Fr Robert Hendrickson

Dear Friends in Christ,

Over the last several weeks we have planted twelve trees at the house. We’ve also planted another two dozen or so other plants. We bought all of them on the “sick plants” clearance racks at stores. I’ve always felt bad for the sick plants — not quite sturdy or pretty enough for folks to snap up at full price, they kind of languish at the back of the store.

So the last few weeks have been a cycle of dig, plant, water, dig, plant, water, and repeat. I’m happy to say that all of the sick plants have recovered! Some of them were a bit of a close call. We will see how they do under the full summer sun. But I’m optimistic.

Our house has always been kind of a last stop for things. Sick plants. Cats with FIV, blind cats, stray dogs, a skittish Bassett hound no one would adopt, a toothless cat, some kittens from the dumpster, and whatever else shows up to be fed! Now we’ve got a pile of other critters too. Bunnies, ground squirrels, lizards, snakes, and more.

The other day, our youngest stopped two ravens from attacking a struggling great horned owl in the yard. We’ve got two bird nests on our patio that we’re working around but we’re trying to keep them feeling at home.

I kind of imagine that’s what Heaven is like. All of us probably feel like we’ve kind of gotten stuck on the clearance rack at times. Forgotten and not quite good enough or pretty enough or whatever. Not sure where we’re safe or what safe looks like. Jesus takes us all in. He gathers us. Tending a garden of the sick, feeding a flock of the unlovable, and doing it all just because that’s what you do for love’s sake — and he loves us more than we can ask or imagine.

I’m not certain that’s what Heaven is like. But I’m optimistic.

Yours in Christ,

Fr Robert