There are moments when simply being alive feels like an extraordinary gift. Looking back over life’s challenges, unexpected blessings, and countless acts of grace, gratitude begins to outweigh worry and joy quietly overcomes fear. With warmth, self-deprecating humour, and a thankful heart, this reflection celebrates the gift of life, good health, faithful companions, and God’s enduring presence, reminding us that every new day is another opportunity to give thanks for a heart that still beats—and a grace that never fails.
Tag Archives: Renewable Spirituality
Giving Thanks for Helping Hands
Behind every thriving community are countless helping hands that often go unnoticed. Volunteers, friends, neighbours, and quiet servants make ordinary acts of kindness possible, offering their time, energy, and compassion without seeking recognition. With warmth, gratitude, and pastoral appreciation, this reflection celebrates the ministry of helping hands, reminding us that every simple act of service becomes a living expression of God’s love and helps build the Kingdom one generous gesture at a time.
A Round of Golf and a Round of Gratitude
A round of golf offers far more than a scorecard. It provides moments of beauty, laughter, companionship, and countless reminders that life is best received as a gift rather than a competition. With warmth, gentle humour, and the perspective of both priest and golfer, this reflection explores how gratitude can transform even an ordinary day on the course into an experience of grace, reminding us that every fairway offers another opportunity to give thanks for the goodness of God.
Stones, Stamps, and Sanctuaries
Pilgrimage leaves us with more than passport stamps, photographs, or souvenirs. Every ancient stone, welcoming sanctuary, and well-worn path becomes part of a story that continues to shape the heart long after the journey has ended. With warmth, gratitude, and the quiet wisdom of the Camino, this reflection explores how the places we visit become living reminders of God’s faithfulness, inviting us to carry the spirit of pilgrimage into every ordinary day.
A True Sabbath (With No Fine Print Attached)
True Sabbath is more than simply taking a day off—it is the gracious invitation to rest without guilt, hurry, or hidden expectations. It is a gift freely given by God, not a reward for having finished every task on our list. With warmth, gentle humour, and pastoral wisdom, this reflection explores the freedom of embracing a genuine Sabbath, reminding us that we are loved not because we are productive, but because we belong to God.
Tidying up the Ordinary
Tidying up is about more than putting things back where they belong. The simple rhythms of clearing a room, organizing a shelf, or tending to everyday spaces can become quiet acts of gratitude and care. With warmth, gentle humour, and pastoral insight, this reflection explores the holiness hidden in ordinary housekeeping, reminding us that as we bring a little order to our surroundings, God is often gently at work bringing peace and renewal to our hearts as well.
God in the Everyday (and on the Golf Course)
God’s presence is not confined to sanctuaries or sacred seasons—it can be discovered just as readily on a golf course as in a church pew. Fairways, friendships, missed putts, and moments of quiet beauty all become opportunities to notice grace at work. With warmth, gentle humour, and the perspective of both priest and golfer, this reflection explores how ordinary recreation can become a place of gratitude, renewal, and deeper awareness of the God who walks every course alongside us.
Walking in the Company of Christ (and a Few Hobgoblins)
The journey of faith is rarely free from distractions, doubts, or the little “hobgoblins” of fear and self-importance that try to accompany us along the way. Yet Christ walks beside us through it all, offering courage, humour, and steadfast companionship. With warmth, gentle wit, and the wisdom of pilgrimage, this reflection explores the grace of travelling in the company of Christ, discovering that even our imaginary hobgoblins lose much of their power when we keep our eyes fixed on the One who faithfully leads us onward.
Home Again, Home Again… Even on Vacation
Coming home after a pilgrimage is a joyful reunion with familiar places and familiar people, yet it also reveals that home itself is never quite the same. The journey has quietly changed the way we see, appreciate, and inhabit our everyday lives. With warmth, gentle humour, and a grateful heart, this reflection explores the blessing of returning home, reminding us that the greatest gift of pilgrimage is learning to recognize God’s presence just as clearly in the ordinary rhythms of home as on the roads we have travelled.
I’m Not Dead Yet: Notes on Scams, Saints, and Silly Letters
When an absurd scam letter accidentally becomes the occasion for laughter, perspective, and gratitude, it reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously. With wit, self-deprecating humour, and a pastoral eye for grace, this reflection explores how even the silliest interruptions can become opportunities to celebrate life, cultivate joy, and give thanks for the ordinary gift of simply being alive.