Saturday 24 March 2007

Rivers in the desert

Songbird asked here:

I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19, NRSV

As we near the end of the long journey toward Easter, a busy time for pastors and layfolk alike, I ponder the words of Isaiah and the relief and refreshment of a river in the desert.

For this Friday Five, name five practices, activities, people or _____ (feel free to fill in something I may be forgetting) that for you are rivers in the desert.


My desert is very dry right now. But (appearances may sometimes be to the contrary) I am aware of rivers crossing it and enabling me to keep on walking. I don't think I oculd limit it to five only, especially if I were to try to name the people who are watering me. So I will have to go a bit generic and I hope those of you who have given so generously will forgive that:
1. Fellow bloggers who have commented, encouraged, sympathised, understood and empathised here and in other places online.
2. The spark of creativity that remains. At the moment it is knitting. Being able to create something gives me a spark of hope that one day things may just return to normal.
3. My children, especially when they come and hug me and tell me they love me.
4. Books in which I can lose myself, albeit temporarily.
5. Music which waters me on many levels.

Now I will spend the next few hours anguishing and remembering other things I "should" have said, so please take it as read that there are other rivers crossing my desert, and that my realisation of that is in itself healing.

2 comments:

Kathryn said...

For some reason (well, it may actually be quite obvious) I've read this post with a chunk of Isaiah, as set by Elgar, running through my head
"To give unto them that mourn a garland for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, A garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, That they might be called trees of righteousness"
I am so glad that there are some rivers in your wilderness. The ones that are real for you here and now are the ones you "should" mention. There's no other agenda. Just be glad that these do exist.

Unknown said...

Caroline, I'm glad to find you and pray that more rivers will become apparent as healing continues. Blessings to you.