Blessing the Threshold

        One of the blessings of my life is my "peer group." We 5 all graduated from the Wellstreams program in 2011 and continue to meet monthly to have a time of prayer and reflection and mutual support on this journey of going deeper with God.  They have been true spiritual  companions for me as I have over the years discerned God's leading me into this time of retirement.

    And so, yesterday as we met, they celebrated and blessed  this new time of my life. They gifted me with a prayer shawl, a "Joy candle" and coffee that is appropriately from "Grounds for Change."  And they prayed over me  Here is the prayer: "Blessing the Threshold"

Blessing the Threshold

 

This blessing

has been waiting for you

for a long time.

 

While you have been

making your way here

this blessing has been

gathering itself

making ready

biding its time

praying.

 

This blessing has been

polishing the door

oiling the hinges

sweeping the steps

lighting candles

in the windows.

 

This blessing has been

setting the table

as it hums a tune

from an old song

it knows,

something about

a spiraling road

and bread

and grace.

 

All this time

it has kept an eye

on the horizon.

watching,

keeping vigil,

hardly aware of how

it was leaning itself

in your direction.

 

And now that

you are here

this blessing

can  hardly believe

its good fortune

that you have finally arrived,

that it can drop everything

at last

to fling its arms wide

to you, crying

welcome

welcome

welcome.

 

I have a sense of waiting this month to see what is coming next for me.  Right now, it is clearly a time of rest and refreshment.  And standing on the threshold to a new life.

 

I am so blessed by the various companions that God provides for me on this journey.  What a gift this group has been to me.