In an interesting turn of events, today ended up as my last day even though I only gave two weeks notice on Tuesday. So tomorrow is my first sleep in morning in about a month. Then I’ll celebrate further by going out for breakfast on Saturday.
Author Archives: Gillian
Sophia and the Owl
More Advent goodness from a great writer here.
Decisions: Update
I gave my notice at one of the jobs today. So in two weeks, I’ll be out of there and into a bit of instability and uncertainty when it comes to hours and pay-cheques. But you know what? I think I’ll be happier.
About Time
I’ve been following the last few days worth of political intrigues with much interest. In fact, I had to unsubscribe from a couple of my RSS feeds because 200+ posts a day was getting to be too much to read. I think that the Conservatives have shown a considerable amount of arrogance as of late and I am happy that the Liberals and NDP (two parties I usually have trouble deciding between on the voting front) have finally decided to offer what other countries have long ago done with success. While I think that the timing is unfortunate, global recession and all, I think that the timing is as a result of the inane so-called “economic stimulus” put forward by the Conservatives that amounts to doing nothing.
The Conservatives whine and whinge about the proposed coalition but really, they’ve brought it on themselves by doing very little in response to the economy as of right now. Do I think it is the best thing for Canada to have all this focus on political wheeling and dealing? Not really. Do I think that it is better than having a lame government? Absolutely. Besides, it provides lots of very interesting reading material and makes up for a year without while on the boat and for having to spend the entire 2008 election campaign at sea.
As an interesting side-note, apparently not all the Conservatives are thrilled either.
Decisions
I’ve got a tough decision to make in the next couple of days regarding my work situation and would appreciate prayers regarding it. I’ve got the opportunity for a casual position which will have more flexible hours but a certain amount of uncertainty regarding when/if those hours will be.
Advent #1
Advent Carol Service tonight for evensong. The sun is going down around 4:15-4:30 right now and evensong starts at 4:30 so it was nice and dark to show off the over 500 hundred candles that lined the nave, gallery, and chapels. It was absolutely stunning and the perfect way to start the season.
First Coming
He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.
He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. He did not wait
till heart were pure. In joy he came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. He did not wait
till heart were pure. In joy he came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.
He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made FLesh
the Maker of the stars was born.
We cannot wit till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made FLesh
the Maker of the stars was born.
We cannot wit till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
– Madeleine L’Engle
photo credit: Natalie
Welcome to the first Sunday of Advent. This is the season of expectation, anticipation, preparation, longing, and yearning. We remember the longing of the ancient Israelites for the Messiah to come and we reflect on our own waiting for the second coming of Christ. Like the yearning of the Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out for a deliverer, may we continue to cry out against the injustices in out world, remembering our hope of deliverance by a God who hears and has promised to bring peace and justice to the world.
Happy Half-Birthday to me! I get excited about these things.
Thoughts
My evening reading has been, for the last number of months, snippets from various works of the wonderful Madeleine L’Engle, one of my all-time favourite writers. I read from And it was Good: Reflections on Beginnings last night:
We can recognize the holy good even while we are achingly, fearfully aware of all that has been done to it through greed and lust for power and blind stupidity. We forget the original good of all creation because of our own destructiveness. The ugly fact that evil can be willed for people by other people, and that the evil comes to pass does not take away our capacity to will good. There may be many spirits abroad other than the Holy Spirit (the Gospels warn us of them), but they do not make the Holy Spirit less holy. Our paradoxes and contradictions expand; our openness to God’s revelations to us must also be capable of expansion. Our religion must always be subject to change without notice — our religion, not our faith, but the patterns in which we understand and express our faith.
Just a thought.
Moments
I had a ‘Oh, I can’t wait to go home and call mum and tell her’ moment this evening. I found out tonight that the Kit I sing alto with in choir, the Kit who looked vaguely familiar, is in fact Kit Pearson, the Canadian children’s writer. Someone said to me, in front of her “Did you know that we have a famous author in our midst?” I replied that no, I didn’t. As soon as they told me who she was, however, I exclaimed “Oh, I’ve read all your books!” Her response was that she now felt old… whoops. I loved her books as a kid, especially A Handful of Time and the trilogy about some English kids who come and live in Toronto during WWII. Actually, I re-read the trilogy last year… Mum introduced me to them when she bought them for the BDCS school library in Belleville. I’m pretty sure she would have been excited to hear I’ve met the author.
So, because I was excited, I came home and told my roommate who didn’t know what I was talking about. Then I emailed my sister, and she validated my excitement. And now I share with you.
gillian's island 