Encountering the Holy Here and Now
DIY WildWood invites and encourages us to encounter the Holy exactly where we are. We will not gathering together on Sunday, May 28, instead I am sharing what has my attention, a few things for you to consider and hopefully prompt you to be attune to the Divine in and through all things. Sometimes life is loud. I find myself reaching for my noise canceling headphones often. So often in fact that I have Spotify playlists for pretty much every mood or genre. “Getting Stuff Done,” LGBTQ+ artists, and a couple that will get the family in a better mood (most Taylor Swift). This year, probably for lack of creativity, I’ve created playlists titled by month, "January 2023," "May 2023." Each playlist has songs that I’m listening to that month. While I’m not vulnerable enough to share the playlists in their entirety, if you promise not to judge me too harshly, here are some of the highlights for May:
Curtains by Ed Sheeran
Taylor Swift + Mary J. Blyge duet of Doubt
That’s What I Want, Lil Nas X
Love Me More, Sam Smith
Sunday, Joy Oladokun
Of course, I’ve made a playlist of “church-ish” songs, or as Gina renamed it “Gays and Worship” It’s a collaborative playlist so add more songs. What songs take you to church or where you find the Holy?
I came across a TikTok-er who is rewriting “classic” hymn lyrics. I can’t link directly to the videos, but on her profile there is a playlist of “Rewritten Hymns.”
Friends of mine recorded an album of hymns with an updated twist. It’s different from any of the ones above in a very beautiful way.
I'm realizing as I write that apparently listening and audio is a theme for me lately.
"Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver is a first of its kind audio commemoration of one of the greatest poets in modern history. Actress and activist Sophia Bush guides listeners on a journey of contemplation and discovery into the artistry of Mary Oliver…”
It is a gorgeous narrative story of the life of Mary Oliver interspersed Mary’s voice reading her own poems and reflections and memories from her friends and students. As I listened to it I felt a renewed connection to her work and came to know this beloved poet in a beautiful new way. I highly recommend it. You can find it on Libro.fm.
Last, if your life is anything like mine and you’re eating dinner like I am (aka late and on the couch), here is a blessing by Britney Winn Lee for us and our meal.
A blessing for a living room dinner
May your couch feel like a warm cushy magnet
that can hold us in place for a while…
May these plates feel like a game of truth or dare
where we try new things and describe them…
May the show that we choose be one that we love
and one that we pause to talk or laugh about…
May our love for each other sneak into side glances
and rewind buttons and “can I get you anything from the kitchen?”…
May we take a minute to remember everyone
who had a part in making our meal
the earth and animals, farmers and grocers, drivers and cooks…
May our gratitude be like a superpower,
able to grow us into people who can help others have
what they need, too…
May our bodies feel like they are talking to us
when it's time to know we're full...
May we be creative enough to save what we can for another time…
May our hands feel ready to clear our spaces when everything is over,
like a helpful exclamation mark at the end of something special…
May we remember that dinner is whatever and however
we eat together
and that is it is a gift every time.
Take care friends and I'll see you on Sunday, June 3 as we begin to Queer the Bible together.