Sunday message

We were reminded in church this morning that today is the start of 'ordinary time' - 

and ordinary in this context doesn't mean 'routine' or 'normal' - 

it means 'not seasonal'. 

Ordinary Time has been described as a time of quietness – 

a lush green meadow of hope -

 so it's no wonder that green is the liturgical color 

for this designated period. 

Its also no wonder that the words heard this morning

from the pulpit

(well, from the center aisle) 

rang in my heart as we drove around the reservation 

this afternoon.

It's rained a lot in South Dakota lately,

relieving the same draught 

that has plagued so much of the Midwest. 

I don't know that I've ever seen the reservation look so lush and verdant.

Under the guise of showing off the beauty of this place

 to 'the newbie'

we re-visited our favorite haunts 

along BIA 5

as it runs along the Little White River.

It will probably also not surprise anyone 

that we finished our tour with a stop at Ghost Hawk Park

to remember our friend, Andy.

As hard as it still is to be here without him,

it helped to see how quickly the current is running

in the place where his ashes were released;

to realize that he's not here;

that he's far ahead of us, 

already on the next phase of his journey - - 

and liturgical season aside,

there's NOTHING ordinary about that!

It was a day to settle in,

get centered,

remember,

to grieve a bit more

and, yes, 

to celebrate and give thanks -

for this ministry,

for friends and members of our faith communities 

who have believed in it

and supported it over the years

and for the opportunity

to start working again - 

first thing in the morning!