Tuesday, August 10, 2010

We Need Food of All Kinds

Soldier's wedding will take place in a few days.  B. and I are just trying to get ourselves and the house and my father-in-law ready for the Joyous Event--and trying at the same time to get over our summer colds. I was pleased to pick the first lemon cucumber and add it with our arugula and the multi-colored cherry tomatoes to some lettuce last night, to fortify us for the work, and for the happy busyness ahead.

This morning I was well enough and eager to get back to church, where we remembered the life of St. Lawrence of Rome. God has filled my cup with delights like this--how many parishes are able to celebrate on a Tuesday morning?

St. Lawrence was a deacon serving with Pope Sixtus in the third century; his life and martyrdom are peppered with several encouraging stories. He seems to have had a good sense of humor, and among the various groups who call him patron are comedians.

G. K. Chesterton said it is the test of a good religion, whether you can joke about it. I'm sure he didn't mean anything like mocking God or His salvation. But being able to laugh at oneself is a sign of humility, and I think it might be a collective form of this humor he is talking about. The whole subject of humor is something mysterious to me, and I would do well to study Chesterton's other writings about it. For now I will change the subject after my favorite pertinent quote, also from him: "Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly."

I came home from the feast and noticed the hyssop flowers having grown taller and taller. Bees were drinking nectar from the blooms, but bees are hard to photograph--one has to take time and a couple dozen pictures in hopes of getting one without a blur of bee, and I have lots of housework yet to do.

My life is like my garden. It's full of beautiful and colorful things and events, ever changing, and I notice so few of them. Fewer still can I pick and show anyone else. My sociable or communicative side I find is always writing script in my mind, for how to tell other people about my discoveries and joys. But when the foliage and flowers grow so fast, events tumbling and intertwining with each other like a jungle, the feeling of not keeping up has been a gift in itself. From a feeling of helplessness, God has given me grace to just stop that scriptwriting for a few minutes at a time and direct my noticing and my thanks only to Him. Let me be like the bee, blurry if need be, but doing my job of imbibing the sweetness.

12 comments:

elizabeth said...

beautiful post; I can do this too, want to write it all down, but it almost becomes a distraction; how wise to turn it to God in thanksgiving!

All the best on these days of preperation!

Harmony said...

Two lovely pictures matched by your thoughts. I myself am trying to notice the good and beautiful things each day instead of only striving toward or regretting something else. Enjoying where I am right now takes focus--but if I had more such concentration and willpower I wouldn't be forever trying to catch up and rushing through the days in the first place. How to solve this conundrum?

Gumbo Lily said...

"imbibe the sweetness"
A very good thing.
I enjoyed this.

jody

Leslie said...

Beautiful pictures and lovely and encouraging words.

Pom Pom said...

The photo of the garden's bounty is gorgeous. I always like reading about the feast days.

Emily J. said...

That salad has my mouth watering!

Blessings on the engaged couple! I'm sure it will be a beautiful day.

I smiled at your description of writing script in your mind. Familiar. At least blogging is a way of sharing and capturing some of those thoughts that so often are never spoken.

Left-Handed Housewife said...

So glad to see your garden growing! And you are lucky to be in a church where you can show up on a Tuesday and hear something interesting and thought-provoking. The people of faith I most admire are the ones who laugh often.

I write in my head all the time, except when it comes to books, because if I write them in my head, I won't put them down on paper!

frances

Cathy said...

You must live a part of my life too. And God fills my cup with delights daily...I pray I will not miss a single one, but alas, I do at times because I am like your garden.

I must comment on your tomatoes! The yellow ones resemble the ones we call sungolds in this area of the country. And they are absolutely the best cherry tomato of all times. I keep them in the refrigerator and pop them in my mouth throughout the day. Delicious!

GretchenJoanna said...

Cathy, those yellow tomatoes are just called Yellow Cherry, and they do look just like Sungolds, which I grew last year. I like them better, because while the Sungolds were very sweet, their skins were so tender that a lot of them split and were spoiled before we got to enjoy them. These yellow tomatoes are really tasty, too!

The dB family said...

Your garden bounty is so beautiful! It is nice to read that there are others who are continually writing in their minds. Each day we are given is a gift and when we take the time to stop and see it in the little things, we are all the richer for it. I love the words of G.K. Chesterton. One of these days I will read his books from cover to cover. I pray these final days of preparation will go well for you all.

Blessings!
Deborah

Martha said...

I hope the wedding is lovely!
What does a lemon cucumber taste like? I think I'd love it. Beautiful salad! Your arugula looks great...our arugula has flowered, did you know their flowers are edible?

magsmcc said...

I've just finished Brother Lawrence, and was struck, amongst many other soul-piercing as well as life beautifying things, that he seemed so jocular and free. This has to be a good thing! Just like this glorious wedding. Marriage is a mystery, isn't it? A trail of grace and forgiveness and intimacy and joy. Just like the relationship it is supposed to mirror!