City from Mt. Victoria - Labour Day
This time last week, the weather was messing severely with my habit of regular daily exercise. But, of course, the easterly storm passed on after around three days and we had a good patch of weather on Labour Day Monday, or as I like to call it; 'Super-spreader Monday.' Haha just joking...
I rode my fancy carbon-fibre bike up Mt. Victoria on that Monday. There is a certain separation you get from people riding a road bike, so I was insulated from the large numbers of pedestrians released that holiday Monday after the bad weather. It's funny what we think about in these Covid times. You know I've never ridden my bike up Mt. Victoria. It's quite steep but I was glad I did it, if only for the stunning views on every side. Something new, a first for me in life on the North Shore.
Another change of view preceded that one on the Sunday. I had planned to be away at a Mt. Pirongia trail run for the weekend, but of course level 3 put paid to that opportunity. I still felt I needed a circuit-breaker for the weekend. It was such a blessing to have Fiona and Lorna step up in leading and preaching on that day. I must say it is heartening to step back and know that things will be ok without your input, to be reminded that one is dispensable, not indispensable. As a bonus, I was personally encouraged by the spoken message and the content of the service, which were both topical and timely to our season.
Covid restrictions drag on, and far from being all holy and spiritual about it, I have really struggled at times to see a way forward and keep peace of mind. And yet, God does speak into the space we occupy, by the Holy Spirit. God is faithful, ever to be trusted. We have developed a good routine with the zoom services, which with minor adjustments have been acceptable. The collective wisdom now is that those who began by putting something on YouTube are moving more to the zoom format, which is interactive. It's messier and the technology can play up, but what we miss is the conversation in real time, which zoom can give us.
I still needed a break from it, even that one Sunday off any duty snapped me out of my fog. Still, it was great to be part of the gathered community, as we were reminded on Sunday;
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10: 23-25 NRSV)