Thankfulness

It's been a year! Can you believe it? Yesterday was the one year anniversary of moving to the good old US of A. It brought a palpable sense of relief that we'd survived 365 days and been through everything once.

The year was that perfect mix of joy and pain. Leaving our family and friends, our lovely home, our delightful community brought feelings of loss which verged on the debilitating. But the Lord is faithful in turning our mourning into dancing! Laughter has followed us here.

The year was the ideal blend of old and new. Repeatedly we've seen God use experiences from the past ten years as preparation for this new context. Wisdom appears to be no respecter of circumstances - it'll hide in all things; it's just up to us to seek it.

The year was an engaging concoction of light and dark. We've been at the raw end of humanity and seen God's transformative grace turn the impossible into the possible.

We are truly thankful.

We have cheerleaders that call back and forth across the Atlantic; we have new (and some not so new!) friends here who hold up our arms and our needs and our dreams; we have food on the table and a cute room over our heads, clothes on our backs and feet fitted with holy and unholey shoes.

Thank-you for advocating for us; pestering the Lord for us; and for loving us as only you can.
We're only who we are because of you.

Saints

The Americans really know how to decorate for the season. Halloween brought 6 foot spiders on fake webs crawling over windows and smiling, carved pumpkins revealing a sinister light on doorsteps. About 4 blocks down our street is what is now known as the Demon House. Severed heads drip from the drain pipes, an empty coffin gawps a hellish orange glow and devilish faces with pursuing eyes repulse or delight passers - depending on their tendencies. I don't find all that terribly helpful to my spirit, mind or body.

Robert E. Webber in "Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year" suggests that:

'A good antidote to the underworld themes of Halloween is to return to the
real meaning of All Saints' Day - a celebration of the life and witness of God's
people who model a relationship with God for us.' (p175)

I'm inspired to chase after God by those with the determined persistence of Jacob. I'm called to believe in His faithfulness by the existence of the children of Abraham and Sarah. I'm assured of His attention to detail when people testify that like Ruth they 'happen' to find themselves in the kinsman redeemer's field. I delight in His intimacy when people declare, like Zephaniah, that He rejoices over them with singing.

Today I celebrate the saints who still walk the earth and those that are with Jesus. The men and women of faith who've prayed, taught, corrected and wooed me dancing into the family of God. My spirit testifies to the example of you all.

I wonder whose spirit will testify that I modeled for them a relationship with God?

So, on this All Saints Day, celebrate and give thanks for those who have pointed to the Father, been Jesus' hands and feet, and been conduits of the Holy Spirit. And consider why people will celebrate your life and witness.