After all these years of planning for - and postponing - my time at the University of Exeter, today is my last day at home, before I fly out tomorrow for the UK.
I started this blog because writing is helpful to me in centering me, and in enabling me to reflect on what is going on, whether around me or within me. And I am hoping this will be a helpful way of sharing with you, so that we will still have some contact with each other. I hope you will respond if you wish, by writing comments in the blog, or sending me an email, or communicating with me on Facebook.
This past Sunday, my church gave me a blessing and a send-off. My profile picture on this blog shows me standing behind the wonderful cake that Joyce made for me, and the picture attached here shows the prayer shawl that some of the women in the "Knit One, Pray Two" group gave me. The colors in the shawl are truly beautiful, and are "my colors." I will wrap the shawl around me while I'm in my "flat" in Exeter, and feel the warmth and the love of people from the congregation. Our Interim Minister gave a blessing for me, and I was able to choose a hymn, so we sang "God of Grace and God of Glory." I wanted to sing the part about "grant us wisdom, grant us courage." And then the choir did a very moving benediction response and hymn for us: "God be with you til we meet again."
I have also been having good-bye times with my other dear friends. Lots of good discussions, food, and wine (or beer), and lots of hugs! And tonight is my final dinner and good-bye at Plain Jane's Restaurant, my home away from home!
Finally, for those of you whom I do not see in person, including my family and friends from all over, we will still be in touch as always --- with SKYPE video calls added into the mix.
So, for now, I wish you all many blessings, and we'll be in touch. And for future blog entries, I'll try to post a photo of something interesting I've seen.
Blessings, love, peace, grace, courage, wisdom, faith,
Jane
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