It is cold and snowing outside

It is snowing and cold outside, my water faucets are dripping in order to combat the possible freeze. I have buckets of water in the bath tub to flush the toilet in case it does freeze and/or we lose electricity. I also have several large cooking pots filled with water on my counter so I can make coffee and heat the stew I made yesterday on my wood stove. So, back to the contents of the pile of file folders that really should just be dropped into the recycle box – then I will no longer bore you with my “unloading struggle”. The following is not in the recycle box.

HOLY GROUND

I happen to believe that a spiritually vital church
is a holy place, a place to which we come
in order to get in touch with a deeper
spiritual center within ourselves,
to be reminded of lasting values and
of the interconnectedness of this universe.
There we may be gently reminded of what I call
“the nourishing mystery in which we live
and move and have our being.”
In such a place we preserve our memories
and cherish our hopes.
There we are reminded that growth
is the lifelong task of us all.
There we celebrate our comings and our goings,
the transitions and passages of our lives.
There we pause to remember that,
as members of one organic body,
we are indebted to each other
and responsible for each other.
I like to believe we are a spiritually vital church.

From Infinity in Your Hand:A Guide for the Spiritually Curious

by Rev. William H. Houff