Bird Songs

 I am listening to the birds chirping and singing outside my window. It is so peaceful, so lovely, so calming. But I also read in Romans 8:19-21 today that, "For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God's sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility- not willingly, because of him who subjected it- in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God's children." The most beautiful scenes, sounds, and scents of nature as we know them are also not functioning fully as designed- but in futility. 

We cannot even imagine the revealed and restored heaven and earth... but I wonder if one day what we knew as beautiful 'bird songs' we will hear as a beautiful symphony of an organized beautiful song we could have never imagined. That the birds will raise their voices together in the most beautiful of songs. As they sang on earth it was all jumbled and the other birds could just not quite get the harmonies right... what we see in part we will be amazed by. Who knows.. but I love that idea...

Animal Names

 I've had lots of thoughts and not good follow through on putting them on paper... I was just watching a video of a rattlesnake and this thought hit me. Adam named allllll the animals in the garden right? Or was man just tasked with that. Because it would be very interesting to one day hear what he named all these animals that we gave other names because we discovered them way later. Or even all the animals that we never knew. 

My friend also blew my mind with the fact that animals recognize and respect the authority that God gave humanity in the created order. They don't look at us and judge if we seem safe or want to pet them. The birds fly away... they run... they fear us. When I forget my inherent worth and the power I have as a daughter of God, let me be reminded by how the animals see us. 

The Vaccine Gospel

 I was listening to a message this morning for church, and this thought struck me. Where we are with COVID and the vaccine is so much like the world's relationship with Jesus. 

We have been through the dark times shaped by fear, the unknown, anxiety, loss, and a lot of other feelings dealing with worry and darkness. That is like the time between the last prophesy and Jesus' arrival on the scene. 

Now we have entered into this phase where there is still darkness but we have a little light. There are some vaccines available and in limited supply being circulated. It is like Jesus when he lived on the earth, restoring freedom and hope from the darkness and fear of the virus to those he touched. But we are limited in that because of supply the same way Jesus was limited when he was here just as a man. At this phase we are so close to the greatest part of the story. When Jesus died, he promised he would be able to come back and be available for everyone through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let us not lose hope and become less diligent when we are so close to the final freedom like the disciples after Jesus was crucified. 

Then the Holy Spirit came in terms of Jesus being with us all the time to free us from darkness and sin IF we just allow it. That is the stage we will be at soon and the stage the world has been at with Jesus since the very first Easter. We can choose whether to get the vaccine and live protected from the danger of the physical darkness and death caused by the virus in the same way we can choose whether to accept Jesus' life as a vaccine to the spiritual darkness and death.

A Shortcut to Mushrooms...

You know how there are things in this life you are pretty sure you would never do? And I'm not talking about the bad things like murder or rob a bank...just basic things that are outside your lane for the most part. And then one day there you are... you meet someone with an interesting hobby and you are entering a new lane, a new world. 

Well atleast that might happen if you try to leave a little space in your life and start the year off trying to focus on people over efficiency... And keep in mind that relationship is the goal, not a number of miles achieved or books read or some.other arbitrary self- imposed measure.

So that was me this year...  I ended up mushroom foraging the other day and it was so cool! There was a guy who was starting the trail at the same time as myself who is an amateur mycologist. He was kind enough to let me tag along and teach me. (Yes, I gave him the option to go ahead without me in case I was bothering him if you must know)  I love learning from people who are passionate about a topic, but not pushy. And this was his element. And there was alot of walking involved. 

He showed me so much about this fungus that's among us. And it is fascinating!! I was wowed by how God designed everything to fit together perfectly... The diversity in mushrooms for the breaking down of different trees in different stages of decay. Which then feed the creatures of the woods or simply look cool. I learned to identify spores versus gills... That a mushroom colony in Oregon is the largest known living organism, covering acres. Etc. Etc. 

And he even gave me an edible mushroom to try- an oyster mushroom. (Which yes, I cross checked with experts to make sure it was safe) Spoiler alert- it was delicious. 

So this year I hope you have some space in your life for fun and adventure and stepping out of your lane in some way. You learn alot, see a different side of God, and appreciate the diversity of interests we have as people. Shout out to the library for edible mushroom books that fuel the interest flame. 

Turkey tail mushrooms

Oyster mushroom

Don't know this one.... I went out looking on my own

Yum!

2020.

As I spend this last day of 2020 reflecting, these are some words I would say defined it:

Nature

Outside

Pandemic

Prayer

Water

Slow down

Invest

Hiking boot

Bike

Filter

Friends

Death

Refine

Dunkin

Monarch Butterfly

Eat local

Physical Distance

Mask

Mute

Intentional

Love

Learn

Release

Confidence

Home

Alone

Beautiful

Cry

Squirrel

Community

Heartbreak

Lament

Simplify

Future

Provision

Abundance

Sparkle

Control

Merry Christmas

With everything that has happened in 2020, it is the year I feel most drawn to the gift that is Jesus' arrival. It has felt like a year long advent, remaining in hope through loss and brokenness for Jesus' arrival. I have spent Christmas morning listening to the song 'Arrival' by Hillsong on repeat. 

It's a year I care very little about the gifts I am giving or receiving, but about the deeper longing of a hurting heart that aches for the sorrow and brokenness surrounding it. It's been a year of seeing so much loss and so much selfish human depravity in the face of being given opportunities to love and serve neighbors. A year of seeing people argue over so many things. And it makes me even more aware of the perfection of the gift that was given to humanity on Christmas that we certainly did not deserve. The more broken I see our world is, the crazier it is for the God of the universe to send his most precious possession into, knowing our hearts and what would happen. I would not want to send my beloved child into this hot mess.

But the darker our world seems, the brighter the light and hope of Jesus shines. It's been a year where humanity looks terrible but it's also been a year where we have been able to see the kindness and generosity of others even more brightly. 

Merry Christmas!

"Oh come now hail His arrival

The God of creation

Royalty robed in the flesh He created

Jesus the maker has made Himself known

All hail the infinite infant God

The One who had no start and knows no end

Became confined in time and tense

The Everlasting God

The Great I Am

In the mercy of a mother's hands"

Bethlehem Star

I was able to see the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter yesterday forming the "Bethlehem star"! It was best on Monday, but it was cloudy here unfortunately. So yesterday they were slightly separated but I could still see them low in the sky. Mind you, this wasn't the original Bethlehem star. That had a couple other astrological alignments as well when Jesus was born.

I just imagine the magi who saw that and knew what it meant. People who knew before news, before texting, before apps that tell you what stars in the sky are... God reached them in their language, the night sky. He spoke to people who knew the significance of that specific alignment and did not need any additional confirmation in order to pack up exorbitant gifts and set out on a journey to find the king it signified. To people who found and worshipped the child when they arrived. To people who only needed confirmation from a dream to once again change their plans. 

They were looking. They were ready and willing to go. They were willing to change course and trust, based on the stars, a dream, and God. Meanwhile I need like eight forms of research confirmation just to buy a tv. What trust, what faith. 

It blows my mind that when God created everything, he set the rotation of planets and stars, he set the tilt of the Earth, of so much I don't understand to come together at a specific time to speak a message to a specific people. What an orchestra- each part coming together perfectly for the beautifully unfolding masterpiece. 

How amazing to have a God that set things into motion thousands of years ago to speak to one person at a specific time and place. How loved and seen that makes me feel.