But life is not consistent pain. There are times of rest, of peace, of wholeness. These are good times. God doesn't always come in with blazing tempest and firestorm, no, he comes at times in a softness, a happiness, a calm.
He is always there for me.
I am glad I am simple-minded enough to believe this. I would not want to live a life that rationalizes this away.
Yesterday, we climbed trees.
Leah hangs back... unsure of herself, of the tree's strength, of where to put her foot next, of which branch to hold on to, of going too high, of not going as fast as Susie. She asks questions the whole time, needy, clingy, even shaking as she attempts to navigate branch by painstaking branch.
Tree = Life
I am at times both Leah and Susie.
He is at times watching me with joy, snapping pictures, laughing at my antics... then tossing the camera down to help my reeaaachhhing sole find footing a few inches farther than what I can naturally reach, saving me from a fall. He is coaching me on which branch to grab with which hand, and where to put my feet next. He is shimmying up the tree himself when I have gone too high and suddenly see how far I am from the ground and start to cry because my arms are tired and I can't hang on anymore. He is bracing himself against the tree to reach out and save me, lowering me down to solid ground.
He is God. I am me.
What heights of love,
what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled,
when strivings cease!
My Comforter,
My All in All,
Here in the love of Christ,
I stand.
(lyrics from In Christ Alone by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend)
7 comments:
Awww, what a great reminder. Amazing what God teaches us even in the quiet seasons of life. (And what a blessing that he does teach in the quiet and not just the overwhelming, trial ridden, and hard times) I think I'm going for a walk in the park today. :)
God Bless!
This is the most beautiful thing I have read in a very, very, very long time!!!
I needed this so much today. Thank you and bless you for sharing it.
Linda
Hilary, this was so comforting to read...a blessing. Loved it!
Thank you for reminding us that God is always speaking so we need to always be listening.
God does a lot of talking in the park, I've found. Or at least, that's where I hear best. ;-) Not so much man-made distraction...
Hilary--This post (especially the pictures and your descriptions of different kinds of tree climbers) reminds me of a poem I wrote years ago when we first moved to the mountains. Dad was just going into the tree business and 'practicing' on every tree around. (Suddenly, they ALL needed trimming!)
TREETOPS
Tree trimmers will tell you it's for the health of the tree.
If you hesitate, they'll add, "Ah, think of the view. . .
If you raise the canopy, you'll open things up.
You'll see things anew if you'll only limb up!"
There are those, however, whose idea of lift
Is not of the canopy, but self (get my drift?)
We need those low branches, we climbers of trees
To get to the top where we feel the breeze
Swaying and rocking, orchestrating a show
That unfortunately is lost to those far below.
The view from the top is amazingly vast
With clouds scudding by and birds floating past
On air currents drifting way up high...
So near it seems they could touch the sky.
The tree trimmer has the right idea in mind,
But he's at the wrong end of it, I think you'll find,
If ever you let go of the ground underneath
And experience life from the tops of the trees.
Beautiful. Enjoyed this very much.
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