I was talking with a pastor friend of mine up in Canada. I told him how I had at one time been reading so much theology. Books by you and others and searching and searching and looking for this profundity. This massive revelation. This “right with Godness” and spirituality.
My husband and I split two days ago. Five years of taking care of sick and dying in laws without any help finally broke me. I’d been running on anger and anxiety as my only source of fuel. I have no idea if it’s possible for reconciliation. I don’t know if I care enough to be devastated by it. I just know that I’m done with it. Nadia, my deployment with the army wasn’t this hard.
I told my pastor friend, “I did all that reading and right now I’m ….meh. Just….meh.”
But last night I slept like I hadn’t slept in maybe years. It was deep and glorious sleep. Today I wandered around in an Uber relaxed fog without a care in the world. I did errands without this awful weight on me and tonight made dinner.
Following a trauma, there's no plan, no map, no manual... and certainly no schedule. If you've got the luxury of time, use it and be gentle with yourself. Blessings.
“Will your work endure? I can’t say. Will you find appreciation and reward? I can’t say. Will you always feel a warmth for helping your brother and sister? I can’t even say that. We’re human: so impatient, so afraid, so very unused to reaching beyond our own skin.
“But such doubts will never detract, will never even slightly tinge the holiness of the smallest act of charity. Rest assured, for one blessed instant, you will have achieved heaven on earth for all of humanity. It may not last for any more than an instant, but it is certainly there.
“How? For you will have given life to hope. You will have helped answer someone’s prayers.
“It was for this the Angels sang over Bethlehem.” --Street
Thanks, but nope... that's Street's. But it does echo something of William Temple's, reflecting on steps in the right direction, no matter how small (paraphrasing): "If we know we are moving heavenward, we are already there."
It’s amazing what those little tissue packs can lead us to! I use hankies but I still carry the tissue packs for others. Where I live we are facing a week long heat wave. A small thing we can do here is to watch out for the homeless and carry extra bottled water. Give it out and remind them they can refill them at public libraries or restrooms. Dehydration can look like confusion or dementia, especially in the elderly. Offer sips of water and call emergency services. Water will be our tissues this week.
So beautiful, Nadia. All the things are gifts, freely given because of Great Love. May we bask in gratitude today. I'm getting ready to visit my dear friend in her last days this morning. Your offering gave me such a perspective of grace in the tiny things.
I’m retired and recently needed to re-examine my budget and discretionary donations.
I wanted you to know that I get such great value out of The Corners. You model an approach to faith that I can understand.
While I know you offer free subscriptions, I’m not at the point. My annual support is small in relation to all I receive back from you and our shared community.
I'm glad you value it here. But please don't hesitate to let us know if you'd like to stay and spend that money another way. We really don't mind at all!
Guessing you are a fan of NPR's "Unsung Heros" pod? Love it.
Small moments are life.
Went to an event -- theater driven -- 4 performers -- with notebooks to mostly read their script -- and watched these 4 portray 6+ vignettes that were meant to tell a story of humanity -- homelessness, and more. It was called "Creed in Action". It moved me. Went alone. Wished more people were there. Small moment.
There are sections of the Camino between Sarria and Santiago that are fully 10-12 feet below grade level. As I walked, I realized these giant troughs in the landscape were worn there by footfalls, the steps of literally millions of fellow travelers. The very path itself is made by tiny things, as are we. That famous stardust of which we're made - very tiny things. Gigantic rocks hurtling through space destroy entire ecosystems, stardust floating gently has made life as we know it. Thank you for this beautiful affirmation.
Thank you, Pastor Nadia. This touched me deeply. It encourages me to LOOK for the small miracles, to be more aware of opportunities to be of tiny help as I go about life, and it also reassures me that ~ just because I don't have any WOW feeling from the Holy Spirit does not mean she is not with me!
Thank you Nadia for this wonderful story. A reminder of the beauty of the small stuff we often don’t notice in our business to “do good”.
As a pastor’s wife, I watch people around me bustling around to do God’s work for Him here on earth. I love the reminder that it is God who does the work. It doesn’t come from us, it comes from Him. I think we often forget this.
Your message spoke clearly to me this morning. So many times, I have felt a joy in small experiences that is so sharp, it borders on emotional pain. What you said about our seemingly “insignificant” acts of grace towards others also resonates greatly with my heart, in a life where I feel those are what I have to offer.
Just finished the camino frances myself and this was just what I needed to hear. People asking for epiphanies and what I have are the calls of cuckoo birds and learning to embrace the mud puddles. And what an amazing gift it all was.
I was talking with a pastor friend of mine up in Canada. I told him how I had at one time been reading so much theology. Books by you and others and searching and searching and looking for this profundity. This massive revelation. This “right with Godness” and spirituality.
My husband and I split two days ago. Five years of taking care of sick and dying in laws without any help finally broke me. I’d been running on anger and anxiety as my only source of fuel. I have no idea if it’s possible for reconciliation. I don’t know if I care enough to be devastated by it. I just know that I’m done with it. Nadia, my deployment with the army wasn’t this hard.
I told my pastor friend, “I did all that reading and right now I’m ….meh. Just….meh.”
But last night I slept like I hadn’t slept in maybe years. It was deep and glorious sleep. Today I wandered around in an Uber relaxed fog without a care in the world. I did errands without this awful weight on me and tonight made dinner.
Please pray for me. I’m in recovery now.
You're in the wilderness of broken hearts and exhausted love. May angel attend you there. Prayers. xo
Following a trauma, there's no plan, no map, no manual... and certainly no schedule. If you've got the luxury of time, use it and be gentle with yourself. Blessings.
Freddie, I will pray for you today.
“Will your work endure? I can’t say. Will you find appreciation and reward? I can’t say. Will you always feel a warmth for helping your brother and sister? I can’t even say that. We’re human: so impatient, so afraid, so very unused to reaching beyond our own skin.
“But such doubts will never detract, will never even slightly tinge the holiness of the smallest act of charity. Rest assured, for one blessed instant, you will have achieved heaven on earth for all of humanity. It may not last for any more than an instant, but it is certainly there.
“How? For you will have given life to hope. You will have helped answer someone’s prayers.
“It was for this the Angels sang over Bethlehem.” --Street
Love this.
I don’t set out that my work endures, I do hope it can relieve the other person for just that instant. Because that moment can mean so much to them.
Thayne ...is this yours or is it from somewhere?? I totally love it!
Thanks, but nope... that's Street's. But it does echo something of William Temple's, reflecting on steps in the right direction, no matter how small (paraphrasing): "If we know we are moving heavenward, we are already there."
Wowsers... that's got me! Softened up by Nadia's message, this has me reeling! Totally beautiful... Thank you for sharing...
Reeling… oh yes.
“I have found that it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folks that keeps the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”
― Gandalf, The Hobbit
“This is what God can do with Kleenex” - thank you for this ❤️
It’s amazing what those little tissue packs can lead us to! I use hankies but I still carry the tissue packs for others. Where I live we are facing a week long heat wave. A small thing we can do here is to watch out for the homeless and carry extra bottled water. Give it out and remind them they can refill them at public libraries or restrooms. Dehydration can look like confusion or dementia, especially in the elderly. Offer sips of water and call emergency services. Water will be our tissues this week.
So beautiful, Nadia. All the things are gifts, freely given because of Great Love. May we bask in gratitude today. I'm getting ready to visit my dear friend in her last days this morning. Your offering gave me such a perspective of grace in the tiny things.
May her passing be gentle.
Oh, Nadia, this brought tears to my eyes. It was exactly what I needed to hear this morning. Thank you for your words and your work.
I echo that. I’m too broken to write more. Thank you.
I’m retired and recently needed to re-examine my budget and discretionary donations.
I wanted you to know that I get such great value out of The Corners. You model an approach to faith that I can understand.
While I know you offer free subscriptions, I’m not at the point. My annual support is small in relation to all I receive back from you and our shared community.
Thank you!
I'm glad you value it here. But please don't hesitate to let us know if you'd like to stay and spend that money another way. We really don't mind at all!
Guessing you are a fan of NPR's "Unsung Heros" pod? Love it.
Small moments are life.
Went to an event -- theater driven -- 4 performers -- with notebooks to mostly read their script -- and watched these 4 portray 6+ vignettes that were meant to tell a story of humanity -- homelessness, and more. It was called "Creed in Action". It moved me. Went alone. Wished more people were there. Small moment.
https://my.neighbor.org/our-stories/stories-of-creed-in-action/
This is a new one to me, Erin, thanks for mentioning it!
There are sections of the Camino between Sarria and Santiago that are fully 10-12 feet below grade level. As I walked, I realized these giant troughs in the landscape were worn there by footfalls, the steps of literally millions of fellow travelers. The very path itself is made by tiny things, as are we. That famous stardust of which we're made - very tiny things. Gigantic rocks hurtling through space destroy entire ecosystems, stardust floating gently has made life as we know it. Thank you for this beautiful affirmation.
Thank you, Pastor Nadia. This touched me deeply. It encourages me to LOOK for the small miracles, to be more aware of opportunities to be of tiny help as I go about life, and it also reassures me that ~ just because I don't have any WOW feeling from the Holy Spirit does not mean she is not with me!
"Tiny Help." If you write a book about it, Lynne, that wouldn't be too shabby a title. 😊
Goodness. I needed that today. Thank you.
Thank you Nadia for this wonderful story. A reminder of the beauty of the small stuff we often don’t notice in our business to “do good”.
As a pastor’s wife, I watch people around me bustling around to do God’s work for Him here on earth. I love the reminder that it is God who does the work. It doesn’t come from us, it comes from Him. I think we often forget this.
Your message spoke clearly to me this morning. So many times, I have felt a joy in small experiences that is so sharp, it borders on emotional pain. What you said about our seemingly “insignificant” acts of grace towards others also resonates greatly with my heart, in a life where I feel those are what I have to offer.
Just finished the camino frances myself and this was just what I needed to hear. People asking for epiphanies and what I have are the calls of cuckoo birds and learning to embrace the mud puddles. And what an amazing gift it all was.
Just more proof that what will we focus on grows!