Imagining creation

Cloudy again but no rain until sunset. We went to the Eucharist at St Catherine's, which included an infant baptism. There were about sixty of us present, including children. Today in the church's lectionary is Creation Sunday when Genesis chapter one is read. It's a wonderful poetic ritualistic account of the Word at work, commanding order to emerge out of primeval chaos represented by water. First a cosmic bubble is made, as the setting in which the rest of God's creative activity unfolds. I started pondering on what experience prompted this metaphor. Did rhia come from having one's head under water with eyes open? 

Then what about the passage on the third day of creation where God declares 'Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let dry land appear.' Watching a rock emerge from the sea as the tide goes out might prompt this metaphor, but the poet would more likely have been observing water level changes as a flood subsides in the river Euphrates, revealing banks of silt built up by the current, and then their development into small islands colonised by sprouting vegetation that stabilises them. 

Progression from simple chaos to complex life and ecosystems is described by the poet, interpreted as ordered by the divine Word. It's not speculation but observation of the real world in the language of ancient poetry. It's not allegory. Architecture and managing construction isn't mentioned as part of the divine identity. Only God's voice is mentioned. This poet doesn't anthropomorphise the author of the material world. 'In the beginning was the Word ...' as St John summarises creation, some time later in biblical history.

The morning meds had a bad effect on me, feeling light headed and slightly faint again despite drinking extra water to counteract the impact. It could be that I'm peeing out slightly more than I drink, slowly dehydrating without realising. need even more water to maintain the right balance. My stomach feels full when I've drunk what I believe is enough fluid. It's making my life a misery.

We went for a walk after lunch, down to Blackweir Bridge, then crossing over the Taff and walking the muddy path through Bute Park woods down to and over the Millennium Bridge and calling in to the Pedal Power cafe for an excellent cup of coffee on the way back. It was open later than the usual winter opening time as cyclists were gathering for a lantern walk/ride at dusk. Several two seat tricycles were decked out with large decorative lanterns, carnival style. One of them carried a paper lantern in the image of a large white swan. The procession goes round the park and some streets in the vicinity including people with disabilities, carers and cycling activists. A lovely community based initiative. 

By the time we got home at six we'd both walked 10 kilometres today. It was only towards the end of our walk that my head cleared and my legs unstiffened. I look forward to this Wednesday's 'medical MOT' to discuss with someone knowledgeable about this. After supper I watched a couple of episodes of 'Patience' before heading for bed.