Welcome to February, this is the month that captures both love and the holy season of Lent. After the cold, gloomy weather of  January, seeing decorative red hearts brings joy and a lightness  into our lives. February embraces our lives from a mind, body, and spiritual perspective as we also celebrate National Heart Month. Although age and family history are non-modifiable factors in heart disease, there are many behavioral practices that can be addressed. A daily routine of physical activity, watching one’s diet and food choices, healthy weight maintenance, adequate rest, and most importantly, stress reduction can all be individually monitored. Making small changes each day can make a difference!

The stress question invites us to ponder how we process the daily events of our lives. How do we create time to reflect, meditate and pray, opening our minds, bodies and spirits to God’s amazing love and grace? How do we open our eyes, ears, and hearts to reflect upon the goodness and love that surrounds us even in the midst of life’s sometime overwhelming challenges?

Celebrating the love of Christ, our family and friends, Ash Wednesday within Valentine’s Day creates an amazing opportunity reflect on Ann Weem’s poem, The Holy In The Ordinary (the  poem is posted in the West Clifton Hallway/and in your emailed Columns), by pondering the question: How O God can we find the holy in the Ordinary?

How can we create meaning in our lives as we journey through the forty days (not counting Sundays) of Lent honoring the ministry of Jesus, while reflecting on our own daily journeys? One way is to simply stop for a few minutes and offer gratitude for what went well, the moments that brought a smile, or a caring conversation with a friend or loved one.

During this holy season our Sanctified Art Series, Wandering Heart offers many options. Lenten Devotionals will be available, printed and online. Karen Wagner is offering a series Covenant River of Grace on Tuesday evenings or Sunday afternoons. This is a great opportunity to learn about Habits of the Heart and the touchstones offered by the Center for Courage and Renewal.

On Sunday, February 25th after coffee hour, please join Joanna and me as we gather as followers of Jesus to read aloud the Gospel of Mark. The shortest Gospel, with everyone participating in the reading, will take about an hour. It will be interesting to participate and listen to the entire Gospel in one sitting. Please join us.

May this season of Love and Lent create wholistic opportunities to open your heart to God’s creation and abiding presence, to the mission and ministry of Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit that flows around, within, and through our lives with each inspiration and expiration of our breath.

Blessings, grace and peace,
Rev. Catherine