Marveling this morn, thinking back on the church Robert and I walked past on a walk near our Airbnb in the Riverside neighborhood of Jacksonville over the weekend.
It’s Romanesque and Byzantine architecture first caught our eyes. But then the large sign out front sparkled in joyfully inclusive welcome.
Look closer …
Thank you, Riverside. You are a Marvel.
So last year, Robert and I joined Georgia’s uber-cool Farm Passport Program.
“The Farm Passport is your guide to discover Georgia, support local farms and experience fresh food. Grab your passport and let it guide you across the state to see the diversity of agriculture Georgia offers.
The Farm Passport features over 90 farms included in Georgia Farm Bureau’s Certified Farm Markets program, which was created to help people discover where their food comes from, meet the farm families who grew the food, and create lasting memories with loved ones as they travel the state.” Farm Bureau, GA
We had a blast and visited 22 Georgia Farms.
Last weekend we made a little trip to Macon to pick up our prizes and to explore old town Macon a bit.
Here I am with one of the leaders of the Passport Program.
And look! Here I am with HR and our nifty new Farm Traveler T-shirts. (After all, remember, it’s T-shirt Tuesday.)
And here are a few images from our time in Macon, which by the way is (was?) my birthplace.
The cool ceiling of our Airbnb …
I love this current liturgical season of Lent on the Christian calendar. For me, it’s a time to calm down, quiet down, and reflect before the exuberant excitement of Easter.
For the four Wednesdays before Palm Sunday, the church that Robert and I attend, Asbury Memorial here in Savannah, holds brief and beautifully simple Taize services.
“The Taizé prayer service is from an interfaith community founded in Taizé, France in 1940. A Taizé service provides a meditative style of song and prayer known for its simplicity and focus on Christ. Today the Taizé community comprises those of Catholic and Protestant backgrounds from regions around the globe. At a Taizé service we pray as we sing, as we reflect on the Scripture reading, as we sit in silence, and as we offer our prayers to Christ.” jaxcathedral.org
Whatever your belief, or lack of, may Peace be your Portion at this time of year.
Here is a neat article with more info about Taize, if you are in the slightest bit interested …
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/a-look-at-the-taize-community/?amp
Yes!
Here’s the article …
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/12/sport/taghi-askar-100-year-old-diver-spt-intl?cid=ios_app
My HR.
“Red protects itself. No color is as territorial. It stakes a claim, is on the alert against the spectrum.” – Derek Jarman
May your Holiday 2023 be filled with an Abundance of All Things you consider Good.
LOTSA LOVE, NEAL & HR
One more selfie …
(Robert always takes the selfies because I invariably drop the phone.)
This year my Countdown to Christmas is a nontraditional Advent Calendar centering (pun intended) on mindfulness.
On the front of each card is neat little picture, and on the back are the instructions for the short meditation.
Today, the 14th Day of Advent … PRACTICE MINDFUL WAITING.
Here are today’s instructions:
It could be a queue of Christmas shoppers, it could be a traffic jam on the way into town, it could be something completely unexpected; but at some point in the festive period you will be made to wait. Instead of seeing these enforced pauses as frustrating inconveniences, let’s use them to our advantage and treat them as little opportunities to exercise mindfulness.
For example, when you find yourself in a queue, resist the temptation to take out your phone. Instead, stop and notice your breathing, look around at where you are and what is going on. What do you see, hear, feel, smell? Notice the other people around you, hear the various noises of the daily bustle. Consider any current physical sensations, any emotions you are experiencing.
Look out for other pauses in general daily life in which to do this – a boiling kettle, a computer loading screen, a wait at the bus stop, etc.
Try to be in that moment and enjoy it rather than impatiently waiting for the moment to end. There’s a lot you can notice in a few seconds. Appreciate the mini-breaks life provides you.
This one is definitely a bit of a challenge in our too-busy world. But SO rewarding when we actually practice it.
NealEnJoy 