Rondo from Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 4, K95, in a trio arrangement by someone named Joshua Davis. I think the video must have been made in the middle of pandemic restrictions because the Berlin Chamber Music Hall is empty of patrons. I'm so glad that's no longer the case!!

On the weekend, we heard the Edmonton Symphony's Orchestra's Principal Horn, Allene Hackleman, perform the entire 18-minute concerto just beautifully to a happy crowd, but in the video below, you'll see only the four-minute rondo with Sarah Willis on horn, Tamàz Velenczei on trumpet, and Jesper Busk Sorensen on euphonium. 

Musicians are amazing people, wouldn't you agree?

Sunday Reflection: "If you choose, you can make me well"

Today's reflection is brought to you by 

Mark 1:40-42.

A Prayer for Brett

The man 

came to you

with his heart in his eyes,

saying,

"If you choose, you can make me clean."

"I do choose," 

you reply --

over and 

over and 

over.

You choose us

no matter how

messed up 

and complicated

our lives get.

You reach out to us

in the love of those 

around us,

in the beauty of the world

with which you surround us,

in the moments 

that fill us with joy and delight

-- and even

in the painful times when we

reach the bottom

and have nowhere to go

but up.

You choose us.

You are with us.

And you wait for us

to choose you, 

too.

Our messed up, 

complicated,

beautiful,

painful lives

need your help.

Help us to choose

you,

to choose

the good road

starting now.

+Amen

* * * * * * *

Pastor Quinn invited Brett to come in off the street for church this morning at the Community of Emmanuel, our ecumenical community in the inner-city. Brett came in and sat by the door, and we ended up chatting as we waited for the service to start. He told me he wasn't sure why he accepted Quinn's invitation because he hadn't been to church in years, so I assured him that ours was a low-key and no-pressure kind of service, and he told me a bit about his life on the streets. 

Once the service began, I spent most of it helping a fellow with very cold hands, and passing coffee out the door to people waiting outside because it was a full-house kind of day. As the service ended, I checked in with Brett. He was very emotional and talked about how much he wants to get off of drugs, and how afraid he is that they've already damaged him beyond healing. 

Today's reading about Jesus choosing to make the leper well aligns with Brett's story. Just as leprosy divided families in Jesus' day, addiction and anger issues have been a wedge between Brett and his family for the past five years, and he's homesick. Quinn's invitation to pray with our community -- and Brett's acceptance of it -- might be a turning point for him, or it might not. 

That puts this young man whom I barely know near the top of my prayer list for the week ahead. I hope and pray that today's service at Inner City Pastoral Ministry can be the moment that Brett realizes that Christ does want to restore him to his community, as he did the leper. I hope that Brett will call Quinn for a meeting in the days ahead that will bring him healing, reconciliation, and reconnection with his family sooner than he expects. 

If you have any spare prayers for healing and hope, Brett can use them.

It hasn't stopped

Yesterday morning Pastor Quinn and I went downtown to share warm clothes and snacks with inner-city folks waiting to enter the Bissell Centre -- only to find police and clean up crews throwing peoples' tent/tarp homes and possessions into garbage trucks yet again. I can't tell you how disheartened the folks there looked. There are no words. 

The Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness recently put together an excellent brochure debunking myths being thrown around when it comes to encampments, and it is important enough to take up a few pages in Inner City Pastoral Ministry's February newsletter. 

If you have questions or concerns about encampments and their demolition, please click here to read "Busting the Myths about Campsites" on pages 4 and 5 of the February 2024 issue of Straight from the Street. And if you want to join the crew from ICPM at our Annual General Meeting, there's an invitation in there, too. Would be lovely to see more friends there!

Monday Music Appreciation # 22 -- Joni

It happened again, and this time I'm not sure why this Monday moodling didn't go through. I was quite sure I'd hit the publish button. No matter -- here it is, on a Tuesday instead. -- M.K.

She's an amazing woman, really, this Joni Mitchell. A girl born in Fort Macleod AB, who grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and who has an impressive musical life in folk, pop and jazz worlds. On Friday night, patrons at the Winspear were treated to an evening of her music played by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and sung by Sarah Slean, who gave an amazing performance. And I discovered that I know every word of Both Sides Now. How or why that is the case, I'm not sure. I do know that our family sing song book has the lyrics in it.

Last night, Joni received another Grammy Award for the recording of this performance (her first after recovering from a brain aneurysm) with another of my favourites, Brandi Carlile. Enjoy!

The myth of "other"

Yesterday, the premier of my province announced draconian anti-trans legislation in what seems like an effort to win further accolades from her supporters.

At a point in my past, I would have been cheering her on for protecting so-called parental rights. But I've since learned that some parents are so stuck in traditional male/female dichotomies that they don't realize they are endangering their own children -- who know themselves to be different. Not all children fit into those two boxes, nor should they have to.

As a parent of a trans person, I've been crossing the bumpy waters of trying to help my child come to self-acceptance and joy in who they are. It hasn't been easy -- in fact, it's the hardest thing I've ever done. But I know that my child was able to try new pronouns and explore who they were in the safety and acceptance of their school, and that eventually, they shared their discovery of their trans-ness with my husband and me. 

Our youth shelters are filled with kids whose parents prefer to disown them rather than try to understand who they are.

What really scares me is that the premier's declaration yesterday puts in danger my child, other trans kids and adults, and all people who offer life-saving and scientifically-based supports for trans people because they understand that there are more than two genders.

Just like the anti-encampment folks in our city have pushed our homeless people further and further into the woods, where necessary and life-saving help is hard to come by.

Divisive rhetoric like we heard from the premier yesterday, like we've heard from the anti-encampment police chief for weeks, hurts our society by dividing us instead of equipping us to work together for the common good. In refusing to accept differences among our community members, we are turning ourselves into harsh and judgmental human beings who disrespect lifestyles different than our own.

The problem is that it's too easy to jump on the bandwagon of a self-righteousness that leads to hatred. It's much harder to stand up for the marginalized (my body tells me that -- I am shaking as I write this moodling). But mystics and wisdom teachers across the centuries know that our allegiance lies with every human being, no matter how different their journey is from ours. 

So, somehow, my allegiance must be with people who disagree with me, and with people who agree with me. Dialogue leading to understanding and education is critically important, but holding the tension of differences is extremely difficult.

All that I know for certain is that it's never been "us" vs. "them." It's only us, in an interconnected web of life. And we need to get back to walking many miles in each others' shoes, which the Premier and her supporters clearly forget how to do. Only love and acceptance will win the day and better our world.

I've shed many tears this morning for both sides of these divides -- for the people who refuse to understand, and the people who know they have to stand up for who they are against so much opposition. The poem below is what landed in my journal. I think it fits the many situations where we are tempted to "other" each other, rather than ask the deeper questions that help us to understand each other:

I've come far enough 
in my life 
to understand 
that there is no "other" -- 
there is only us.

To judge others
because they are different from me
is really a judgment on myself.

To withhold the rights of others 

-- because we cannot accept 

who they are --
is to impoverish everyone.

The differences between us
enrich us as human beings.

Were we all the same,
would there be laughter and delight
at the surprises we bestow on each other?

Would there be music
with harmonies?

Would there be sumptuous feasts
that fill all our senses?

There is beauty and safety
in seeing that "other" 
is truly gift
to us all.

There is joy and belonging

in knowing that our differences
make us
us.

Tai chi and me -- sixteen years on

I've never been a jogger. I'm not much of an athlete, period. And since Shadow-dog died almost a year ago, I don't walk as much as I used to. 

But I'm still doing tai chi sixteen years after I started, and am very grateful for the practice. It's been helpful with balance through years of vertigo, kept up my core strength for gardening tasks, challenged my brain to remember the sequences in order, and helped me through frozen shoulder and recovery from a broken foot. It's gentle and graceful, but still enough that I work up a sweat every morning. There's almost enough room in my living room to do a complete set of 108 moves, but what I really love is doing it outdoors.

Over the last few years, I've discovered that I can almost do it without thinking because it's part of muscle memory. So I've combined it with a morning prayer mantra... which sometimes distracts me enough that I lose my place and have to back up because I forgot to turn and chop with fist, or missed stepping up and raising hands at the right time. But that's okay -- extra exercise is never a bad thing!

I've tried yoga and other kinds of exercise, but this is still my favourite because it's something I can do alone or with a group, anywhere and any time. And after 16 years, I'm still doing it right, or so I discovered when I came across the video below. That's a pretty wonderful thing to know!

Here's a fellow named Kevin moving fairly slowly through the 108 moves. I love to watch him go through the motions now and then because his video reminds me of nuances that I sometimes forget. If you're a tai chi practitioner, you'll know what I mean. Enjoy!

Monday Music Appreciation #22 -- Smile

I've always loved this beautiful melody, sung by Nat King Cole. If I'm not mistaken, my parents had the recording when I was small, and another version sung by The Lettermen.

It wasn't until I worked at a jazz event at the Winspear that I learned that the originator of Smile was none other than Charlie Chaplin, the silent film star of the 1930s. He heard a line from a love duet in Puccini's Tosca that haunted him, and with the help of composer David Raksin, it developed into this piece of music. 

Tosca was the first opera I ever saw, with my best friend, Cathy. I remember hearing the Quale occhio al mondo duet between soprano and tenor and puzzling over why it sounded familiar. I never did figure it out, until today. It's interesting to see Chaplin's tune juxtaposed with images from his 1936 film, Modern Times, in the video below.

Hearing Smile in the Winspear concert hall over a year ago, played by a very talented bunch of jazz musicians, was a moment I'll never forget. And Nat King Cole's version is really beautiful, too. Enjoy!

Sunday Reflection: Harden not your hearts

Demolitions continue...

Today's reflection is brought to you by 

Psalm 95.

Today the psalmist invites us to 

harden not [our] hearts.

Tall order in a world that says otherwise.

The world's voice encourages hardness.

Compete.

Overcome.

Win. 

Rise to the top.

But if we are to listen 

to Creator's voice within us

our hearts need to be soft,

pliant,

open

to others.

Creator calls us

to live with compassion

instead of judgment,

to walk with

rather than walk over

or around.

The world's advice

is not Creator's voice.

Creator,

help our soft-hearted witness 

to what you want for your world

become so compelling

that the most hardened hearts soften

so that everyone 

and everything

can be made whole.

Please soften the hearts

of all your people.

All of us.

+Amen

Simple pleasures -- Friday, chai day

The first time I ever tasted chai, my friend Mina's mom, Mrudula, made it for me. Who knew how good black pepper, cardamom, ginger, and other spices could be when steeped with Taj Mahal tea and scalded milk? Some years later, Mrudula shared her masala recipe with me, and ever since, whenever I've wanted a more nourishing cup of tea than you can make with just a tea bag, I make MMMMM Chai... Mina's Mom Mrudula's Marvelous Masala Chai. 

A few years back, I did a bit of research into chai and discovered that it has a bit of rebellion in it. When England colonized India, the British decided that the top grade teas grown in the country would be labelled "English Breakfast Tea," and the lower grade, more bitter teas were left to the people of India, at prices that were unfair. 

But the people of India improved their own special ways of turning any tea into chai that rivalled that English Breakfast stuff by making rich, frothy, spicy, and flavourful blends with spices unheard of by the Brits, who pooh-poohed the culinary wizardry of chai wallahs. The colonizers clearly didn't know what they were missing! And their variety of tea has never been as popular on the whole as chai.

My daughter loves chai as much as I do, so we've decided that every Friday is chai day. Of late, she's been taking a course, so I have to pour her sweet and spicy chai into a travel mug to go with her, while I sip mine in peace while sitting in my prayer chair on Friday mornings.

If you're interested in a good chai masala recipe, I have one. All you have to do is ask -- Mrudula doesn't mind if I share it with friends.

Monday Music Appreciation #21 -- Nella Fantasia

Warning: the first time I heard Nella Fantasia from this Sarah Brightman album, it brought me to tears. And I'm pretty sure I've moodled about it before, but it deserves to be appreciated again, in my humble opinion.

Nella Fantasia is a piece of music that was composed for the movie The Mission by Italian composer Ennio Morricone, who died in 2020. It's a stunning piece of music both within the film, and without it. 

I recommend listening with your eyes closed and the volume up just enough that it feels like the melody is flowing through your veins. The lyrics, both the Italian by Chiara Ferraù (readers know how I love Italian!) and an English translation, are below. Enjoy!

 

Nella fantasia io vedo un mondo giusto
Li tutti vivono in pace e in onestá
lo sogno d'anime che sono sempre libere
Come le nuvole che volano
Pien' d'umanitá in fondo all'anima

Nella fantasia io vedo un mondo chiaro
Li anche la notte è meno oscure
lo sogno d'anime che sono sempre libere
Come le nuvole che volano

Nella fantasia esiste un vento caldo
Che soffia sulle cittá, come amico
lo sogno d'anime che sonon sempre libere
Come le nuvole che volano
Pien' d'umanitá in fondo all' anima

In my imagination I see a just world
Where all live in peace and honesty
I dream of souls that are always free
Like clouds that soar
Full of humanity, deep in spirit

In my imagination I see a bright world
There even night is less dark
I dream of souls that are always free
Like clouds that soar

In my imagination there is a warm wind
That breathes over the cities like a friend
I dream of souls that are always free
Like clouds that soar

Full of humanity, deep in spirit

Sunday Reflection: A Prayer for Christian Unity

The Icon of Mercy
from the Taizé Community

A lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher”, he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 

He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.” 

And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live”.  - Luke 10: 25-28

I think I'm doing okay

in the way I love you, Creator.

My heart and soul and strength

are all for you. 

I'm good --

until Jesus says I shall love my neighbour as myself.

How the heck is that supposed to work?

My neighbour and I disagree on so many things.

She dislikes me about as much as I dislike her, so we're even. 

Isn't being united in our dislike enough?

No, you say.

We need to be united in our compassion

for everyone, everything, and each other.

Loving God and loving people are the same thing

when it comes down to it.

Teach me how to really love. 

Unite us in your compassion --

in compassion for each other.

+Amen.

* * * * * * *

Ecumenical Prayer for the Week of Christian Unity

Sunday, January 21

St. Luke's Anglican Church

8424 95 Ave

7 pm

All are Welcome! Bring friends!

What a housing emergency means

Yesterday, here in Edmonton, Mayor Sohi declared a housing emergency in an effort to bring all levels of government together to come up with housing solutions. A good step, but there's a long way to go. At this point, it's anybody's guess as to whether other government officials will actually show up to the meetings.

Temperatures here in Canada's northernmost provincial capital are warming up a wee bit (-20 with windchill to -30 as I write), but people are still suffering frostbite and there have been at least 3 deaths from the cold this week that I know of, likely more. A housing emergency means that there aren't enough places for people in my city to stay warm, never mind live in a community of their own choosing. It means more than that, too.

As Canadians, we have been told that our country is high on the list of places where migrants and refugees want to live. For decades, our standard of living has been something many aspire to share. We've been proud of that.

But the fact is that housing prices continue to rise (due to greed in some cases) and because of that, there clearly isn't enough affordable housing for the people already here. If there was, no one would be freezing to death outside. Our governments used to invest in supportive and affordable housing, but lately they haven't put money down to get shovels in the ground and build what is needed right now. 

If that's not a housing emergency, I don't know what is. Clearly, things have to change so that we can ensure that no one has to live outdoors, and so we can welcome new would-be Canadians, especially from places where life is untenable.

I wasn't going to share this interview link from early Sunday morning as it feels embarrassing to do so, but the images (notice the fellow I wrote about last week with his dog, Billy Bob, on the trolley?) and the last minute or so of the interview about contacting elected officials -- are the whole point of what I keep going on about here. 

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2299556419635

The thing is, the inability to afford a home that affects even one person has a ripple effect on all of us. We are all connected, whether we realize it or not. No matter where we live, it's possible we don't realize that some of our neighbours may be having to choose between paying the rent or buying groceries/medications. 

Some of us might be safe, warm, and secure for the moment, but if we don't speak up in defense of those who are struggling, their miseries will compound, and might overwhelm the systems that sustain us all. Crime rates, pressures on healthcare and mental health, addictions, and so many other ills only increase when people are up against a wall. That's a future that none of us really want to imagine. 

So it's time to make noise.

Please, if you haven't already, contact your elected officials. Remind them that all of Canada (all of the world, really) is in various states of housing emergency. Give them the Bottom Line: housing is a human right, and government officials MUST work to ensure that everyone has homes that they can afford. And if you want to go the extra mile, suggest that basic income for all would be helpful too.

Both can happen with some effort, creativity and political will. But we have to push our politicians in the right direction, because they get distracted from these life and death situations by the darndest things! 

After reading my last moodling, my mom said, "why don't you post contact information for people who want to write letters?" So here it is. Mom -- you're right, I should have done it sooner! And everyone is welcome to share this moodling/these addresses with their circle of friends!

Sean Fraser, Canada's Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. Email address -- sean.fraser@parl.gc.ca 

Jason Nixon, Alberta's Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services. Email address -- scss.minister@gov.ab.ca

And if you're not Albertan or Canadian, please don't doubt that there's a housing emergency where you live. It's world wide. Sending an email or phoning your own elected officials can get the ball rolling for a better and more resilient world. 

Hey, there's my word of the year!

I'll get off my soapbox now and post happier things for the rest of the month, I promise!