...a word from Kathy

W hen I was a little girl I needed, and wanted a night-light.  The dark was scary to me.  I can remember on nights when I was sick I would call for my Mama in a sing-song voice, "Mama, come here".  I guess I was too scared to get up and go to her!  I just knew I needed my mama to come to me and help me.   When my children were little, after they got in bed and we said nighttime prayers, they often reminded me to turn on the hall light.  If I forgot I would hear a tiny sing-song voice, saying "hall light".  And now, in my 60-plus years we too leave on a night light.  We're not afraid but it helps us light our way in the dark of the night. I've realized in these last few weeks, I need a night-light.  The events around me are surreal and I simply cannot control them so I look to a source of comfort...a Light.  And in these times, I have decided to consciously remember what this Light provides for me.  For this Light says, I am he...

L ent began last week.  For much of my life I didn't even know Lent existed because my church didn't recognize the occasion.  But these days I now know the meaning of Lent but I wonder if I simply go through the motions of this pre-Easter practice. It was dusk when we arrived.  The old church in downtown was lit and people were gathering.  The old wooden floor was beautifully shined and the stained glass windows were stunning.  All was quiet except whispers of hello, good evening.  The organ and choir began.  We responded in kind.  The benches ached as we sat, knelt, sat, stood, knelt.  The soprano sang flawlessly. The organ hummed quietly.  Ashes were applied.  Were we all going through the motions for a tradition we didn't understand?  Certainly, we had the head knowledge of the lenten practice but... What does Lent mean to me today?  What am I to do during the pre-Easter season?  I can fast dessert, I can...