Dear Ones of St. Columba's,

Here we are at what those of us who have been around the Pacific Northwest for a while tend to think of as the first weekend of summer. "June-uary" is over and if you are like me, you are eagerly looking forward to warm sunny days ahead, as our region shows off its capacity for blue skies, green trees, and sparkling waters. I am trying to remember how many times I have written to you these past two years where I say something like "it's been a rough _______ weeks/months/year." It seems like I could be writing this sort of letter every week, especially lately. And it's true. I'm feeling it, and I am certain I'm not the only one. The news is bad, the weather (aside from last weekend's heat) has been gloomy, and there is plenty to be worried about. 

So now is a good time to be re-created. I have a friend who loves to take the word recreation and add a hyphen to it, making it re-creation. It's not  that this person loves taking vacations and breaks - quite the opposite they're a bit of a workaholic. But over time my friend has come to realize that the work of living - thinking, working, homemaking, worrying, planning, all of it - can break the best of us down. We need something else in order for the pieces to be put together again. And ideally, those pieces re-created bring with them something sacred and new. 

Behold I am making all things new God says to us in Revelation 21:5. I believe in this newness in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. For me, in the summer season, I find evidence of it when I can slow down and rest. I see it in the wanted and unwanted things growing and blooming in my garden, which I confess I have neglected mightily this year. I find newness even in middle aged me, when I allow myself to wonder at the world that keeps happening, blooming, rising, raining, and setting around me no matter the news cycle, the latest human tragedy, the worries and fears that seek to break my heart.

As we head into real summer, my prayer for you is one of re-creation. May the God of peace find your heart, heal your soul, and re-create whatever is broken within you into something new and even closer to the realm of God.

with care and gratitude,

Alissa