Well, that's a bit better

Yesterday was just 'one of those days' that 

one is struggling with many things at once, 

with a few nights of poorer sleep.

Today was better.

I went to our local church for the

Feast of St Michael and all the Archangels and 

it was really good to be there.

I have read of miracles of St Michael the Archangel 

and know that God has many in his realm who 

help us... years ago (11 it seems!) I read this post

by Fr Stephen Freeman and I have never forgotten it,

about St Michael and Archangels.  

His then 4 year old's prayer (his son must be in his early 30s by now)

is a treasure of simplicity and faith... and it's very helpful for

trying to explain or go into at all why I and others 

who are usually Orthodox, Catholic or perhaps high church Anglicans, 

(and I hope more than this, but don't know)

believe in Angels and Saints praying for us. The post is here. 

I can't remember exactly where I read about how Angels have helped so many

who are Christian but I one of these articles was this one.

Last night I had such a hard time falling asleep,

but I remembered years ago a song about God covering us with His wings

and how I felt, at the time, that it was a deep song for me,

that the suffering I was in then (my protestant spiritual mother was 

in her last year of life from cancer and I was young, in shock and grief)

was part of what God would use as the 'wedding for my soul' to Christ

and the image of being extremely vulnerable on a steep cliff with a storm raging

and having very little protection but then remembering that God is

our Refuge, the one who Covers us, Protects us, Saves us...

and God sends His Angels of Fire to be with us... 

***

I've been listening to this song a lot this week

and it seems to be voicing both the tragedy of living in this world 

and also the valour and hope that we still have while in the time of

tragedy.... and of beauty...

(Sadly this video was taken down recently but google
♫ Lord of the Rings - The Grace of Undómiel (with lyric and see
if it is find-able for you).
I read DE Stevenson's Shoulder the Sky and part of it, 

about bearing our troubles with courage, 

really spoke to me.

***

It was wonderful to be at liturgy,

to have lunch with a local friend afterwards,

go to NYC to do errands, plus have one scoop of vanilla ice cream...

I talked to my Mom and my quilting friend on the phone while walking around...

I have head phones for this of course...

I filled my cart as full as full could be with everything from the wonderful

cranberry almond-crust pies that Trader Joes sells now at this time of year to

restocking my chocolate chips and getting the cranberry and Camembert hors d'oeuvre.

I had help from a lady in NYC with it down to the PATH train,

I kept telling her it was heavy but yet she wanted to help

(I basically let the cart slowly go down in front of me step by step 

when it's loaded down and heavy).

I managed to get things cleaned up when home,

dishes nearly done, other than dinner dishes and a dishwasher full of 

clean dishes... we had left overs + salad for dinner.

I enjoyed a muffin and tea for dessert!

I am so wanting to try this way of making scrambled eggs

this Saturday and having eggs and a muffin with tea for breakfast!

***

Tomorrow I have to bring the car in for an oil change and tune up.

The place we bring it to is not far but I always feel a bit apprehensive about it,

because of one turn I have to take in it.

Prayers for sleep and good courage are quite welcome! 

***

I pray that all of us will be reminded of how God cares of us and 

how He is our Protector, the one Who Saves.