What beauty do you behold?
I took myself off for a drive to a place called Healseville the other day. There’s just something about being in the wide open spaces that does something to my soul. I feel like I breathe better out there. Life isn’t cluttered and full, its simple and quiet and I like that.
There are things in life that are so beautiful they take our breath away and many of those things no one knows except for us. Its those moments or thoughts that no one sees or hears, like riding to work and seeing the morning sun beam through the trees as you cross the bride and you just smile, its the little girl saying goodbye to someone she knows about 5 octaves louder than she needs to and you just burst out laughing, its that awesome song that comes on the radio and you sing as loud as you can, its those moments of inspiration where you smile and jump up and down with no one around, life is full of these moments.
I was driving home late the other night, my car said that it was 3 degrees outside and it probably got colder overnight and I thought to myself, there are so many people on the street tonight, in my city, that couldn’t get into a shelter and have no where to go and they must be painfully cold. I thought about getting blankets and handing them out and who could help me cause a young blonde can’t walk the streets at midnight alone. It makes me appreciate so much more the hundreds of people that are actually out there doing something for these people, making them food and helping them and giving them shelter and listening to their stories. It reminded me of Wayne, I used to see him every day outside the train station on my way to classes at Uni in the city. He was an artist who didn’t have a home. I stopped almost every time I saw him and said, “Hi Wayne!” and asked him about his drawings. I don’t know if he ever remembered me, I like to think he did considering I would have to get down on my hands and knees just to look at his face. He always looked down, didn’t like to look people in the eyes. They have courage those that do not have the luxuries that we do.
I have fallen in love with the young men and women that I get to spend time with on a Friday night. I often don’t know how to be a good support to them or even how to talk to them sometimes but every opportunity I get I want them to know that I believe in them, I see them and they are important with all their differences.
Life has many ups and downs, the older I get the more I see this in my own life and in the lives of others. My heart has been stretched the last 6 months and often has been an incredibly painful process, but life is there to be lived, in the highs and the lows, in the unknowns and in the bright places.
Its a mystery held in perfect peace.
Its a man multiplying fishes and loaves to feed the thousands.
Its parting the seas so a community could live.
Its taking that risk and finding yourself walking on the water and then sinking down only to be pulled out again.
I believe we are being called to be like Joshuas, to be bold and strong and courageous and brave and all in the stillness of our God, for he says,
“I will fight for you, you need only to be still!”
It takes courage to allow the Lord to fight for you.
There is fruit in the surrender.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what do you behold?
WHOLENESS.WONDER.WELLBEING 