At a recent lunch with one of my younger friends, he told me about a powerful experience sitting with a group listening to Psalm 10 read by a notable Canadian playwrite. It expresses the injustice of the power imbalances in our world and wonders why God isn’t doing anything.

A smile always comes to my face when I remember a phrase “And then the Great I Am would take over” in a speech at the Orangeville’s Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast. Former mayor Gord Courtney worked with a few of us to create the event more than 25 years ago. He always attended long after he had retired up until his recent passing.

For many years I visited friends, who for their sins, lived in Washington D.C. In gaps between meetings I would sneak down to the National gallery to see some Rembrandts or Van Goghs. Nearby was the compelling Viet Nam memorial. I’d often stop at the nearby display by Viet Nam vets and look for T-shirts from their annual “Rolling Thunder” motorcycle rallies.

 “I’d just like to catch my breath” a friend said recently. The pressures of job, family, community and volunteer assignments overwhelmed. There are days when we just want to sit still for a few minutes and let the noise and the pressure abate.