Saturday, December 12, 2020
Ned Thompson
Connecting
I approached Rob’s request to participate in the Daily Reflections with some trepidation. These are my number one “go to” each morning. They get my day started on a great note and as a Thursday morning Healing Service attendee, I usually get to connect with someone new from the Sunday side of the equation
St. John’s is truly blessed with gifted leaders and parishioners, true wordsmiths who set a high bar for creativity with unusual and interesting perspectives.
Beyond our clergy, parishioners like Andy Bang and Peter Tarlton have touched me in extraordinary ways as have so many others. These represent a true connection to the St John’s Community and Christ.
My family has enjoyed a
connection with the Episcopal
Church for many many generations. Like my grandfather, my father served on the Vestry of St. Stephen’s in Sewickley, Pennsylvania for over 30 years.
My parents built a small children’s chapel dedicated to my brother who was tragically taken as a child. My mother oversaw the needlepoint kneelers that grace the pews and routinely crafted beautiful flower arrangements for the altar. Margot and I were married there.
The Diocese of Boston maintained a seaside cottage in Round Pond, Maine which was available to their clergy throughout the summer. The only obligation was to preach the 5:30 Sunday evening service at the
Little Brown Church and then come to
our house for dinner. What
memorable conversations ensued and
I vividly remember a Bishop showing
me how to blowout a candle with just
an index finger.
St. John’s has been the site of
my three children’s baptism’s while
Rob married our youngest. He has
started baptizing the next generation of Thompsons and guided my brother-in-law’s daughter’s ultimate graduation.
Many heartfelt and joyous connections to be sure.
The Coronavirus and other happenings here and abroad have affected us in so many different ways. A universal challenge is to not loose hope and connections and involuntarily isolate. Mental health experts will contend this is the major mental health challenge.
If you didn’t have strong coping method before, I pray you do now. We all have coping mechanisms and I hope the Coronavirus has sharpened yours and provided comfort in these trying times.
I found developing new routines is important to help maintain connections to keep from isolating. Here are some of mine;
• Writing several ”thank you” notes a week. Who doesn’t have someone who has done something you are grateful for? Who doesn’t like going to the
mailbox and seeing a hand addressed envelope. - make somebody’s day.
• I regularly contact friends or acquaintances I have not connected in a long time. I am going through my address book alphabetically.
• Weekly check-in with neighbors. A simple ten minute conversation can make their day. Make them smile, better yet make them laugh.
• Daily meditative walks with my camera. a viewfinder allows you see the natural and built world in a novel way.
Over the years, I have literally taken more than 20,000 pictures. As part of my mindfulness routine, I spend a little time each day sorting and sharing this library via texts or e-mails. The connection is immediate while enjoying a shared a moment in time.
For full disclosure a word or thought will occur to me and I Google to see what the Bible says. Yes, the Google search engine is part of my routine for spiritual growth.
Here are a few words I endeavor to incorporate into my daily life (alphabetical);
• Appreciation
• Empathy
• Non-Judgmental
• Love
• Mindfullness
• Patience
• Sharing
• Thanks
• Tolerance
• Turn the other cheek
Appreciation
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the
soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:25
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face
to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up
his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-25
Tolerance
And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said
to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the
first to throw a stone at her. John 8:7
Non-Judgmental
“Judge not, that you be not
judged. Matthew 7:1
Empathy
Be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, as God in Christ forgave
you. Ephesians 4:32
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy,
brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Love
1 Peter 3:8
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the
prophets. Matthew
22:36
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it
is not arrogant. 1 Corinthians 13:4
Sharing
Do not neglect to do good and to
share what you have, for such
sacrifices are pleasing to God.
13:16
Hebrew
They are to do good, to be rich in
good works, to be generous and
ready to share.
1 Timothy6:18
Thanks
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for you. Thessalonians 5:
Turn the other Cheek
And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with
all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27
A dear friend sailed off in October.....
I would encourage everyone to search for the silver
linings and give thanks to God for the blessings he has
bestowed upon us with St. John’s and the connected
community.