Scavenger Hunt for Joy

My birthday was in March. When it came around, my children came up with a wonderful adventure present. They wished to go with me to a museum. It was such a lovely idea and one I was so pleased to realize they had thought of themselves. We had never been to an art museum together, and I do love a good walk through an art museum. Sadly, time got away from us, and we had to put off our plans for another day.

Determined, the children nor I gave up on the idea, and this summer I took some time off to bring our plan to fruition. We planned a special week of activities in Memphis, and one included a trip to the Brooks.

When we arrived on our designated Wednesday morning, we were delighted to find that the entire day was dedicated to children’s exploration of the museum. A special art deco popsicle project had been planned, and a scavenger hunt throughout the museum designed. It was a wonderful, wonderful morning. The scavenger hunt kept the children engaged throughout our entire visit, and we managed to visit every single gallery.

This certainly will be a memory that stays with me, but there is a stand out moment that continues to come back to me quite regularly. After studying an inlaid desk featured in the red gallery and making faces at one another in the concave mirror featured above it, we rounded the corner to the next gallery. Suddenly, I was winded by the sight of the enormous oil painting in our path. Time stopped, my heart raced, my eyes zoomed in to the piece of work, and I had to grab my children by their shoulders to steady myself. Truly in front of us stood a portrait of heaven. There were angels turned towards one another smiling in delight as they all acknowledged a bright light coming from the darkness below. While their heavenly colors were in happy shades of blue, pink, peach, and purple of the sunrise or sunset, they looked through the clouds down towards a pure darkness. What they saw brought them unbounded joy. A great light was breaking through the darkness and reaching towards heaven. “Aha,” they seemed to say, “See there she is…there he is…breaking through the darkness and shedding light in the world. We knew she could. We knew he could. How wonderful. How wonderful indeed.”

My children were ready to go on to the next scavenger hunt item and didn’t recognize my pause. Once words could come to me though I managed to hold my babies close and say, “Oh, look children, isn’t it beautiful. Someone has captured the joy of heaven when we share love and light in the world.” I gazed lovingly at the painting, and my children humored me. Then we were off again.

Love bursts of light in our hearts are powerful but can seem fleeting as well as daunting to act upon. It is hard to stay in that moment for long, but the love lingers. The light reminds us, it is more powerful than darkness and needs only be turned on or shown the way. 

This painting, this moment still shines a path for me through the darkness. May it be the love and light you need today, too.

With love and light,

LT

Beast of Burden

That donkey, that donkey, that sweet little donkey has been on my mind for many weeks now. That donkey, that donkey, who carried His burden has brought me closer to God.

He already knew. He knew what was coming, but thank God He was granted this gift. A moment of rest, a reminder of care as His journey was unfolding before Him. He wasn’t alone; that donkey, that donkey, that support that awaited his arrival. That donkey, that donkey, that little beast of burden took on the weight of Jesus and carried him through. He gave Him that moment to take in the cheers to take in the love of the children. When Jesus moved towards that valley alone, no, the donkey was there to carry Him.

Years before another young person was carried towards a new beginning, this time, a young woman who said yes. When she finally became so heavy with life and could not walk on her own, there was that donkey that helped her to a stable where joy was revealed.

So again we find ourselves years later, after saying many wonderful things and doing many wonderful deeds, this woman’s son also riding a gentle donkey towards another powerful chapter in His life and ours. It is the Wednesday before Maundy Thursday, the last supper begins, and Jesus has what he needs.

This Holy Week, I give thanks for the donkey, the reminder we’re never alone. When we feel the most alone through our trials and tribulations, remember like Jesus, there was the donkey. The donkey, the beast of burden.

I leave you today with love and light and this poem that has been with me since I was a teenager. LT

Footprints in the Sand

By Mary Stevenson, 1936

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

Snow Dream: The Epiphany

The snow drifts were two to three feet high along the streets, and the roads could only be approached by foot by the time we headed out that night. Bundled from head-to-toe, determined, we walked until we saw a light coming from the church. All else was dark save the street lamps.

The unassuming church, tightly bricked in between two other buildings, surprised me. The view when we walked in was completely unexpected. Gray marble stretched for almost an eternity and narrow stained glass windows of every color followed it. It was majestic, breathtaking, warm, and welcoming all at once.

I was amazed to see how crowded it was for an Epiphany service. I honestly don’t think I had ever attended one, but it was important to Ellie that we go.

It was finally time for the service to begin. Every wooden seat was filled. I was comforted by Ellie and her joy and enthusiasm for the Epiphany service.

Incense seemed to be wafting through the candlelit room as we all walked in a line towards the crèche. Ellie confidently walked first, knelt before the crèche, and then with an exuberant smile sacredly painted the cross upon her forehead with holy oil.

I knelt afterwards realizing it was a prayerful time to consider the gifts ­I was presenting to the baby king.

We walked back to our seats, pure joy on Ellie’s face, for she too is expecting a newborn gift.

As we were seated, paper ornaments of the sheerest weight lined with silver were handed out. Ellie turned to me with hers in hand. It was in the shape of a C, the first letter of her expected daughter’s name. It reminded me of the brilliant light of the moon. The look on her face…glorious.

This whole evening was a dream. Oh, the hope, the comfort, the joy that lives in each of our hearts and drifts into our minds at rest.

This was my snow dream. It was for Ellie, for her daughter, for her mother, for her mother’s mother, but it was for me, too, and for you, on the Epiphany.

There are always gifts waiting to be received.

With love and light,

LT

When God Shouts At You

Children love a good joke. I especially love the ones they make up themselves. My baby sister had a particularly great one about a turtle and a bucket that made no sense whatsoever, but it made us laugh just the same.

One of the first real jokes I can recall memorizing is one that continues to provide me deeper inspiration today. Here goes…

It started to rain pretty heavily in a small town. Seeing that the waters were rising, a man climbed onto his roof to wait out the storm. A man in a rowboat came by and asked the man if he wanted to come along with him. The man on the roof shook his head and said, “The Lord will provide.” The man on the rowboat shook his head and rowed away. An hour or so later as the floodwaters had continued to rise up the side of the house, a man in a motorboat came along. He asked the man on the roof if he wanted to come along with him. The man on the roof shook his head and said, “The Lord will provide.” A few hours later the water was lapping at the man’s feet on the roof. A man in a helicopter came by and asked if he wanted to come along with him. The man on the roof shook his head and said, “The Lord will provide.” Within the hour, the floodwaters took over the house; the man on the roof was swept away, drowned and died. He found himself in Heaven face to face with the Lord. He said to God, “Dear Lord, why am I here. Why did you not save me?” And the Lord said, “What else did you want me to do? I sent you a row boat, a motor boat and a helicopter.”

What a difficult battle we fight. We’ve been given these amazing brains, hearts and bodies; these amazing abilities; these amazing gifts. How incredible and fulfilling it is when we use them. We dare to believe…to believe in ourselves and to boldly make a difference in the world around us.

But, somehow, there always seems to be a but…something that nags at us.

But is this what I was called to do? Am I living fully? Could I be doing more for others? Could I be happier? Could this be easier?

Sometimes the light shines so brightly we can’t help but bask in God’s glory knowing that all is right in the world. We give great thanks. Other times, we wonder…are we on the right path? It sort of feels like it, but sometimes things seem quiet…too quiet.

And so, let me introduce to you the blessing of God shouting. Maybe it’s not really shouting, but it seems like that because if you’ve finally gotten yourself centered, thoughtful and quiet enough or into a tizzy of white noise, you might begin to hear or to notice hints being thrown your way. It might start to feel like shouting.

In the last week, God has been shouting at me.

The radio show asked, “What are you waiting for? When are you going to start writing?”

A daily meditation I read reflected, “Are you living into your calling? Are you writing?”

A church friend (or two) asked me, “When are you going to write your book?”

A young person preached my own words back to me without knowing I had shared them in the first place, and several friends and readers texted or emailed me to let me know.

My beloved mother-in-law questioned me, “Have you been blogging, writing down your thoughts?”

So what is it about living life that still leaves me wanting? What have I been waiting for…that rowboat, that speed boat, that helicopter? Is God sitting there stumped wondering what it will take to inspire my gifts to use?

How many life rafts will I need before I drown? Drown in my own self pity because I won’t listen. Drown in my own unhappiness because I’m avoiding something that brings me joy and fulfillment but is hard and takes time. Drown in my dissatisfaction because I feel like I’m not being the full me I was meant to be.

These suggestions do not mean total change, but there is always room for adjustment and improvement. I’ll take it. I’m blogging today.

How is God shouting at you?

With love and light,

LT

Light Over Darkness

Just when you think times can’t get darker, in comes the season of light. When your mind has turned all night, the sun begins to rise. It’s another day. You don’t know what direction to turn and suddenly a kind word of wisdom points the way.

Today marked the first day of Advent leading to the celebration of Christmas. Candles were lit around the world encouraging thoughtful and prayerful opening of hearts and minds to the way that love can change the world. I can’t think of better timing!

I certainly could use Advent and its wonderful time for reflection and preparation and its powerful reminders of comfort and joy to be found in the story of a child born in a manger and his short time among us on Earth.

Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”  (Luke 21:25-28)

What a lovely invitation continues to be extended to us year after year. We may have to wait for Christmas Day, but we never have to wait for its gift to us. We don’t have to wait for a special day, for a year, for an hour or even another minute. We just have to be willing to accept the invitation for a better life, a life of light.

“Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility...” (From A Collect for the First Sunday of Advent, Book of Common Prayer, pg. 211)

Take comfort in the fact that darkness, no matter how dark it may be, will never win against the light. Take it into your heart and feel its strength and share it with others. With light and love you can change your world and the world of others for better.  

As we enter Advent, I am reminded of the other wonderful celebrations of light from around the world, especially our Hindu friends who just celebrated Diwali. A wonderful five-day festival, Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and light over darkness. Our Jewish friends celebration of Hanukkah begins soon as well, reminding us that there will always be enough oil to light the sacred lamp.

We have everything we need, my friends. Take a look at what may be keeping you in the dark and do what you need to do to let the light show you the way. Listen to those loving words of kindness from friends and family. Find the support of community. Read, pray, meditate, exercise, rest. Take time for yourself and do more for others. Make room for the light; it will give you life.

With love and light,

LT