Undertaken by God's Glory

 

What was something joyful that happened in your life so far in May?  

Did you happen to have a chance to connect with family or friends face-to-face in ways that you have not been able to in over a year?

Did you venture outside, now fully vaccinated, without a mask?

Did you notice God moving in slow, subtle ways that enlivened your spirit?

Over the last few days, there have been several holy moments in my life.  My kids received recognition which cause my heart to warm.  I am exploring professional opportunities through a preaching class and with writing.   

Gratitude, and her sister, joy, are hovering and hanging around my life.

I also recognize and realize that this is not the case for every single person reading this morning meditation.  I hold the hurts and harms from grieving those who have died to friends who share the constant pain of discrimination to fear of the pandemic that we are not out of the woods yet to just feeling like you languishing.  Adam Grant just wrote a fantastic piece about this, you can click here to read.

I believe that doing an emotional check in every day (sometimes several times a day) is a faithful prayer practices.  Ask yourself, what are you feeling?  Is there a surge of spirit?  Do you feel a bit numb?  Was it a struggle to get out of bed or did you leap out knowing that today is brand new (and tomorrow is too)?  

Checking in with yourself is one way to name and notice what is going on.  It is a way to catch up and connect with your soul.  Sometimes we move too fast for our soul to keep up (I think many of us did pre-pandemic!).  Now, having been introduced into another way of being, we have the opportunity to construct our lives in different ways.

This month, in church, I have named that for me the building blocks of life right now are:

1. You are an artist painting on the canvas/creating the art project called, "Your life".

2. There is joy and laughter is a prayer to God, thanks to Saint Sarah in Genesis 18 for this insight. 

3. There are Golden Calves that still call out to me and want me to dance - giving my attention and allegiance to it rather than God.

I pray these truths might provoke and evoke something for you.

I pray there is more than a trace of God's grace every second this day.

Blessings ~