minister's corner

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 October 25, 2021 

TO: Friends of Melrose

FROM: Rev. Sonia Ireson

Greetings in the name of the One who loves us and holds us dear.

A piece that I read in the Hamilton Spectator from Thursday, October 21, written by Cheryl Fenn on self-reflection has prompted the ideas in this letter.

She makes the point that successful aging is enhanced by taking stock of where we are at, how far we have come, and by making adjustments in all aspects of our life to improve our level of wellbeing.

I find myself gravitating more and more to reviewing and analyzing each of my decisions with a view to changing behaviour that is unhelpful, and reinforcing those choices which have promoted my wellbeing. Having good friends and family that I can bounce these ideas off of can be a sobering and eye- opening experience.

If you are like me, you already know what action is best to achieve balance and harmony, but I tend to glide over what is right, for what may be more expedient or preferred. I am fortunate in having a daughter and a good friend who care enough about me to call me out on my tendency to dismiss self- care in favour of pushing myself beyond my physical and emotional limits.

Consider for a moment that you find yourself repeating behaviour and actions that do not serve you well. This could take any form of negative behaviour that prevents you from being a wholesome person – addiction to alcohol, drugs, harmful foods, overeating and over-work; neglecting spiritual practices; over-extending your physical limitations; inattention to your mental and emotional heath; or packing so many things into our days without leaving time to just be. Basically, it all comes back to balance, ensuring that each aspect of our lives fits and compliments with one another.

When our bodies get out of alignment or homeostasis, they begin to break down. The way we keep tabs on how well we are functioning as human beings is by the feedback of our own personal environments. Am I feeling happy, fulfilled, living with a sense of purpose, healthy and self-aware? When we refuse to stop and reflect when something goes wrong, we lose the ability to change our behaviour and improve our personal circumstances.

Most of our time on this earthly plane is spent in learning lessons, the majority of which occur outside the classroom, in the arena of life. The entirety of our aging involves successive periods of growth. When we allow ourselves to become stagnant, we fail to live up to our potential as human beings, created in the image of our heavenly Creator.

Ask yourself, are you living your life with joy and if the answer is no, then why not? We have been blessed so that we in turn, may bless. Our lives are intended to be filled with abundance and from that well of abundance we have a reservoir from which we can scoop out goodness for others.

Choosing to be a life-long learner and always interested in growing allows us to choose tidbits from other writers to challenge us and help us think. We should never be happy with the status quo. You won’t even be aware that you are missing anything until you reflect on who you have become. 

Take stock of your gifts and your talents and share them generously, but also ensure that you are first feeding your soul.

Be strong! Stay Safe! Be of good cheer!

Together in the Service of Jesus Christ

Sonia

Fall Message

We are to about to see God’s masterpiece at work as the trees are  beginning their early preparation for their winter rest.  Tiny splotches  of colour are starting to occur.  Temperatures are finally beginning to  be more comfortable, at least for some of us, who are fall lovers.

Since I last wrote my Easter message, life has continued to be a  struggle for many as the Pandemic continues its roll of up and down case  numbers, however the availability of vaccinations has helped to ease  the spread.

We are, along with many other businesses, educational centres, and  facilities, in the process of planning a long awaited reopening.  Our  Reopening Commission has determined we will be back in our Sanctuary on  September 12 with attendance limited to 20 plus our volunteers and  staff.  We will revisit these restrictions as we go along.

This part of the church year beginning with the Sunday of September  5 and running for 5 Sundays is referred to as Creation time.  October  will bring us into World Wide Communion on October 3 and October 10,  Thanksgiving.  This is a joyful time of year filled with both church and  family celebrations.  The extended period of downtime since March 15 of  2020 has given us mixed reviews.  We have longed to resume our life  pre- Pandemic, and while vaccines have moved us forward, we are not  completely there yet.  We cannot return to many of our beloved customs ,  singing, hugging, hand shaking, coffee hour, and sitting beside  friends, but we can be together within safe  distances.  We have missed  all this closeness and connection.

Although apart in physical space, we have continued to worship and  join our hearts and spirits through the blessing of Internet.  Our walk  with God continues in faith. May you feel the peace of God as you follow  along in your own daily walk.  

Blessings

Rev. Sonia Ireson