Cozad, Nebraska First Presbyterian Church 819 E Street Cozad, NE 69130 Phone: 308-784-2717 Web site designed, maintained and hosted by Anderson Graphics Purple Ponderings Grace and Peace  Holy As A Day Is Spent (Carrie Newcomer 2001) Holy is the dish and drain The soap and sink, the cup and plate And the warm wool socks, and the cold white tile Showerheads and good dry towels And frying eggs sound like psalms With a bit of salt measured in my palm It’s all a part of a sacrament As holy as a day is spent Holy is the busy street And cars that boom with passion’s beat And the check out girl, Counting change And the hands that shook my hands today Hymns of geese fly overhead And stretch their wings like their parents did Blessed be the dog That runs in her sleep The catch that wild and elusive thing Holy is a familiar room and the quiet moments in the afternoon And folding sheets like folding hands To pray as only laundry can I’m letting go of all I fear Like autumn leaves of earth and air For summer came and summer went As holy as a day is spent Holy is the place I stand To give whatever small good I can The empty page, the open book Redemption everywhere I look Unknowingly we slow our pace In the shade of unexpected grace With grateful smiles and sad lament As holy as a day is spent And morning light sings “providence” As holy as a day is spent There are two pieces of paper on the right hand side of the door as you depart the sanctuary.  The top piece of paper has the word “notice” on it and the lower piece says “God”.  Notice God.  Notice God in the small, daily, ordinary qualities of life…in listening to the coffee perk and smelling the aroma of baked chocolate chip cookies.  Notice God in the people who serve you…medical professionals, waiters/waitresses, the person at the cash register, your friends, and family.   Notice God in the hard times of life, in the tears, in the questions, in the wrestling with God.  Notice God in the unexpected encounters with strangers.  As we move towards Lent, may our eyes become more “practiced” at noticing God…it just may make a difference during Lent and beyond. Noticing with you… Elaine