Receiving the Day

Rev. Dr. Kate Winters

The sky is filled with brilliant stars this morning. The coffee in my mug is hot and strong. I have a whole day open ahead of me with nothing on my calendar. This is my favorite kind of morning. Open space, nothing planned. A day to simply receive – not to make happen.

Is it possible to still do that in adulthood? Receive the day? After all, isn’t each day a gift, something we’ve done absolutely nothing to deserve? All I need to do is breathe, and I don’t even need to be conscious of it! My body has the wisdom to act on its own behalf. It totally cooperates in the process.

The sun has just risen over the horizon. In other words, the earth has spun into place for sunrise viewing. They needed nothing from me, except perhaps for my attention. No, they don’t even need that, but it is me who benefits. The golden orb matches the flame on my candle. Perhaps I will let it burn all the way down and enjoy an extended dawn.

Today the first bird I hear through the closed window (it is 20 degrees outside) is the crazed gobble of a turkey. Without looking, I can imagine his feathers fully flared out as he struts before the hens. They seem to vocalize when they’re in the mood for love. And the hens just ignore them! It makes me laugh every time. Spring must be exhausting for these toms. But then, they don’t have to go running after the babies all summer!

I hear my beloved husband stirring in the bedroom. Now I have to make a decision. Do I rise, go in there, and demand my fifteen minutes of cuddling? Or do I let him join me first and kiss me as he always does? I am so blessed. I let the kiss come to me. After all, I have decided to receive the day. All day. So far, its magic.

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Author: Dwelling in Presence

Striving to live in the present where Spirit is found, I get (t)here most often by writing. It keeps me grounded in both the silence and in my senses. So, welcome to my journal. With a home on mid coast Maine, I have recently retired from 18 years as copastor of The First Church in Belfast, United Church of Christ, with my spouse, Joel Krueger. My spiritual formation has been nurtured by the sensual and sacramental faith of the Roman Catholic church, the heady intellectualism of Yale Divinity School and doctoral studies at Northwestern University, and the justice activism of the United Church of Christ in which I am ordained. Yale Divinity gave me the opportunity to study with pastoral theologian Henri Nouwen who I continue to think of as spiritual mentor these many years later. I have begun this blog to be certain to reach out in a time of great transition and chaos. We are suffering a worldwide pandemic, a global climate crisis, a war-damaged world and great upheaval in the church. With these reflections, I want to share what gives me joy and that which gives me pause. I look forward to hearing yours comments.

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