When it rains, must it pour?

Pandemic. Worldwide pandemic. Isolation. De-centralized church. Fires. More fires. Evacuations. Hazardous air. Torrential rainfall. Flooded church. Ugh!!!

One day while walking the Camino, it started raining. Then it rained harder and harder. My feet were squishing in my flooded and overflowing boots. In the midst of it I called out, 'God, can it rain any harder?' And it did. Really.

Hard. Harder. Even harder.

This morning I looked over my mail, which included a newsletter from Hospice. Included is the section 'Transformation Through Our Grief', so from Willamette Valley Hospice, here are some nuggets for all of us to chew on during this long season of hard, harder and even harder:

• Attend to those things that give your life richness and purpose.
• Strive to 'give back'; helping others can bring you joy.
• Listen deeply to what is going on around and within you.
• Our experiences, including struggles and grief, have the potential of connecting us to others.
• Pay attention to what is requesting your attention, then attend to it.
• Look with gratitude toward the people who share your life.

Sometimes it rains and sometimes it pours but friends, water is life. May yours be blessed, whatever your circumstances.

Pastor Leah