Cold

I live in an ancient stone house....

Up leaf-littered stone stairs....

Surrounded by a mossy stone wall....

Yesterday's snow lingers. This morning the river valley is blanketed in thick, heavy fog.

It is cold.

I plan my day around the cold. I stack wood, walk the dogs, sweep and clean to stay warm.

When I sit...to read, to write, to dream...the cold seeps in.

Multiple layers, fleece, a hat...and still it seeps in.

When I'm cold, I can only think about how to get warm

But not too warm.

Don't sweat, don't get chilled...that's even worse than just the cold.

People sleeping over the heat vents on the streets of Des Moines

Or huddled in tents in those make-shift campsites along the river.

Men and women wrapped in sleeping bags stretched out in the doorways of Paris.

Or along the Canal St. Martin in cardboard shelters.

The homeless. The clochards.

They are cold.

Mind-numbing, bone-chilling cold.

Cold that defines life...or death for some.

I light the fire laid on the hearth,

The logs crackle and burn.

I ignite the gas heater and roll it closer.

Its blue flames dance.

Instant warmth for me.

Who warms the others?

With God on Our Side

I've blogged over at MelangedMagic about one of the unexpected pleasures of staying here at the Chatette...discovering new music in Laury's CD collection. The Neville Brothers have become my new favorites. This YouTube photo-montage to Aaron Neville's cover of the Bob Dylan song, "With God on Our Side," brought tears to my eyes. I think its anti-war message is powerful, as are the images, so be forewarned...a few of them are quite graphic.

My God is on the side of peace. Hear what the psalmist says in Psalm 46: 9 & 10:

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.

10 ‘Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.’

Be sure to turn off the Dona Nobis Pacem music before playing the video!

Enriching Morning Devotions

Whether I'm at home or here in France, I frequently like to enrich my morning devotion time with something beautiful. Sometimes I light candles; sometimes I meditate on a photograph I've taken of a sacred space such as this detail from the Cloisters at the St. Etienne Catheral in Cahors. Most of the time, though, I use music. It can be either sacred or secular...classical works are perfect. My only criteria is the music cannot be accompanied by singing unless it's not in English. I find I get distracted by the words of a song and don't focus on the words of Scripture. I know...I'm not very disciplined! This morning I set the mood for my devotional time with a CD by Paolo Lorenzani (1640-1713) an Italian-born composer who used rich choral arrangements with his orchestral scores to blend both the Italian and  French styles of music during the Baroque peiod. The CD playing for my inspiration was a series of motets with titles such as "Dialogue Between Jesus and the Soul," "Antiphon to theVirgin," and "Litany of Our Lady." I could close my eyes and imagine myself sitting on a hard wooden pew in a Gothic cathedral worshipping with the faithful. For me, music, beauty, and light are all rituals that the Holy Spirit uses to enrich my time with God.

Do you enrich your devotions with any rituals? I'd love to hear what they are.