Summer’s Bounty: Taste and See Love’s Goodness - A Reflection on Psalm 34

Who could have imagined this summer bounty –

a bumper crop of The Beloved’s gifts

The opportunity to taste, see, feel, hear, smell

Love’s goodness each and every day

The cool summer breeze

The birds chirping to one another – and me

The flowers opening so radiantly

Dinner with a table full of an ever-expanding circle of love

The sweet tastes of

fresh corn

juicy watermelon

homemade ice cream

Get-aways and

“stolen” moments

Family reunions –

big and small

introducing our newest members to our eldest treasures

Hugs – galore and

puppy kisses

Going “home” –

to the many places where

my heart and story

are known and treasured and

lovingly tended

Planning for upcoming joyful events

Hope

Understanding more deeply the cycle of life

A neighbor stopping by with

            veggies from her garden and

a lovely chat

Going deeper

Getting to the heart of the matter

Cultivating a listening, hospitable heart

Living with gratitude

Living in serenity

Long strolls on the beach and through the woods

Longer, heartfelt conversations

Finding a hidden, grassy clearing at the lake

Retreats –

reconnecting with the Divine and my companions

Learning more about my body and her power

Freedom

Dropping into Divine Love more easily

The opportunity to slow down and

spend time creating

The prayerful pause to discern what’s next

Who could have imagined this summer bounty

the growth in me –

that now I more easily delight and treasure

the simple – wondrous gifts of each day

Taste and see the goodness of Love

True Story: Meet THE Peach!

This week, I went to the local farm to buy fresh yummies. As I was picking out tomatoes, a woman invited me to stop and look at the peach she found. The one you almost got to see in the picture :-) Seriously – I thought I took a picture of it but I didn’t and someone ate it… So just imagine, if you are able, one of these peaches with a baby peach growing on it’s top where the stem usually is.

At the farm stand, the lady and talked about how unusual the peach was. She put it down and filled her bag with other peaches. I asked her why she wasn’t bringing it home. “Because it’s too weird….” I told her that it was “fruit” for dinner conversation! I happily added it to my bag and was delighted to show it off to my family who clearly proceeded it eat it.

The lady ended our dialogue with an apology for interrupting me! I was so surprised…. The sociologist-minister in me wondered how did we get to a place where inviting someone to witness something is an interruption? How do we return to delight… to connections…. to en-joy-ment?

3 Practices to Cultivating and Noticing Love’s Goodness

1 – Practice tasting and seeing, smelling, hearing and feeling

Pause throughout your day. Notice what each of your senses are experiencing. Thank the Holy One for your amazing body and the connections. If you really want to practice this, consider setting a daily alarm on your phone to prompt you!

2 – In the morning, thank the Holy One for 10 things – one for each finger! Research has shown that cultivating an attitude of gratitude can truly change our brain structure and physically affect our bodies.

3 – Notice the goodness in your life from A to Z. As you are drifting off to sleep, notice the gifts of the day from A to Z… You could start tonight with AndreaGrace’s blogpost :)

Be aware that part of the goodness is recognizing that we must “die” and “be cracked open” in order to experience new life. Think of the peach pit! This is an invitation to be in the moment even when we're in the mud and life is messy or our heart is cracking. Have hope… with wonder and awe!

3 Songs to Pray With

• Taste and See by James Michael Moore – consider changing “Lord” to “Love” or another name for the Holy One

• The Goodness of God by CeCe Winans

• Simple Gifts

This week, let's taste and see the Goodness of Love… The bounty of Love

PS –

Part of my unexpected summer bounty is that I’ve been invited to Guest Preach at churches with hybrid/zoom services. On Sunday Aug. 18, I’ll be preaching at a Presbyterian Church on the theme “Taste and See God’s Goodness.” On Aug. 25, I’ll be sharing my journey to the Catholic priesthood with a Unitarian Universalist Community. If you are interested in attending either OR if you would like me to speak at your church, please do reach out! Abundant blessings on you and all in your circle of love!