Ordinary sustenance

Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent

I will strive to follow a blameless course;
oh, when will you come to me?
I will walk with sincerity of heart within my house.
Psalm 101:3

In the middle of the day I take a break. I set the kettle on the stove to make a cup of tea, one of my small pleasures. I am preparing to take on the world.

Recently I have been trying to direct my heart and mind toward honoring the good around and within me. This is strategic—a way of combatting all that is wrong in the world. Without practice, simple acts of kindness toward myself can be overlooked. But if my body and mind and soul are to complete the Lenten journey, then intentional nourishment is necessary. I need to take care.

I focus on a task I could do without thinking, and I find myself transfixed by the bright red of the kettle, the feel of the warm mug in my hand, the soothing aroma of the tea, the comfort of my kitchen. Even before I take the first sip, I feel restored.

All along the way, any way, God offers sustenance. All along the way, any way, God is.