Grace-period

I have been thinking a lot about forgiveness this week-how the families of those murdered in a Charlestown church responded, how Christians and the LGBT community are responding to the Supreme Court decision, and, not the least of which, the series "Do Over" at Hope & yesterday's message on Letting Go. I didn't think there was anything I needed to forgive because, in general, I try to deal with things quickly. Meditating today, I see there are somethings that I have been unwilling to release and it is causing me pain...to which I respond with anger.  Injustice ticks me off. Ambiguity annoys me. Being wrong makes me mad. In all of these things, I lack control over the situation. So, as I have begun to explore these tender spots, I have found some places where forgiveness, letting go, may be in order. I need to forgive God. Yes, that IS as arrogant as it sounds. Still, I need to forgive him for not being clear enough, being unwilling to answer all my questions. (Man...

I am limping through another flare up of pain. I am embarrassed as a spasm causes me to seize and grimace. I try to not make eye contact with those coming my way because I am walking crooked with one hip higher than the other. Perhaps if I pretend to not notice, no one else will.  While I may have resigned, more than surrendered, to the realization that pain is part of my life story, I am always grateful for how God is closer to me when I walk with a limp than when I run to catch up with my schedule.  Is it because God moves slower than I want? Maybe it is just that I am trying to outrun him? It doesn't really matter. What does matter is that despite the mental and physical exhaustion of trying to attend to my life despite the pain, I am rested and revived spiritually. I hear birds chattering joyfully and think of Elijah and his raven. I look around and see flowers blooming brightly and think how much more my father cares for me. In the fiery pain, I consider that the Lord him...