It has become our custom to spend each evening on my back porch drinking coffee and smoking cigarillos after supper as Maggie plays with her toys in the yard. I have noticed a day's end magical hour opposite of the morning where the sun sets, the chimney sweeps swoop down chattering noisily to their chimney perches, and the lightning bugs begin to dance in the backyard in the twilight. A golden sunset lighting the remnant clouds of the day's thunderstorms greets us on the horizon.
"These are wonderful times," I told Rosa, cigarillo in one hand and coffee mug in the other.
Rosa just smiled quietly as she nodded and took another drag of her little cigar.
Later in the evening found me sitting in that welcoming A.A. hall with a diet coke.
"You look different," Mary, the elderly cat lady, told me last night as she gave me a hug.
"I have lost 25 pounds," I replied, proudly and vainly.
"You can really see it in your face," Mary said.
The meeting began and we talked of letting go and letting God. For the first time in a long time, I sat listening without cringing. Usually, that three letter word connoting omnipotent beings would bring an adverse reaction out of me. Maybe there is hope for this old agnostic yet. I have seriously been contemplating attending the Episcopalian Church down the street from my home shying away from the many boisterous Baptist churches on every corner of this small Southern town. One day at a time as the say in A.A. I only have to put one foot in front of the other for the time being. Life really is that simple…I hope.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
The Other Magical Hour
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24 comments:
Things are as simple as you allow them to be.
All the best :o)
Last night, I saw my first bee-a-baw of the season. That's what my youngest used to call a lightening bug. He called all bugs "bees" and the baw part was a light "bulb". A bug with a light he would say. ha!
Good post. :)
Simple and sweet
I'm sure you know that I pray for you often. If you've read my other blog at all you probably know how I feel about most Baptist churches as well. The Episcopal church is a very nice church. I used to go with my aunt when I was little. Just know that I will continue to pray for you dear friend.
I know what you mean about the cringing part. I would do that myself, perhaps all too often. You see, I don't have an issue with God. I have an issue with church. Just going to a church is a big step. Hope it works out for you if you do... you would be a huge step ahead of me! :o)
Nice. Thanks
Paulo
PORTUGAL
One foot in front of the other is the only way to walk Andrew, and it works! Isn't it wonderful to sit out in the evening and reflect on the changes that have taken place in your life and Rosa's? It makes me smile to read the contentment in your words.
May God Bless You an Keep You,
May He Shine His Face Upon You, and Be Gracious To You,
May He Turn To You, and Bless You with His Peace.
Andrew, I mentioned this a couple of days ago, but I'll mention it again in case you missed it. This post has been republished 5 times today, each time it pops up in my RSS reader. Due to the nature of how RSS works it won't recognise it as read untill I click on the post. I know you want to build your readership but you're in danger of loosing one reader because although I love your blog it's getting really annoying.
Religion and all its prejudices and snobbery is man made.
God loves the Sikh man and the Buddist woman just as much as the appearantly morally squeeky-clean Baptist church goers that live around the corner from you.
He loves you and me too, whether we like it or not.
The glorious peace that you feel when you see his sunset or his lightening bugs is his kiss upon your cheek.
Drink it in Andrew, you are worthy.
What a lovely post! It's so magical to a point that made me meditate, good job! God bless you!
If anyone is interested, you can visit my blog.
www.theviolinmaster.blogspot.com
~Violin Master
Episcopalians don't bite and are very accepting of everyone. I hope you find this when you try out a church service. My husband isn't one for religion but we attend most every week and he isn't offended by the Episcopal Church.
Happy day, Andrew! I love dusk and the time of the lightning bugs.
I hope you try out a church. I have went all my life and find not specifically the act of attending a church but uniting with a large diverse group of others for the purpose of seeking the one true God to be amazing. I have discovered the Lord to be all sufficient and something I can pour my heart and trust in. I hope you find all you are seeking for and maybe even more. Blessings to you.
I love that time of day also... Thanks for reminding me to pause and enjoy it more often.
Andrew, I like your new blog description. And the banner. I wonder if I should change mine?
Hunger for Gods word like your afterlife depended on it.Because IT DOES ! Good job of breaking free of satans ills,its perpetual work for now.
Andrew,I was clicking away at the 'next blog' link at the top of my blog page and after a few blogs in chinese, porteguese, japanese and a few other ..eses, I found yours. I enjoyed it very much.
Church, or going to church can be a wonderful experience, a horrible experience, or simply an experience. I recommend church, but what I really recommend is the reason for a church, or should I say for a good church and that would be God's Word. For me, connecting to God is the most important thing and I prefer reading what He has to say, rather than listening to the words man puts in His mouth. Ok, there are some good men of God, my pastor being one of them, but the Truth is found in the Bible.
Ok, I will stop preaching. I am very interested in your book. I am attempting to write a fictional novel, fantasy-type story, and I love to read what others write.
I will be back.
Eric
Hi Andrew. I stumbled across your blog while creating one of my own and enjoy it tremendously. As a sexually abused child, I, too, suffer from an illness... depression and fear of commitment. With the help of a strong dose of Paxil and a very supportive husband (my 3rd!), I've been able to enjoy my life for the past 10+ years. From time to time though, I do burden myself with guilt/shame/regret about my past. But it doesn't happen as often as it used to. I'm beginning to believe that time does heal all wounds as does faith in God.
Bless you, Andrew.
I am also one that cannot sleep very well. It is 1:25am here in Texas. I read your post today. I have always believed Anderew that what we get out of life is what we put into it. With a church, it is wonderful to go there and you meet different people that can be great friends. But I also feel that God is everywhere you go. I believe you can praise him and talk to him on your daily walks or sitting in your chair during the day. God knows our needs and he knows where we stand in life.
I have been reading all your blogs and it does take some time, but you are a very interesting person. You I believe are very brave to open the door to your life to us. People that you cannot see. I think that is very brave of you and you have a giving heart. You worry at times I think if people are treading in on you there, but you have this door that you have created and it is always open. YOu have it where people can see your accomplishments to your faults. Very few people want to show their own faults. I am one of them, but you have shown your life in a different light and I truelly admire you and you have given me encouragement. Thank you Andrew. Not only are you a good writer but i believe your a wonderful man.
Blessings....
I ate dinner with my SIL on the front porch last night and I was straining my eyes to catch a glimpse of a single lightening bug. Texas has them, but they are rare to see. I told her that Texas is missing some things that I love so much about Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. Kudzu, steep hills and lightening bugs. Now Texas has Kudzu too, but not like I'm used to. *sigh* I miss my Alabama. :-( I'm from Hueytown.
God doesn't care so much about which church we attend, if we attend at all. What God cares about is how we treat others and how we live our lives. Stay strong and remember every day is both a test and an adventure.
How do you change the banner as far as the picture goes..I've been meaning to look into how that's done..as I'm not that savvy on the pc.
Hope you had a great weekend, and I'm sorry to hear that you had a rough day the other day.
Hang in there..It's already another day.
Always,
Crusty~
good Work
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