Dear ones,

May this note find you well as the snow melts yet again and we find ourselves back to mud season. 

I had such a meaningful Sunday with you this past week lifting up our thanksgivings and sending them out into the world. Together we sent about 80 notes (Prayers! Remember, “thanks” counts!) of appreciation and love out into our community. Each of these ripples out and has an impact not only on the world around us, but on us, too, as we reflect on the way the blessings of our lives and our gratitude for them change who and how we are. 

This Sunday is the final service in our 3-part series The Ancient Wisdom of the Psalms. We’ll dive into the psalms of praise and think together about the third great prayer… “WOW!” Where does praise show up in your life? Or does it not? What is it in the world around you, in your own life, that stops you in your tracks and opens you to moments of awe and wonder, moments of saying “yes!!”? 

We can’t force feelings, of course. But we can certainly work on creating the conditions in our lives for their arrival to be more likely. And then we can allow them to take us over and transform our orientation to life, even but for a moment. Sometimes, when all hell breaks loose in life, expressing our wonder, awe, joy, and praise can be as hard as expressing the fullness of our sorrow or anger. But it’s just as important. Joy is resistance. Connecting with the great mystery outside of ourselves is humbling medicine. I don’t know about you, but I am not ready to give up on being amazed by this life. I hope that stays true until my final days. 

Join us on Sunday and together we’ll reflect, sing, pray or meditate, listen, and leave saying “wow!” … more deeply connected to one another and the Spirit of Life. 

Until then, I hold you in my heart.

With peace,

Re. Tara