Leap?

To leap?

Or stand staring
over the precipice?

Rocks below
sharp
dangerous
able to rend and tear and destroy
 
Yet there amongst the rocks

A glimpse of water
swift
cool
delicious in it’s power to revive

Our Deepest Fear…

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond
measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most
frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world. There is
nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people
won’t feel insecure about you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest
the glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same. As we are
liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically
liberates others.

Marianne Williamson

Change and Sustainability

As I write this I am on the porch of a cabin looking out a beautiful panoramic view of the Great Smoky  Mountains in E. Tennessee.   It seems like the first time in a few weeks that I’ve had both the time and inclination to reflect on what I am learning from my life and to write about that reflection.  Having grown up in the shadow of the Smoky Mountains and  now living in the Midwest, I am always perplexed when I visit at the changes to this area that I think of as home.  Driving  in to reach this cabin we passed a mountainside that has been what can only be described as ‘raped’ by unregulated building.  Rather than a mountainside forested with trees and an occasional house or cabin, it is now covered with nearly identical two and three story cabins with an occasional tree.  Rather than the soothing shades of green and brown one is now confronted with the jarring sight of the red clay soil of this area covering nearly the whole mountainside.  The sight is a blight on the landscape that is disturbing to see because it represents both a basic disrespect for the land and a disregard for sustainable development.  It is an extreme example of what has been happening in this area for years and I wonder where it will all end.

Seeing what is happening to this place I think of as home leads me to wonder at the sustainability of the life I am building for myself.  Having this time to slow down and be quiet makes me more aware of just how busy and stressful life has felt in recent weeks.  Our family is going through a transition as I start a new job as the director of a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence in Indianapolis.  This new job means I will be commuting and working daily 60 miles away from home until we are able to sell our house and move closer to my work.  That change to a daily commute is a significant one but for my kids, particularly my 9 year old son, the idea of moving is very anxiety provoking.  He’s been really anxious and worried about the upcoming changes.  It’s going to take very intentional decision making and boundary setting on my part over the next few months to ensure that our life during this transition is sustainable for all of us.  I’m going to have to be careful about how I use my time so that I have enough energy and time to help my kids (and myself) through this time of change.  I don’t want to look back a year from now and see something like I saw driving in here…change that has left scars on the landscape of our lives that will take years to heal.  I’d appreciate your prayers during this time of transition.

Becoming a “Locavore”

I’m reading an interesting book right now, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, in which she chronicles her family’s year of eating only foods grown or produced in their local area of Virginia. The term “locavore” is being used to describe those who are trying to support local farmers and eat foods in season in their particular locales. In doing so, they are trying to create and promote markets for a more sustainable agricultural future. Our current food preferences in the U.S. depend upon fossil fuels to both produce and transport food over great distances. With the rising price of petroleum comes inflation which we are all feeling now not to mention the price that is exacted as we pour more carbon into the atmospere and degrade our topsoil through unsustainable farming practices.

Over the past few months we have been making some efforts to eat more locally. Last summer we bought virtually all of our produce and eggs at the local farmer’s market. We continue to buy eggs, beef, pork and some dairy produced locally but winter in the midwest is not known for an abundance of produce. As I peruse the produce department at my local grocery store and see grapes grown in Chile, Clementines from Spain, bananas from Central America and all kinds of green veggies from California I realize how accustomed I have become to having anything I want at any time at a price I can afford. But I am coming to realize that this kind of global agricultural marketplace comes at a high price to both the environment and, in many cases, to the producers of our ‘affordable’ vegetables and fruits.

I realize that if something does not change, my children will have no concept of how our food is produced and how that food production is connected to the earth and the seasons.  As far as they are concerned, strawberries are endlessly available, asparagus has no particular season, tomatoes are a year round food and meat comes in shrink-wrapped plastic containers. When foods are available to us constantly, we lose any sense of the wonder and anticipation that comes from looking forward to a favorite seasonal treat or the appreciation for the cycle of life and our part in that.  Nothing is special because it’s always available with a minimal expenditure of effort.  When that over-familiarity occurs, we lose some sense of the wonder of God’s creation and our connection to our physical environment.

Over the next few months I’m going to be thinking and writing about what I am learning about trying to eat more locally as well as the hidden costs of the global agricultural marketplace. I’d be interested in hearing your reflections on these issues.  To find information about local farmers and food producers in your area, check out localharvest.org.

Fasting from TV: Six Month Update

It’s been six months since we cancelled our satellite TV subscription and here are a few things I’ve come to realize:

• It’s a lot harder to be without TV programming when the days are short and the weather is bad.
• Fasting from TV does not automatically mean that the time is filled with more enriching or productive activity .
• Children who don’t watch TV require much more attention and energy to parent.
• While waiting until later in life to have children has many advantages, boundless energy is not one of them.
• It is both uncomfortable and rewarding to move out of our comfort zones.
• It is possible to live a normal and fulfilled life without having access to 100+ channels of TV programming.
• I don’t miss hearing every little detail about the day’s horrific tragedy.
• I can still get plenty of news without watching TV. The only time I’ve really wanted to watch the TV news was when we had severe weather. We were able to pick up a local channel (though the reception was pretty bad).
• It’s a lot cheaper to get movies from the library than from Blockbuster.
• I’ve rediscovered how much I enjoy reading for pleasure.

I have to say that our fast is not a complete fast. We do watch movies and videos from the library or Netflix and I’ve even watched a few cooking shows I got at the library. What is significantly different, however, is that the TV is not available to be used 24/7 as a distraction. Anything we watch is an intentional choice (both as to the programming and the time.) I’ve certainly done more reading, writing and listening to music in the last six months and I’ve learned a lot about myself. Fasting is, in part, about exposing our dependencies and clarifying what is important. God has taught me some important lessons in the last six months and for that I am truly grateful.

Thanks be to God!

This Week’s “Thankful for My Children” Moment

Yesterday was my birthday.  I’ve never been particularly worried about getting older but this year, as I reached the 45 year mark, I was feeling melancholy about the brevity of life.  Yesterday, after eating a celebratory lunch of chili dogs (my hubby took me out for a nice meal earlier in the weekend) and receiving the mandatory gift of chocolate, my 9 year old son said he had one more gift for me.  Putting his arms around me he gave me a big hug and a kiss and said he loved me.  I thanked him and told him that the hug and kiss was the best gift I received.  “Love is always the best gift” he said.  I agree.  I guess if I have to be 45 (and I clearly have no choice in the matter) I’m glad that I am able to spend this year living with and learning from my children.  Thanks be to God.

Rain

It’s raining…again. We’ve had around 3 inches of rain in the last couple of days, everything is soggy and I can’t wait for spring. This is disappointing because I usually look forward to winter. I love snow. I have very warm memories of snow days at home as a child; being outside in the woods with my brothers and the dogs; walking on frozen ponds, which, in East Tennessee was taking our life in our hands since the ice never got very thick; staying out (with bread bags taped over our shoes) until we couldn’t feel our toes; coming in to hot chocolate on the stove and a jigsaw puzzle. We lived near on the edge of a woods on the side of a mountain and the back of our house was big picture windows. When it snowed it was so beautiful, almost magical. Walking in the woods in the snow is one of life’s great experiences. The snow on the trees muffles all the sound and the light glinting off the snow crystals gives everything a luminescent quality. The contrast of the white snow with the green of the spruce and pine trees and the gray of the bare hardwoods lends a simplicity restfulness to the eye that is not present in the other seasons when there is more color. I miss that experience.

The grayness of the winter here in Indiana is difficult to deal with but is normally tolerable when there is more snow. Grayness and rain and a damp cold that clings to the skin is hard to take. I find myself wanting to hibernate, feeling less creative, etc. I’m sure the presence of grief and feeling of being unsettled about the future does not help matters any. So I am left with the question of how to tolerate this season in my life as I wait for the sky to brighten and signs of new life to emerge. It occurs to me that the season of Lent, which begins today, Ash Wednesday, offers some parallel to my experience.

During the season of Lent, followers of Christ are asked to make a commitment to a period of reflection and self-examination in preparation for the observance of Holy Week and Good Friday, culminating in the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection: Easter. Lent is not a happy-happy-joy-joy stop on the calendar of the Christian year but then not all of life is that way. There are periods of darkness…rain…sorrow in all our lives. Lent is a time for looking inward and allowing God to illuminate the parts of us that need attention. It’s also a time for looking outward to allow God to help us see the needs of a hurting world. Finally, Lent is a time for looking upward for it is during these these times of darkness, rain and sorrow in our lives that we can, if we pay attention, experience God’s presence, strength, comfort and guidance in deeper and more meaningful ways.

Facing Into Life’s Sorrow

I haven’t posted in several days and have, in fact, been trying not to think too deeply about much. I’ve been dealing with some feelings I would just as soon avoid. A few weeks ago I wrote a post following the death of our friend’s two year old son entitled “Living With Sorrow.” Now I find myself having to revisit that post and remind myself of what I wrote there about how to live with the grief that life brings. Last week a dear friend of ours came home from the hospital after being transferred into the care of hospice. He had been battling cancer for a few months and the treatments set off a terrible chain of events in his body; the end result of which is that his lungs were so badly damaged that he could not recover. Tonight, surrounded by his family, he died.

Tomorrow I will have to tell my nine year old son, Ben, who has been praying for him every night and worrying about him. He’s trying to understand why he can’t be healed – why the doctors can’t just fix his lungs. He’s trying, again, to comes to terms with our mortality; with the fact that life is a mixture of sorrow and joy and that when we allow ourselves to love another person we open ourself to the possibility of loss. I wish I could protect him and myself from the grief that life brings but I know that protection of that sort comes with a high price. If we can’t allow sadness in our lives we sacrifice opportunities for joy.

So, instead of protecting him from the sadness, I’m going to allow him, and myself, to grieve. In the process, I’m sure there will come a point at which the tears give way to laughter as we remember the good times, the laughter, the joy. We’ll give thanks together for the blessing of such a friend. I would appreciate your prayers.

Enraptured

As I worked I watched you…

spinning,

swaying,

enraptured by the music

and the moment

and the joy of being six

and alive:

free to dream the dreams of what might come.

As I worked I watched you

and listened…

remembering a moment on a mountaintop,

the wind on my face,

my dog along side:

immersed in the music of life.

Sweetness.

Joy.

Peace.

Hope.

Enraptured

“The Talk”

I knew it was coming…there had been hints and questions that had been skirted but it was out there…lurking…the talk. You know the one I’m referring to…the one every parent knows is inevitable but hopes to postpone as long as possible…the “how does the baby get in the mommy’s tummy?” talk.

It started with my nine year old son a few days before Christmas when we had to have a discussion about our dog’s occasional mounting, a.k.a., humping, behavior. We talked about his trying to establish dominance but ultimately I explained the mechanics of canine reproduction which my son found “gross.” A couple of days after that, my daughter became upset after watching “The Nativity” which portrays Elizabeth giving birth to John in a pretty realistic way. She was upset to know that it hurts to have a baby and said she never wanted to have one. Here’s a snippet of our conversation with Julia’s words in italics.

I never want to have a baby. You don’t have to honey, you can choose not to. I don’t want to have a baby inside me. Julia, no one will make you…there are ways to make sure you won’t have a baby. You can choose. But Mary didn’t get to choose…God made her have a baby. What if God makes me have a baby?.

She’s a thinker. I answered as best I could saying that Mary was a special person and that I felt sure that would not happen to her but clearly I did not put the question to rest. I know this because on the way home this evening she again became upset and said that she was afraid of having a baby and that she never wanted to have a baby, in fact, she wished she was a boy so that she would not have to have a baby. I again tried to reassure her. The conversation, as best I can remember, is recorded below.

Me: Honey, don’t worry. You can choose. There are ways you can make sure you don’t have a baby.

Julia: But I’ve already got the eggs in me, remember? You said that girls have eggs.

Me: Yes, you do have eggs but the egg won’t make a baby unless you get a sperm from a boy.

Julia: What’s a sperm?

Benjamin: Boys have sperm? I thought only boy dogs had sperm.

Me: Yes, boys have sperm and the sperm has to join with the egg to make a baby.

Ben: So how does the sperm get inside the girl to the egg?

Me: (Feeling like a deer in the headlights but taking a deep breath and speaking matter-of-factly) The boy puts his penis in the girl’s vagina and the sperm comes out of his penis and finds the egg.

Ben: That’s gross!!!!

Julia: I’m never going to do that!!!

Ben: …pause…Is that what you and dad did?

Me: (Oooooo….should have seen that one coming…GULP) That’s what all people do to have a baby, honey, so……., yes.

Ben: …..(long pause)….That must have been painful for you.

Me: (trying not to laugh) No, it’s not painful. That’s what people are talking about when they talk about sex.

Ben: Ohhhhh…now I get it!

Julia: I’m never going to do that!

Me: And if you never do that you will never have a baby.

And that was pretty much the end of the discussion.

It occurs to me that we have come a long way from my grandmother’s days when sex was not mentioned, much less explained and women (and perhaps men though I’ve never heard a man of my grandparent’s generation talk of this) often went into their marital beds fearfully or in complete ignorance about sex and reproduction. At the same time, I’m aware that while we in 21st century western cultures can talk easily about such matters and have so much information about reproduction and sex, many of our sisters around the globe are denied such freedoms.

I’m glad I can talk to my children about their bodies and the way their bodies work without feeling ashamed and passing that shame on to them. God created us as physical beings as well as spiritual and emotional beings and what God has created is good and beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of. Certainly as my kids get older I will talk to them about sexual intercourse as more than a physical act and teach them about the spiritual, emotional and psychological ramifications of that kind of intimacy but today they just wanted to know how the baby gets in the mommy’s tummy. Perhaps that is an easier conversation than the ones we will have later. For now, I’m thankful to be living in a time in the history of humanity and in a culture in which my daughter will have the choice as to whether or not to have a baby. I’m glad that we are living in an era that allows such open (if not completely comfortable) communication about such matters. I’m thankful.

Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer,

Thank you for the challenge of parenting, for my children, for choices, for life. Help us to be mindful of the blessings of our lives and mindful of our brothers and sisters whose lives are not blessed with the freedoms and privileges we enjoy. Be the companion to those women who have no choices as you help us to see them and hear their cries and respond with mercy as we work for justice.

Oh Lord, hear our prayer.

The Pull of the Dark Side and Commitments for the New Year

As we enter the new year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what my goals for this year should be. I’ve never been a person to make resolutions or to set goals at the beginning of the year primarily, I think, because I knew I was unlikely to keep them and I didn’t want to have to feel that failure. Recently, however, I’ve been thinking about self-reflection and goal setting as an issue of discipleship. As someone who is committed to follow the Way of Jesus, I have a responsibility to live an examined life; to be on a lifelong pilgrimage of faith that is a journey of becoming. That journey has moments of joy but also moments of discomfort as we face into our shortcomings and weaknesses.

Back in August, shortly after commencing our fast from TV and launching this blog, I wrote a post about the Pull of the Dark Side. As I said in that post,

Some might call it Satan, others, unresolved childhood trauma, unmet dependency needs or simply human frailty. Whatever you want to call it we all have it. It’s that room inside of us where we keep the feelings of ugliness, frustration, inadequacy, hurt and anger.

I’ve been feeling the pull toward that dark room quite a bit in recent days with the busyness of the holidays, having the kids home from school, fighting a nagging cold, blah, blah, blah. I’m sure I could fill quite a few lines with all the stressors and sources of anxiety in my life (as I know most of you could) but understanding what makes me vulnerable to the pull of the dark side does not necessarily change anything. Self-understanding provides cold comfort when I see the hurt or bewilderment in my children’s eyes as they are pulled into the vortex with me. Insight, alone, does not provide immunity to old pain or change patterns of behavior. (It only took me ten years working as a psychotherapist and five years of my own therapy to come to that conclusion.) It’s not enough to understand.

I don’t intend to imply that insight is unimportant, on the contrary, it is a blessing and a powerful tool but it does not automatically change our behavior. So what does? How do we make positive and lasting change in our lives? While I don’t pretend to have all the answers, here are a few things I am trying to do:

1. Articulate the problem or issue. As they say in 12 step programs, the first step to getting help is to acknowledge that you have a problem and need to change. This step requires that we actually stop distracting ourselves long enough to be quiet and think about things that make us uncomfortable or anxious. If this process is a part of your spiritual journey, then inviting the spirit of God to be present with you and reveal to you what needs to change is a foundational part of this step. Sometimes, we know something needs to change but are unable to articulate what the problem is. In this case, seek the counsel of a minister, therapist or mentor to help you sort it out.
2. Envision the change you want to see. There is a lot of research indicating that being able to imagine or visualize a change is a powerful tool in realizing the change. Again, this requires time; time to imagine, in as much detail as possible, what life will look like when you make the change you desire. What would be different about you? Your relationships? Your use of time and other resources? Allow yourself to dream and do it regularly.
3. Set realistic goals. Rather than thinking that you have to achieve a 100% change (which almost always guarantees our failure) try thinking about making a 10% change and then build on that success.
4. Make a plan about how you are going to achieve your goals. I’ve heard it said that failing to plan is planning to fail and I believe it. Make a plan. What resources do you need? What are the steps?
5. Get support. As humans, we thrive in community. Whether that community is a church, a small group of friends, family, therapist, or other supportive individual or group, we need to be connected to those who can encourage us, pray for us and help us hold ourselves accountable to the commitments we make to ourselves and to God.

I am painfully aware that this is all much easier to talk about than to do. As I get older, I recognize that we seek familiarity because while it may not be comfortable, at least we know what to expect. To commit ourselves to self-examination and change is to enter into a process that is uncomfortable and anxiety provoking. And yet, as followers of the Way of Jesus, we make our journey of becoming with a constant companion. We are not alone. We do not attempt to grow and change in our own power alone but with the assurance that God’s grace is sufficient for you for power is perfected in weakness. (2 Corinthians, 12:9)

This year, for the first time in quite a while, I’ll be making, not New Year’s Resolutions, but commitments to myself and to God for the coming year. My first is to resist the pull of the dark side as I deal with my children. I’ll be following the steps above as I try to make that commitment a reality. I’ll let you know how it goes. I would covet your prayers.

Christmas Eve

 

In him was life and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4,5)

Photo by Carolyn Shelton, 2007.  All rights Reserved

Ballet, Beauty & Blessings

My daughter performed in a production of “The Children’s Nutcracker” with her ballet studio this weekend. She was in her element. Take one girly girl and combine her with pink chiffon, sequins, lipstick and a chance to be on stage (and backstage) with her friends and you have all the makings for an ecstatic experience (at least in my daughter’s eyes.) She was not nervous and by the second performance was running around like she owned the place.

As I sat and watched all four performances I became aware of an upwelling of emotion at various points. This was not an emotional response to seeing “my baby” growing up as I might have thought but something different and it took me some time to understand what I was feeling. Sitting in the darkened theater I felt myself immersed in beauty and abundance. As I watched these beautiful young people I was aware of just how privileged and fortunate they are. They are healthy. They have parents (or someone) who is committed enough to get them to rehearsals and make sure they have the equipment they need to participate. They are Americans so they enjoy a standard of living that is only a distant dream for many around the globe. They get a chance to learn to dance and to be surrounded by beauty. As I experienced Tchaivosky’s “Waltz of the Flowers,” enchanted by the music and the young dancers who looked very much like beautiful flowers, I found myself saying a prayer of thanks to God for the gift of beauty and music and the abundance that makes it possible for me to partake in such a feast for the senses.

The sweetness of the experience was tempered only by the knowledge that so many of our fellow humans will never know abundance but will spend much of their lives struggling just to have enough. The contrast of these dual realities brings to mind the story of the nativity in which the jubilant proclamation of the Angels to the shepherds regarding the birth of Jesus is contrasted with the humble stable which housed him and the violence that followed his life. We live in the paradox of “already and not yet.” God has already provided for the redemption and reconciliation of all creation and yet that work is not yet complete. Living with such abundance it is easy to stop with what we “already” have (most everything we need and much of what we want) and forget that so many do “not yet” have even the basic necessities of life.

I pray that the sweetness of our celebrations this holiday season will be tinged with the awareness of and compassion for those who do not live with the abundance we will experience in the next couple of weeks. I pray that their need will be before us, not to spoil our celebrations, but to remind us to be thankful and to motivate us to generosity and compassion as we seek to follow the one whose birth we celebrate in this season.

Lord hear our prayer.

Stewarding the Earth and Celebrating the Season: Gifts That Make a Difference

It’s easy to get caught up in buying “stuff” this time of year. Often we feel obligated to buy gifts for people that we don’t know well or we want to give a gift to a loved one but are not sure what to buy because they seem to have everything they could want or need. Why not take a stand this year to honor someone you love by giving a gift that makes a difference for others and the earth? I’d like to recommend two alternatives to giving “stuff” that may or may not fit, be appreciated, used or needed:

1. HEIFER International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating hunger and poverty and caring for the earth by providing individuals with a source of food rather than temporary food aid; thus helping individuals and families to achieve self-reliance. In addition, HEIFER works to educate the recipients about sustainable agricultural practices. You can honor someone by giving the gift of a cow, pig, goat, sheep, chicks, geese, rabbits, honeybees, trees, etc. that will go to help a family in need sustain itself. See HEIFER’s online gift catalog by clicking here.
2. The Arbor Day Foundation is working to replant National Forests across the United States that have been devastated by wildfire and insects. At present the National Forest Service has a backlog of over 1 million acres of forest that needs to be replanted and with each new wildfire that number grows. You can give the gift of trees to be replanted in a national forest in honor or in memory of someone ($10.00 minimum gift) by clicking here. You will be able to print out a certificate to give to them or have the Arbor Day Foundation send them one. You can also send holiday cards ($5.95) that come with the gift of a tree planted in a national forest by clicking here.
3. Of course, I’m sure you would not have to look far in your own community to find an organization whose cause you could feel good about supporting. (Like the Julian Center in Indianapolis, an organization near and dear to my heart. You can access their website here.)

In the midst of this season in which honoring the birth of the savior is overshadowed by honoring the god of the marketplace I pray that we can all stay focused on celebrating in a way that reflects that values that Jesus lived and taught.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  Luke 4:18-19

Drought

I visited my parents in E.Tennessee over the Thanksgiving weekend and saw first hand the effects of the drought I had heard them talking about for months. The rivers in the Smokies were as low as I’ve ever seen them and while a little rain has eased some of the immediate dryness there, the rainfall in that area of the country is more than 25 inches below normal for this year. Many in the southeastern United States are beginning to understand the sense of helplessness many in other parts of the country and world have felt for years as they have struggled with drought and limited water supplies.

I suppose I’ve been experiencing my own kind of drought in recent days. Since the beginning of November I’ve made only five posts to this blog; less than half the number I made in October. I could say that it’s because I’ve been busy or that the holidays have kept me from taking the time to post and while I, like most everyone, do have extra things to do this time of year I can’t say that my busyness has kept me from posting. It feels more like a drought – a scarcity of whatever it is that elevates us from simply surviving to being able to thrive. I know myself well enough now (five years of therapy will do that for you) to know that when I feel this way it tends to be my psyche’s way of drawing my attention to something that is not sustainable. When something in my life is not working for me, I begin to experience symptoms that, if left unattended, will lead me down the path of depression. When I begin to feel mentally dull, irritable, uninterested in things I usually enjoy and I feel a lack of creativity I know that I need to stop and spend some time reflecting on what it is that is not working for me or what is going on that might require that I practice better self-care. God has created us with a lovely array of sensors that will sound warning bells or will signal us somehow that something under the hoods needs some attention. The trick is to learn to be aware of the signals that your body, mind and spirit are giving you and then do something to identify the issue and deal with it appropriately. Sometimes we can identify and fix the problem on our own and sometimes we need help.

Drought can benefit us if it causes us to pay attention to the way we are using our resources whether they be material resources or physical, emotional and spiritual resources. It would be a shame to waste the opportunity to learn from it.

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Isaiah 55: 1-2