The World Beyond

"Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." Genesis 28:16

Just beyond what we can see

 lies a breathtaking world that is altogether real.  

It's not far.  It's right here.

It's not that it's imperceptible--

it's just that we don't see it, 

we won't see it, 

if we carry on as usual.

It may be under the surface, around the corner. 
Above our heads, beneath our feet. 
Visible from behind us if we would slow down and turn around for a minute.  

Possibly right there on the kitchen table. 
Or in the eyes of the person coming towards us in the grocery aisle.

The light on the details is an invitation to delight.  
What does the Light want to show you?

"Earth's crammed with heaven, 

and every common bush afire with God, 

but only he who sees

takes off his shoes."

~Elizabeth Barrett Browning~

"Take off your shoes, for you are standing on holy ground." Exodus 3:5

Whatever is True

It's been a disorienting week, to say the least, here in Minnesota.  Thousands of federal ICE agents have been deployed here, and it's a pressure cooker.  I've been trying to process it all, to find some clarity.  I admit, when I see people in power abusing the vulnerable it makes my blood boil, but there are so many conflicting issues in our situation that my head is spinning.

I looked out my window yesterday to see snowflakes flying in every direction.  They mirrored my inner world.  It looked like the temperature was helping the flakes hold their shape, so I decided to grab my camera and take a closer look.  I was not disappointed.  

Some were quite clear.  Others had frost attached to them, crystal upon crystal.  Some were in clumps, indistinguishable from one another. I took some photos even as the wind was whisking them away, amazed as I always am by what lies beyond what I can see--whether too small, too big, too far.  Sometimes things lie beyond my vision due to my lack of imagination and attention.  They are there whether I notice or not.

I returned to the warmth inside to see if any of my photos had done the flakes justice.  They're not perfect, but they demonstrate why it's worth taking a closer look at the snow.

After all of the news I've taken in, and conversations I've had this week, it all comes down to one thing. We were placed on this earth to take care of it, to take care of each other.  It's our calling, and our opportunity to live as God's partners on this earth.  Author Brad Montague says, "Whatever we pay attention to grows."  That's our calling--to look for beauty, to shine a light on it, to nurture it and to watch it grow.  When we focus on the right things, everything else falls away into the background.  

So after a week of subjecting myself to a lot of information--but also participating in a lot of helpful conversations that challenged my point of view and also encouraged me--I'm choosing to focus on what is beautiful.  If I look closely, it reminds me that there is so much more, just beyond view.

Praying for peace in this beautiful world God made.