esson 9: Sword Four and Sword Five

t is totally silent. The sun has gone down lower, but there is still a glow about the cross which enables me to see around. Kneeling before the altar, I ask for God's blessing. I give thanks for the help of others in this realm. I ask forgiveness for each item on my 'Rocking' list. I ask for help in building and maintaining a strong conscience, and the strength to manage conscious and/or selfish desires. I ask for the tact and wisdom not to give or take offense. I ask that the symbolism on front of the altar be revealed to me.

      Then I try to think of every blessing in my life, and give thanks for each one--from the beauty of Creation to the meager meal Colin and I shared on the tor. I think of everyone I know, and ask God to bless and protect, heal and guide them. I promise to try to do His Will, if He will reveal it to me and guide my steps.

      Prayers, as always, bring peace. Before I know it, I've dozed off. I'm 'awakened' [in dream] by motion and see that I'm lying asleep in the bottom of a boat. There are others here, and they are panicked because a storm has blown up. They turn to me, crying, "Save us!" At first I think, "Who, me?" Then I stand, raise my arms and ask the wind to please not use his fullest force against us. I ask the sea to please calm down. And I ask God to make these things so.

      It becomes so still that we are stranded in the middle of this huge lake. It's so quiet and peaceful that all lie in the bottom of the boat and close their eyes. I feel the slightest breath of a cooling breeze caress my cheek, before falling into a peaceful sleep.

      When I awaken, I am once again in the chapel. But now, instead of a sword, there is an oar on the altar. It looks ancient and the handle is beautifully carved. I run my fingertips down its length. I want to show it to Colin and tell him about rocking and rowing, so after once again offering hearty thanks to God, I back out the door, find my clothes and dress. Colin fell asleep also, but my stirring wakes him. I tell him to look in the chapel, but the oar is gone and the sword is there again. Did I imagine it?

      Colin takes up that sword, has me kneel and, laying the flat of the sword on my head proclaims: "I dub thee a knight of right, in quest for truth and justice, in Jesus' name. So mote it be."

      The blend of Christianity and Paganism in these realms makes more sense to me at this moment than it ever has before. He hands me the sword, and I hesitate to take it. I don't want to carry a weapon! But then, thinking on an earlier experience where I shied away from grasping the sword of Justice by the hilt, I decide to take it. Oh! how I wish I had come here sooner, when I was dealing with that situation!

      "Now y're equipt to make y'r way on your own--ta gain experience and grow. I leave y' now to make y'r own way. But, if y' ever need me, I won't be far outta reach."
      I give him thanks and goodbye kisses on his furry cheeks and we part company.

      I manage to hang the sword from my belt so that it hangs by my side. Its weight, though not great, feels like a third leg. I walk for a long time trying to get used to it. I see smoke billowing ahead, and hasten to the scene.

 hut burns, and the surrounding area is already destroyed by fire. I rush to the hut, calling out and looking for people, but it seems they've already fled. There is no stream, and I have no choice but to watch the place burn.
A man approaches on horseback. "My house," he says. We stand in silence, watching the flames, until I ask him what happened.

      "The fire came over the hill. I sent my family off in the other direction, then went to meet the enemy who I thought was attacking. I circled around the fire, around the back of the hill. There was no enemy there; only a big glowing rock that wasn't there before. After the fire had burnt everything on the hill, I climbed up and saw my house burning. I was so enraged that I attacked the stone with my sword, and broke my sword into pieces. Now, my family is not only homeless, but defenseless as well."

      "It must have been a meteor," I tell him, "a stone fallen from the heavens. If it got hot enough to start such a fire, it probably has a high metal content. Excalibur itself was made from such metal! Will you please take me to see it?"

      As we walk, we talk about Job, and how blessings can come out of curses. I point out to him the *good* luck that he's had: that no people or animals were hurt, and that now he has a stone from the heavens in his possession. If the meteor is so hard that his sword broke on it, anything he makes from it will be that strong and hard too.

      I suggest that he extract the metal from it and make a new sword. And, in the meantime, he can have mine. After some debate, he finally accepts it.

      Coming back up the hill, we see people approaching from the distance. "My family returns with my neighbors," he says. "Look! They've brought a wagonload of wood! We can start building a new house right away!"

      I offer to stay and help, but he points out that I'm unskilled and there are many strong and skilled men on their way. So, wishing him all the best, I go.