Reading Marilynne Robinson’s recent book, Reading Genesis, I was captured by her response to the first words of Genesis, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth”. She writes; When I think there was a day when a human hand first wrote those words, I am filled with awe. This sentence is a masterpiece of compression. It approximates as closely as words allow the instantaneous realization of an intent, the bringing into being of the diversity of things that make up the world of fundamental human experience. (Reading Genesis, Marilynne Robinson, McClelland & Stewart) 

On a recent retreat with a long-time group of friends, just as I released us to an hour of silent mediation the rain began to pour. Our cottage was beside a gorgeous set of rapids and racing river which I find a nourishing place to stand when I’m praying. After a bit of time in my room I had the story in my mind and donned my waterproof hooded jacket and braved the rain – the beauty of the river was calling.    

When I’m walking my regular trail around the lake on the edge of town, I often pass kids near the edge throwing rocks in the water. I’m still enough of a kid that rocks and pebbles near water make me want to try and skip them across the surface or at least create some ripples in the water.  

If the consequences weren’t so serious some of the discussion around the exchange of drones, shells and missiles between Iran and Israel would make a fine “Road Runner and Coyote” cartoon episode. One commentator assessed Israel’s limited salvo as “perfectly calculated tit for tat”.