We need some cupcakes with our coffee this morning, Y’all!
Exactly one year ago today, I posted the first articles on this blog! Now, granted, I’d been writing them for a year prior to that but today marks the anniversary of when this website, by God’s grace and my keyboarding skills, officially opened. I write simply because I cannot contain all the words inside of me but it’s always nice when someone is willing to read those words. Thank you for giving of your precious time to read what I write. I pray it has blessed you as that is the purpose of blessings: for the benefit of others. I pray the posts have been enough for all of us to see a bit more clearly into God’s Kingdom on earth as in heaven.
When someone says the word ‘enough’ what comes to your mind? Do you perceive the word as positive or negative?
We’ve been taught through our culture that enough is not good enough. We must have more and we must have the best and since we’ve also been taught that ‘best’ and ‘newest’ are synonymous, we are always in need of a new thing. We’ve taken God’s promise of abundant life and decided it means we will have an excess of all good things (meaning what we want) and nothing bad. When we get what we want, we claim that God has blessed us yet in doing so we imply that God is showing preferential treatment toward us. Blessings are given not because God loves one individual or group of people more than another; God bestows blessing SO THAT we will share with others and help everyone have enough.
I’ve learned a lot about enough this past year.
On September 30, 2020 I walked out of a parish that had chosen to dissolve our pastoral relationship because they told me to leave God out of their business and money and I could not do that. My husband and I had no idea what was next but we trusted God would provide.
On October 1, 2021 I began a new position with a new parish who invited me to be a part of their community because of a conversation we had about listening to where the Holy Spirit is guiding us to serve our community as we move into the new post-pandemic norm.
Exactly one year transpired between these two events and with each and every of the 365 days in between, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is God who provided all that we have needed: the right people to help me process and recover from the trauma of being betrayed and fired; the right people to help my husband deal with all that comes with being a priest’s spouse in such a time; sufficient funds to pay for rent, insurance, utilities, and groceries and even to do the occasional ‘ice cream date’ that we enjoy so much.
A full year of seasons, holidays, church seasons and celebrations, birthdays, anniversaries, births, deaths, and moves. God provided enough. God has blessed us beyond our imagination, not with material things but with growing wisdom, compassion, and grace SO THAT we are better equipped to live as Kingdom people and I pray we will steward these blessings appropriately as we, with God’s help and in community with the good people of our new parish, flavor the world with God’s love.
The abundant life of God’s Kingdom, lived here and now, day by day, is trusting that we will all have a sufficient supply of daily needs and that we all work together to participate with God, living the answer to the prayer, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.” We live in a way that works toward all people having enough. If I have more than enough and you don’t have what you need, my excess has no value.
The treasures of God’s Kingdom, love, compassion, grace, forgiveness, kindness, hope, and gratitude, increase the more we give them. We will never run out and we can’t hoard these things (because they aren’t things). As we follow Jesus we will have a never ending supply, abundance, enough.
I give thanks to God each day for all of you who are on this Kingdom Journey with me.
God’s peace, y’all!
Mother Nancy+
Mother Nancy's Coffee Thoughts 
I’m so glad you are coming out the far end of that dark time.
May God be bless your new ministry.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Harriet!
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing your gift of words and wisdom. Our journeys are sometimes very difficult. Thanks be to God for his provisions. St Francis is blessed by you and Jim and it’s exciting to walk together.
LikeLike
Thank you, Tricia!
LikeLike
I cried when I read this. Has it been a year already? Pandemic time makes no sense and for me, homebound, every day is the same. But you have taken the days of this year and made them count for the good. And now, you will have a new parish to bless with your truly called ministry. They are indeed the blessed ones, but I know they will return the blessing to you. I will always be sad that my former parish did not see what many of us saw. Their vision is clouded with their own ego and they are nearsighted when it comes to the needs of others. The mission of outreach, the sharing of the good news of salvation and the calling to offer the love of Christ to a hurting world escapes them. Under this leadership, I have no idea what the future holds for that parish and the many good people who are there. We can only pray. But, I read this and know what the future holds for you and your intentional ministry. I thank God for that and send prayers of blessing and goodwill to you and your new parish family. There has never been a priest who touched me the way you did. I will always remember your warmth and welcome and goodwill extended to me and everyone who walked through the doors. You brought Paul back to church with the weekly Bible study and fellowship. We both loved you and Jim and your ministry together. On my birthday, you celebrated the Eucharist with me alone in the chapel because I had missed the healing service the night before. It was an unforgettable moment at the altar which I will cherish all my life. No other priest had ever done anything that beautiful and meaningful for me. True calling is your gift and we are the blessed recipients. The last time I took communion was March 11, 2020. We had the healing service and then our wonderful Bible study. When we said goodbye that evening, neither Paul nor I knew that it would be the last time we would see you and Jim. Lock down began that week. I am glad I didn’t know because the last images were happy as they always were when we walked out of the church. I hold that memory as a treasure. The tears would come later when I learned that you would not be there when I could return. I cannot go back to that church. Your leaving was just the last of the reasons I cannot not bring myself to officially join that parish. The attitudes and minds that took the oxygen away for you have stifled me for years. There are many there that I love, but it’s not enough. I wish I knew where your parish was located. That’s where I would want to be. As I read through today’s message, I was nervous about the ending. Was it going to be a goodbye, since you are now an active parish priest?I didn’t want to get to the end. But, when I got there, I didn’t see an ending or a goodbye. Praying that I read correctly. Please let this blog continue to be a part of your new beginning. We need you here, too. We truly do. Our prayers enfold you as you continue on the path that God has planned for you since the day you said, “Yes”, to His call.💟✝️💟
Sent from my iPhone
>
LikeLike
Hi Carol, sorry for the delay in responding but I wanted to give this my full attention. Thank you so much for your kind words. I miss you and Paul and I am so grateful to be a part of your journey. I pray that you are able to find community where you are. I am in Canyon Lake at St. Francis ( https://www.saintfrancisbythelake.org/ ) and I will continue to write for my blog. God’s peace be with you, my friend. ❤️🙏🏻✝️💪🏻
LikeLike