Classic Jack?

I've been on a brief vacation this week to celebrate my wife's birthday and my daughter's high school graduation. And, so, this enotes is one that was posted last year just after a delightful vacation at the beach in Florida. I will be back on track next week with new, and hopefully original, offerings. Have a good week, everyone!  --Jack

Vacations are wonderful!  I have just returned from a vacation that included visiting friends, sightseeing, and the beach.  One morning, I got up early to see the sunrise over the ocean.  It's a beautiful sight!  I forgot to check the time of sunrise so I got there while it was still pretty dark.  Walking up the beach, the sky gradually got lighter.   Then, I turned around and walked back down the beach.  In this direction, I was actually facing away from the eastern horizon.  After about an hour of this, I turned and saw the very top of the sun peeking over the ocean.  As the orb moved slowly higher into the sky, I found myself entranced by its intense orange glow.  The sun's light caused sunbeams across the surface of the water in a straight line directly to where I was standing!  They seemed to be forming a pathway toward the sun.  These words came from that experience:

                        Sunbeam

                        reflecting light on water

                        stair steps to eternity

                        invitation to fire

                        journey of life

                        always here

Sunrise and sunset always feel like a mystery to me even though I know it's just the earth rotating.  Standing on the beach, as night turns to day or day to night, feels like a miracle.  This miracle happens every morning and every evening.  It's always here even when I'm not at the beach watching, even when I'm asleep, and even when I'm just not paying attention.  It's here even when clouds obscure my view.

The mystery of God is constantly present in our lives even when we're not paying attention.  The miracle of this mystery is that each of us has power to envision and create our own lives; power to find the meaning in our experiences.  I agree with those theologians who describe our relationship with God in the language of partnership.  The Spirit calls and challenges us to take the ultimate responsibility for what we do and how we think and feel.  

The journey of our lives is not a journey to God.  It is a journey in God, into our selves, and with other people.  As we get to know ourselves more honestly, we can begin to act according to our deepest desires and values.  When we stop settling for what is easy and familiar, we begin to transcend the boundaries of fear, hopelessness, and scarcity that constrain us.  As we live in the direction of God's dream of Shalom, we find our efforts and perspectives flowing in sync with the tidal movement of the Spirit - and we are at home.

Thanks for continuing to bless me as we journey together.
  
Jack Price

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