The Human & the Holy spiritual formation community (H&H) will be coming together this Sunday for our second gathering of the 2016-2017 year. Our theme this year is From the Inside Out: Living a Significant Life. Our gathering Sunday is titled “In the Chapel of Eggs: Prayer and Daily Living.” The reference is to Anne Sexton’s poem “Welcome Morning” (SEE below).

I came across this delightful 3 minute film clip and sent it to all the H&H folks as a visual image of prayer. I thought you might enjoy taking the plunge as well. This five-toed pachyderm is no run-of-the-mill guru.

Swimmingly Yours,
Dan

Welcome Morning

There is joy
in all:
in the hair I brush each morning,
in the Cannon towel, newly washed,
that I rub my body with each morning,
in the chapel of eggs I cook
each morning,
in the outcry from the kettle
that heats my coffee
each morning,
in the spoon and the chair
that cry “hello there, Anne,”
each morning,
in the godhead of the table
that I set my silver, plate, cup upon
each morning.

All this is God,
right here in my pea-green house
each morning
and I mean,
though often forget,
to give thanks,
to faint down by the kitchen table
in a prayer of rejoicing
as the holy birds at the kitchen window
peck into their marriage of seeds.

So while I think of it,
let me paint a thank-you on my palm
for this God, this laughter of the morning,
lest it go unspoken.

The joy that isn’t shared, I’ve heard,
dies young.

by Anne Sexton

Artwork: See MAYAMARSHAK

P.S. While you are at it, check out Stand4Elephants here