Spring is in Full Bloom

Earlier this week we had three nights with frost advisories for the Rochester area. I carefully covered the tomato and pepper plants each evening to protect them, and they seem to have survived the cold nights.

Warmer weather has returned, and the deep purple lilacs in my yard are now in full bloom. Their fragrance fills the air and makes it into the house on breezy evenings like tonight.

I'm not sure what variety of lilacs produce these deep purple blooms. If you know, please leave a comment. Here are some more shots of these lovely bushes; I wish I could also share the fragrance on these pages!

Happy Mothers Day!

Every year on Mothers Day, Third Presbyterian Church has its annual Music and Arts Recognition Sunday. To begin today’s service the Carol Choir, comprised of 1st and 2nd graders, sang “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” It’s a lovely service in which all the children’s choirs sing, and each 6th grader graduating from the Junior Choir receives a copy of the Presbyterian Hymnal. It’s a wonderful tradition and a great way to honor our mothers, by celebrating children and families.

Earlier this morning, I was listening to an interview with Rabbi Sandy Sasso on the public radio program Speaking of Faith. She talked about how important our family rituals are, and how these everyday experiences in families support and nurture a child’s spirituality.

She told the story of the weekly Shabbat ritual that she and her husband observed with their children. They lit the candles and said the traditional Shabbat prayers. Then they would embrace their children and say a prayer blessing for the children for the week to come. And now that her children are grown, they still call every Friday evening to receive the Shabbat blessing.

We all carry our traditions and rituals from one generation to the next. They shape who we are and how we approach life. When my sisters and brother and I were children, our parents read to us and prayed with us every evening. That has stayed with me my entire life, and is still part my daily practice, and also my siblings and their families.

Remember to say a prayer of thanks today for the family rituals and traditions our mothers (and fathers) shared with us at the beginning of our life’s journey.

Happy Mothers Day!