November 10
The Best Birthday Present
Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the people turn from their wicked deeds. Let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ... You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:6, 7, 12 (NIV)
I share my birthday with the U.S. Marine Corps, and I’ve come to the conclusion: there’s something in that. Every year it’s a bare bones affair: a yawn and a nod and onto something better—like Veteran’s Day!
I found myself driving home musing about my weekend and my small birthday celebration at a second-choice restaurant. Once we crowded into the joint, we found ourselves split between separate, faraway tables. That was probably the worst part—even worse than when someone realized we had forgotten the gifts! Fortunately, my sister had remembered one of them … so I held the T-shirt up for all to see.... Actually, it was a good night and more fun than I make out….
On the drive home, beautiful autumn colors highlighted close-in landscapes—in spite of the darkening gray clouds. My thoughts continued to dwell on the less-than-perfect weekend, and slowly I realized what was going on inside me. I understood then that my lousy attitude was, well, lousy, and I began to feel ashamed of my ungrateful heart. As I drove the winding road, I confessed this to God, and when I did, something new came along—a desire to age gracefully both inside and out. It was a sweet revelation. My heart can and will change, can’t it Lord!
We climbed higher into the Cascades, and thick stands of conifers and deciduous trees encompassed us. Just then, mere moments after my confession, a windstorm struck. Its super gust shook both our car and the forest, and I saw color and leaves and motion like I had never seen before. The hard woods simultaneously let loose—entire loads of leaves, twisting, turning, tumbling down showered us in a dancing, yellow downpour. Such a glorious sight! Miraculously, we had become the lead car in some psychedelic New York City tickertape parade! Incredible.
In that moment, driving through those flowing yellow swells, I felt God’s warm pleasure, and it inspired me. That moment is now my most memorable birthday present ever, one I never could have dreamed up myself. It was ... perfect—a gift from above!
Father, thank You for Your patience, Your forgiveness, Your great showers of blessing! And thank You for helping me understand. Amen.
Transitions
Limbs stripped bare now
showering my carriage with huge yellow confetti—
a dancing, twirling, twisting dream.
The Pacific’s rushing, whirling exhalation
finishing the season in one glorious moment:
the transition from tree to sky.
The Best Birthday Present
Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the people turn from their wicked deeds. Let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ... You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:6, 7, 12 (NIV)
I share my birthday with the U.S. Marine Corps, and I’ve come to the conclusion: there’s something in that. Every year it’s a bare bones affair: a yawn and a nod and onto something better—like Veteran’s Day!
I found myself driving home musing about my weekend and my small birthday celebration at a second-choice restaurant. Once we crowded into the joint, we found ourselves split between separate, faraway tables. That was probably the worst part—even worse than when someone realized we had forgotten the gifts! Fortunately, my sister had remembered one of them … so I held the T-shirt up for all to see.... Actually, it was a good night and more fun than I make out….
On the drive home, beautiful autumn colors highlighted close-in landscapes—in spite of the darkening gray clouds. My thoughts continued to dwell on the less-than-perfect weekend, and slowly I realized what was going on inside me. I understood then that my lousy attitude was, well, lousy, and I began to feel ashamed of my ungrateful heart. As I drove the winding road, I confessed this to God, and when I did, something new came along—a desire to age gracefully both inside and out. It was a sweet revelation. My heart can and will change, can’t it Lord!
We climbed higher into the Cascades, and thick stands of conifers and deciduous trees encompassed us. Just then, mere moments after my confession, a windstorm struck. Its super gust shook both our car and the forest, and I saw color and leaves and motion like I had never seen before. The hard woods simultaneously let loose—entire loads of leaves, twisting, turning, tumbling down showered us in a dancing, yellow downpour. Such a glorious sight! Miraculously, we had become the lead car in some psychedelic New York City tickertape parade! Incredible.
In that moment, driving through those flowing yellow swells, I felt God’s warm pleasure, and it inspired me. That moment is now my most memorable birthday present ever, one I never could have dreamed up myself. It was ... perfect—a gift from above!
Father, thank You for Your patience, Your forgiveness, Your great showers of blessing! And thank You for helping me understand. Amen.
Transitions
Limbs stripped bare now
showering my carriage with huge yellow confetti—
a dancing, twirling, twisting dream.
The Pacific’s rushing, whirling exhalation
finishing the season in one glorious moment:
the transition from tree to sky.
posted by Craig Soderquist at 10:11 PM
<< Home