spicy, solidarity and skyping

-Helping my mom make her famous hot sauce. From rain sprinkling on me as I picked chili petines outside, to the smells of it coming together, to that first bite that made my eyes water from tasty spiciness, it was fabulous. Let's hope I can remember it well enough to make it on my own.

-Going to the grocery store today. I know, it sounds crazy, who would like to be in a grocery store right before Thanksgiving? Well, I suppose I would. I met a nice lady near the sweet potatoes and while waiting for pancetta I met another friendly person. I found people more chatty and warm than the normal grocery shopping experience. Maybe this is because of the anticipation of cooking delicious food for loved ones, and maybe it's just the solidarity of surviving the place together! People left the store tired and heavy-laden with bags, but with heads held a little higher at having accomplished it.

-Skyping with some wonderful folks in Belfast: Roberta, Katrina and Jonee. It was so lovely to hear a Northern Irish accent again, to catch up on all the news at the church I served there and to laugh at funny stories shared. I'm so thankful for the time I had in that wee place and for the friendships that continue. I also came across a great thought (through my good friend, the illustrious Chris Hunter) from David Bruce, the Executive Secretary of the Board of Mission in Ireland. He said something so powerful for his own context, and powerful for ours as well:

"The Presbyterian Church in Ireland needs to be known not for her Presbyterianism but for her wholehearted commitment to the Lord of the Gospel. We need to be people who demonstrate to this island, north and south that our confidence is in Christ, and that his people incorporates all nations, each tribe, every ethnicity, rich and poor, black and white, male and female, unionist and nationalist, loyalist and republican, immigrant and indigenous, slave and free, for if we are in Christ then like it or not, we are one. Let us move beyond the bawn. Let the walls fall. Let the mission begin."