It seems that just last week we were baking with temps in the low 90s and this morning we awoke to temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s. With temps this low, our bees know that the days are getting shorter and are actively sealing up the hives for winter. Once the temperature drops below 45 regularly, we will close them up for the winter and let them take care of themselves with the honey reserves they have built up. We are going in with six hives, we hope to have at least four strong hives in the spring.
Oktoberfest proved to be another successful time with beautiful weather. Events like this give St. Peter’s an excellent opportunity to model the hospitality and community that we long to create with our neighbors. This coming weekend, your Pathways to Vitality team will be in retreat at Waycross Camp and Conference Center as we begin to think about our Vitality Project and time with our Curate in 2020/2021. This evening, Woke Wednesdays begin as a collaborative effort with young adults in Lebanon/Boone Co and a grant that St. Peter’s is participating in with the Center for Congregations. Look for more information on the coming items in the next couple of weeks.
As the seasons change and the daylight decreases, this is a perfect opportunity to fall into something new in your life - be it a new spiritual practice of prayer, of walking, of journaling, or of giving thanks to God for a new day. Oftentimes, we only seem to pray to God when we are in need of something to happen. We pray for that new job or promotion, we pray for good weather, we pray for healing for a loved one, but what if we started our prayers by first thanking God? It could be something as simple as saying, “Thank you God for the gift of the sunrise as I drank my coffee this morning”, “Thank you God for the bees that helped pollinate the crops that fill my belly with food.”, “Thank you God for the community of St. Peter’s and their willingness to journey to places they never thought they would be.”, “Thank you God for being there when I make mistakes and hurt others.” For me, I pray every day for each member of St. Peter’s and those who have journeyed with us for a season of their life but are on new adventures. When I do so and say their name, their face pops into my imagination and brings a smile to my face.
When we give thanks first in our prayer, it changes our whole disposition to the day or the situation that we are seeking intercessory prayer for. We become conscious of the many ways that we are blessed each and every day. We are able to bathe in God’s overflowing, all-encompassing love for each of us no matter how broken we are, how long we have followed our own ways, or how long it has been since we talked to God last.
As the day wind down, I hope you fall - into something new.