women of a certain age are like sunflowers; they know how to turn their faces to the sun.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Holy as My Day Was Spent


Holy is the dish and drain
The soap and sink, the cup and plate
And the warm wool socks, and the cold white tile
Showerheads and good dry towels
And frying eggs sound like psalms
With a bit of salt measured in my palm
It’s all a part of a sacrament
As holy as a day is spent

Holy is the busy street

And cars that boom with passion’s beat
And the check out girl, Counting change
And the hands that shook my hands today
Hymns of geese fly overhead
And stretch their wings like their parents did
Blessed be the dog
That runs in her sleep
The catch that wild and elusive thing

Holy is a familiar room and the quiet moments in the afternoon

And folding sheets like folding hands
To pray as only laundry can
I’m letting go of all I fear
Like autumn leaves of earth and air
For summer came and summer went
As holy as a day is spent

Holy is the place I stand

To give whatever small good I can
The empty page, the open book
Redemption everywhere I look
Unknowingly we slow our pace
In the shade of unexpected grace
With grateful smiles and sad lament
As holy as a day is spent

And morning light sings “providence”

As holy as a day is spent

-Holy As A Day Is Spent
by Carrie Newcomer

This is one of my favorite songs. I was reminded of it this afternoon while toiling over the written directions for Galadrial's Mirror (and I do mean toil - you try writing 179 lines of code - yeesh!)


I was listening to Pandora internet radio while I worked and this song came up in my mix.

I first met Carrie when I was a student at Earlham School of Religion. She is a delightful individual with a very important message and a strong commitment to living her life with a great deal of personal integrity.

She is also a damn fine musician.

All too often we go about our daily business as if it bears no weight. We believe that our actions don't really matter, unless we are doing something out of the ordinary. We get up, we eat breakfast, we go to work, raise our kids, listen to our friends, make our houses into homes. We knit, or spin, or weave, or crochet.

And we forget that what we do matters.

It matters a great deal.

Every one of those things...every one of US...

is holy.

What a lovely message to receive on a stormy Thursday afternoon spent immersed in the minutia of long lines of detailed instruction.

So...

How was your day spent?

4 comments:

T said...

I should have read this first thing this morning - my day was spent doing nothing and now I feel guilty. I lost a whole precious day. I just listened to her album - The Gathering - she has a beautiful voice reminiscent of Anne Murray - love her voice!

Anonymous said...

Hmmmmm. Lovely blog post. My day was spent doing a job that I don't really like, but then taking breaks and doing things that I do love for the people that I love. I worked on knitting a kangaroo for my niece's 3rd birthday present. I have decided to make as many hand made gifts as I can this year instead of buying gifts for people. I think they mean more. I am with you - what we do matters.

Laurie said...

Lovely lyrics, lovely knitting...and I forgot it was stormy just a few hours west of me yesterday. Central Ohio is still hot and dry...ugh...

Donna Lee said...

I spent my day answering the phone and helping people apply for patient assistance benefits for free medicine. And then I went to the gym and made dinner and......

just a normal day