thank you Nadia, I like the reminder about dust. Here's a new committal I wrote recently - from an idea I found in The Hawk and the Dove trilogy by Penelope Wilcox
In the biblical story we are given an image
of God fashioning humankind
out of the dust of the earth
then breathing that clay figure into life with God’s very own breath.
At the end of a life like ....’s
that figure of clay fashioned from the dust of the earth,
is no longer the person we knew, only a shell left behind,
she does not need it anymore.
So, with respect and dignity
we now send it on its last mortal journey
by cremation to re-join the earth from where it came.
Her body has served the purpose
for which it was wonderfully brought into being
Departed from that body now is the essential breath of life,
which animated her and gave her vitality.
Just as the great story of life tells us
one person’s breath of life sprang from that original breath of God,
Now, by the act of death,
the aliveness which was .......
is freed to return home to its Source.
So we can let her go in love and trust
dust goes back to dust
and this life’s last small breath
joins indivisibly now with the loving, great and true Breath of Life.
So may it be.
Penelope Wilcox makes the point in the Hawk and the Dove that if only our breath returns to God, if that originated from the divine breath, how can it be judged?
Susan, I know this was written some time ago, but I love this committal. My mother is 96, most likely closer to dying than me. I plan to use your words for her committal. So poignant. Thank you.
New subscriber and I love the insights and practical approaches to helping us hear God clearer! This stuff is refreshing and LIFE GIVING to my former evangelical soul. Thank you Nadia!
How? These last several posts. I mean, really, how? They are these beautiful sparks of clarity piercing the deep dull sad grey scales over my eyes…. And, promise (legit-for-real-promise) this thought is full of gratitude for your willingness to be part of His alchemy, and, at least for this moment, at peace with whatever this crucible I’m in reveals. .. I know full-well the loss of the scales will be painful and heavy with grief. I have every hope of surrendering to His transformative graces.
Divine appointment. Balm over a wounded but healing soul.
Ash Wednesday is new for me this year. I grew up in a very different church then where I go now and I never saw Ash Wednesday for what it is/can be until this year. It’s great to read your writing this year as I enter into this season in a whole new way. I sure do like that God doesn’t expect me to have all my crap together when I come to him; I’d never come to him if that was his expectation. The God I know today is a much more loving God than what I learned as a kid. Hmmm… love. Nice.
It takes away a lot of the need for striving and pretending to be what we're not. We are dust, but with God's breath. We shouldn't be valuable, and yet somehow we are. Not because of anything special, because dust is not inherently special, but because God calls us Very Good and because His breath is in us.
How you question your world, our world, OUR God, and still manage to circle back to a beautiful, raw, no-make-up, no hair-done kind of raw faith is truly marvelous and I am inspired by all of it, the less bows the better! Amen.
Meditation today on compassion, which I have plenty of for others but not so much for myself. I am so easily overwhelmed by others suffering that I can’t see my own; or that there is a solution to return to an all-loving God of my understanding. Still I weep. Thank you for this, especially the part about repentance.
Such a thoughtful piece on Ash Wednesday. As a child my mother (Presbyterian) did not like nor was not comfortable with the verses, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…. as both parents died in her youth, and she had nightmares thinking of this…)
Only as a mature adult through study did I truly understand Gods forgiving view. As such, at least annually I appreciate a thoughtful reminder.
This essay resonates. I will save this for future reference!
thank you Nadia, I like the reminder about dust. Here's a new committal I wrote recently - from an idea I found in The Hawk and the Dove trilogy by Penelope Wilcox
In the biblical story we are given an image
of God fashioning humankind
out of the dust of the earth
then breathing that clay figure into life with God’s very own breath.
At the end of a life like ....’s
that figure of clay fashioned from the dust of the earth,
is no longer the person we knew, only a shell left behind,
she does not need it anymore.
So, with respect and dignity
we now send it on its last mortal journey
by cremation to re-join the earth from where it came.
Her body has served the purpose
for which it was wonderfully brought into being
Departed from that body now is the essential breath of life,
which animated her and gave her vitality.
Just as the great story of life tells us
one person’s breath of life sprang from that original breath of God,
Now, by the act of death,
the aliveness which was .......
is freed to return home to its Source.
So we can let her go in love and trust
dust goes back to dust
and this life’s last small breath
joins indivisibly now with the loving, great and true Breath of Life.
So may it be.
Penelope Wilcox makes the point in the Hawk and the Dove that if only our breath returns to God, if that originated from the divine breath, how can it be judged?
thank you
Susan (NZ)
lovely!
Susan, I know this was written some time ago, but I love this committal. My mother is 96, most likely closer to dying than me. I plan to use your words for her committal. So poignant. Thank you.
Me too!
New subscriber and I love the insights and practical approaches to helping us hear God clearer! This stuff is refreshing and LIFE GIVING to my former evangelical soul. Thank you Nadia!
How? These last several posts. I mean, really, how? They are these beautiful sparks of clarity piercing the deep dull sad grey scales over my eyes…. And, promise (legit-for-real-promise) this thought is full of gratitude for your willingness to be part of His alchemy, and, at least for this moment, at peace with whatever this crucible I’m in reveals. .. I know full-well the loss of the scales will be painful and heavy with grief. I have every hope of surrendering to His transformative graces.
Divine appointment. Balm over a wounded but healing soul.
Ash Wednesday is new for me this year. I grew up in a very different church then where I go now and I never saw Ash Wednesday for what it is/can be until this year. It’s great to read your writing this year as I enter into this season in a whole new way. I sure do like that God doesn’t expect me to have all my crap together when I come to him; I’d never come to him if that was his expectation. The God I know today is a much more loving God than what I learned as a kid. Hmmm… love. Nice.
You are a gifted child of God. Your words never fail to resonate. God bless.
A new subscriber. I found you through Rachel Held-Evans. Thank you. Thank you ❤ 🙏
Welcome!
It takes away a lot of the need for striving and pretending to be what we're not. We are dust, but with God's breath. We shouldn't be valuable, and yet somehow we are. Not because of anything special, because dust is not inherently special, but because God calls us Very Good and because His breath is in us.
God hates nothing that God has made. That is all.
How you question your world, our world, OUR God, and still manage to circle back to a beautiful, raw, no-make-up, no hair-done kind of raw faith is truly marvelous and I am inspired by all of it, the less bows the better! Amen.
A lovely take on true repentance. The parable of the wayward son tells exactly the same message “Just come Home and my Love will be yours.”
Thank you from my broken heart x
Have another little piece of my heart now, baby,
You know you got it,
if it makes you feel good
Meditation today on compassion, which I have plenty of for others but not so much for myself. I am so easily overwhelmed by others suffering that I can’t see my own; or that there is a solution to return to an all-loving God of my understanding. Still I weep. Thank you for this, especially the part about repentance.
Thank you! The tears are flowing! God gave us breath and we became living beings!!! Wow!’
Yet more superb interpretation of Scripture. Thanks for the much needed Spirit driven refreshment.
Such a thoughtful piece on Ash Wednesday. As a child my mother (Presbyterian) did not like nor was not comfortable with the verses, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…. as both parents died in her youth, and she had nightmares thinking of this…)
Only as a mature adult through study did I truly understand Gods forgiving view. As such, at least annually I appreciate a thoughtful reminder.
This essay resonates. I will save this for future reference!
Blessings…