Goodness Weekly 5.27.24
“There’s no life
that couldn’t be immortal
if only for a moment.”- Wisława Szymborska
What’s Good
Summer is coming. There are more summer blooms in the garden behind the Community Food Pantry. The Sprouts School raised beds are coming in nicely. Our picnic benches are becoming a refuge from the sun for many on their neighborhood walk coffee break. We are knocking on summer’s door and hope you find a place that is welcoming here at Sunset Ridge Collective.
Be on the lookout for summer program details in next week’s newsletter.
CELEBRATING TOGETHER
Message from Riley Stirman, Preaching Minister, Sunset Ridge Church of Christ
When I was growing up, my family's preferred vacation spot was a little town in southwest Colorado called Ouray. In my nostalgic mind's eye, it was a paradise - a charming little town ringed by gorgeous mountains where any adventure you could think of was possible.
One of Ouray's attractions was a waterfall called Cascade Falls. Just a few blocks from downtown, you could walk to a trailhead that would lead to a towering waterfall set into a beautiful rock face. There were several small hiking trails that you could follow to go up behind the curtain of water that fell, or - if you were daring - to take you to the very top.
I spent hours scampering around this place, taking in the sights and reveling in the adventure of it all. And one of my favorite things to do was to take one of those trails to see how high on the falls I could get. There was a spot about two-thirds of the way up where the trees cleared and you had an uninterrupted view of the entire town. You could see clear back to your car parked at the trailhead or even, on clear days, all the way to the hotel we were staying at.
I remember those moments so clearly. When I was running around the waterfall, my focus was always on where my next step would take me. But when I got to that clearing, I was able to gain a greater appreciation for just how far I'd managed to come. A sense of pride and accomplishment would rise in me, and I would get a feeling in my chest that seemed to say, "What can't I do?"
Last week, Sunset Ridge Church turned 75 years old, and we had so much fun celebrating together. Not only did we get to see many old friends and family members, we also got to enjoy lunch together in our beautiful new park. The whole day made me realize just how important it is for us as people to recognize these benchmarks.
Celebrating anniversaries and important milestones like graduations help us pick our heads up. They help us move our focus from the monotony of putting one foot in front of the other to further appreciate some of the bigger picture. Sometimes we need to feel that sense of pride at just how far we've managed to come. And what's more, sometimes we need to appreciate how far we've come so we can come to believe that we're still capable of going forward.
So let's continue celebrating together. Let's celebrate the good things that have come our way in the past few years. Let's celebrate the new unexpected friendships that have bloomed or the small acts of kindness we've been shown. Let's celebrate the strength we've shown to get through hard times and let's celebrate the little pieces of joy that have snuck back into our lives. When we stop and look back, the perspective we gain fuels the steps still untaken.
Interested in more of what’s happening at Sunset Ridge Church? Please consider subscribing to Views from the Ridge.
This Week
Lunchtime Yoga Flow with NYX Wellness, Mon-Fri at 12pm, upstairs. For a full class schedule, including strength and conditioning classes, please visit her website and sign up for your class here.
For weekly hours of One Another Coffee, Scott’s Pizza, and NYX Yoga, please feel free to check our calendar and follow us on Instagram for any updates.
Coming Up…
Second Saturday, June 8th
Inhale:
May I honor the path that led me here.
Exhale:
May I be strengthened for the path ahead.
