Homeward bound

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     There is this tree at the intersection of McCaslin and Washington. Every home around it was reduced to rubble from the Marshall fire. Yet, this tree. It is lit up with the Christmas décor placed on it before the fire.

        At first, I found it haunting. But now, this tree with the little string of lights on it, is beautiful to me. There is this saying that the smallest of lights shine brightest in the darkness. 

        During these uncertain times, when we feel depleted and exhausted - maybe we somehow find in us these little lights. It reminds us that there is hope even through dark times - God is with us, with ALL of us, in ALL things. 

        If we believe that God's hand is only in the good things - what would we tell ourselves if things were to go truly bad? How would we remind ourselves of God's provision or God's love and protection? He is either present in ALL things or He is present in nothing.

        This year feels like an extension of the previous year. The more we have held and tried to control things, the less we realize that nothing is in our control. It never was in our control, but we have somehow held on to this illusion. 

As Thomas Merton writes, 
"If we love God for something less than himself, we cherish a desire that can fail us. We run the risk of hating Him if we do not get what we hope for.”

        All too often, we hear preachers and people explain away suffering with Bible verses or explanations. This can sound trite and exhausting to people who are in the midst of something painful. We probably will not understand suffering on this side of eternity. The 'prosperity gospel' claims that God favors certain people based on their obedience, or good behavior, or being chosen. This has been damaging and hurtful to the faith of many.

            Maybe, miracles are in everyday small events. While we wait for some grandiose vision of how we can be impactful or how God will give us purpose, He reminds us that He is in these daily seemingly insignificant events. 

            Like, when we show up, being present and available for family and people around us. 

        I witness these little acts of kindness from strangers who could have gone on with their lives because none of this truly affects them. Yet, they show up daily - cooking soups, meals, delivering goods, moving furniture, sifting through rubble, caring, extending a helping hand. 

        This is perhaps what Frederick Buechner meant when he writes about these kind of people -

"Your life and my life flow into each other as wave flows into wave, and unless there is peace, joy and freedom for you, there can be no real peace or joy or freedom for me. Not the ones who are righteous, but the ones who are aware that the distance they have to go is greater than the distance they have already come.  Who understanding of God's great mercy towards them also extend it to others." 
One life on this earth is all we get, whether it is enough or not enough, the obvious conclusion would seem to be at the very least, we are fools if we do not live it as fully and bravely and beautifully as we can.

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