<html><body><p style="background: white; margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> We
create <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>SO</u></b> many barriers to
God’s kindness and generosity being shared. We are Jesus’ hands and feet in the
world; we are His lips and his tongue; we are His mind and His heart – none of
which know any form of barrier or differentiation.</span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“</span><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>During the last ten days of Ramadan, Muslims
crowd into the prayer halls of the East London Mosque, choosing to stay within
the confines of the building to devote themselves wholly to worship. On the
rooftop above, Khalil and Salma Attan participate in another form of meditative
practice.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“As the sun blazes overhead, the
married couple don their beekeeping suits and set off to visit the 100,000
honeybees residing on one of the largest mosques in Europe. Positioned at
opposite ends of the hives, Khalil and Salma work together seamlessly as they
inspect each frame, pausing occasionally to hand each other equipment and ask
if the other had spotted the queen.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>“Before
setting each frame back in place, Khalil and Salma gingerly brush a few bees
out of the way, ensuring the insects don't get crushed in the process. Shuddering
as he recounted the occasional crunch, Khalil says of his gentle approach:
"If you're going to take care of them, you might as well do the best you
can." <sup>3</sup></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style='margin: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>Might these be
the words of Jesus as He blessed the meager supply of food that day? “</span><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>If you're going to take care of
them, you might as well do the best you can.”</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style='margin: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>Might these be
the words of Jesus as He blessed the meager supply of food that day? “</span><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>If you're going to take care of
them, you might as well do the best you can.”</span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>Khalil’s and Salma’s basket holds 100,000
bees. Down below them, countless people have baskets filled with prayer for
people around the world and around themselves. And, yes, some people <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>DO</u></b> have baskets with bread and
fish, or corn, beans and squash.</span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"><u>ALL</u></b> have baskets. Will we let Jesus bless them and direct us
to distribute them, no matter where and how?</span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What’s in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"><u>YOUR</u></b> basket?</span><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>NOTES:</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style='margin: 0px; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>1</span></span></span></span></span><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> </span><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“<i>From
Art in the Christian Tradition”, for Proper 12b, Revised Common Lectionary,
Vanderbilt University Library, from an unknown reader and from Jackie Twedell. <a href="http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-fulldisplay.pl?SID=20180720589742627&code=act&RC=54153&Row=10"><font color="#0000ff">http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-fulldisplay.pl?SID=20180720589742627&code=act&RC=54153&Row=10</font></a>
</i></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>2</span></span><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“When I survey the wondrous cross”</i> Isaac
Watts. Hymnal 1982, Hymn 474</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>3</span></span><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span><span style='margin: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>The London Hivewire<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><a href="http://london-hivewire.com/"><font color="#0000ff">http://london-hivewire.com/</font></a><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>via Deidre Good</span></p></body></html>