He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them... Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage. It is I. Don't be afraid." ~ Mark 6:48, 50b Each day I spend time with patients and their families leading and offering prayer. I never quite know what I am going to be asked to pray for. Sometimes for God to provide a miracle. Others, that God would allow for a peaceful passing. No matter what the prayer, our prayers matter.
I will never forget my first on call weekend at a hospital in Louisville, Kentucky twenty three years ago. It was a full moon, and the beginning of the month. For persons who work in the healthcare field, the full moon has significance, and the beginning of the month is when many people on fixed incomes get paid, and so, money is spent on a number of things, not necessarily food. You can almost always count on the ER being busier than usual. The first six cases that came in by ambulance that night all died within hours after arriving. I was literally going from one death to the next, and comforting families and praying for God's peace. I will never forget the seventh patient that came in. He experienced a heart attack while on the roof helping his son fix their home. The EMT's had shocked the man twice on the roof, and then multiple times in the yard just after they got him down to the ground. The man was extremely critical when he arrived, and the ER doctor asked me to stay close because they didn't believe the man would survive. I just remember going from checking on the family back to into the ER to watch as the team worked to save him. After about two hours, the patient stabilized. As the doctor came out, he looked at me and jokingly said, "It's about time your prayer for our patients started working." I looked at him and smiled, saying, "I quit praying for the patients, and started praying for you. I guess that made all the difference." He just smiled, "I guess so." Our prayers matter. I will always be grateful that God discerns each prayer for us. Just like healing, God's response to prayer takes many forms. The Garth Brook's song, "Unanswered Prayers," reminds us, "Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers. Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs, that just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care. Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." Sometimes God seems to be silent, but God is still listening. Prayer is giving words to our hopes, our dreams, and what we would like to see in this world. It is also how we spend intentional time with God. For me, prayer reminds me that there is light in the darkness. That there is healing in woundedness. That prayer allows me to open my eyes and ears to what God wants for me. That prayer works as a guide when I seem to have lost my way. That prayer allows me to see what is really real before me, and to have the courage to face each moment. Prayer is about change. We pray that "Thy will be done." Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 "Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. The number of the men who [ate] was five thousand." ~ Mark 6:41, 44 I have often wondered what our lives would be like if we believed that even the smallest act of kindness would be multiplied by many? The "Pay it Forward," in line at the coffee shop. Stopping to listen to someone share a story from their life. A moment of gratitude when a stranger steps aside, holding a door, to let you enter first.
All are things that my grandmother would have shared was practicing, "Good manners," but in our world today, they have become simple moments that drive a YouTube video to "viral status." My grandmother also used to tell us, "Kindness doesn't cost a penny." An act of kindness, an act of faithfulness, every gesture of love, every word of forgiveness, every little bit of joy and peace is worth the chance that it will multiply. Especially as long as there are those in the world willing to receive it. Jesus would remind us that being different from one another doesn't mean that we cannot help one another. The story of the Samaritan reminds of one who helped the stranger who had been beaten. Jesus also tells us that "whatever you have done to the least of these, you have already done to me." I will admit, in the divided world that we seem to encounter each day, practicing these "random acts of kindness," almost have become part of a mission that seems to be impossible. Even when the act is simply done, "because," there is sometimes suspicion as to the "why?" We must remind ourselves that as a whole, we are all better than this. Jesus turns to the one who would betray him and tells him to "go and do what you must." The reminder that we may not always understand the big picture, or what others may be going through. While I don't always understand the mentality behind some decisions, or choices, made by others, it still should not keep me from practicing kindness. Our woundedness and pain definitely serve as reminders of what "might" happen. But in the end, living our lives as instruments of Christ in the world today, providing a source of kindness, will always make some difference. Even if we don't believe that it will. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! ~ Psalm 27:13-14 The old birdhouse in my back yard about this time of year looks empty. Summer activities have come to an end. It looks abandoned. It appears to be waiting.
As one of my patients shared some time ago, "Patience is learning to live within God's timing." But "waiting," is something that God's people seem to know a lot about. For centuries God's people looked for the arrival of the Messiah. In the four hundred years between the last prophet, and the angel, Gabriel, appearing to Zechariah, in the Temple to tell him that his wife Elizabeth would bear a child, there had been only waiting. When the angel appears to Mary, and proclaims, "Fear not!" there had only been waiting. The people had been waiting. John arrives, and Jesus... but even then, some refused to recognize the son of God walking among the people. For some who recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the words of John, announcing that the "Kingdom of God is at hand," signaled the waiting was over. But then there was the crucifixion. The death. And the resurrection, that left the people waiting once again for the return of Jesus. This is our story. And here we are, "waiting." I am reminded we are instruments of the living Christ, and as such, we are called to keep hope alive as we await the return of Christ. By keeping hope alive, we allow for the waiting to become easier, while the presence of Christ grows stronger within us. In this way we can wait and live with courage. In our waiting we discover a world where there is spiritual power in us when we gather. In our waiting this hope allows us to live in this world without surrendering to despair. That is why, in our waiting, we can proclaim the love of God, when we encounter hatred, sorrow, and sadness. In our waiting, we can claim that God is a God of life, even when we encounter death and destruction. Waiting leads us to affirm one another. Waiting together, nurturing what had already begun, expecting its fulfillment. That is the meaning of waiting while living the Christian life. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable... ~ 1 Corinthians 12:21-22 Being community takes work. According to Webster's dictionary, community is, "a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common."
To be a community of faith, the people must be centered upon a particular belief, but is not always made up of people who are the same. Welcome to the CHURCH! I have been moved by faith communities who do not hide their joys and sorrows but make them visible to each other as a gesture of hope. I am reminded that life is full of ups and downs. Joys and sorrows. Community reminds us that we do not have to live these moments alone. Recently while talking about Baptism and the Lord's Supper with a group, I was reminded that Baptism is often a place of healing within a faith community, as it reminds us of the seal that God has placed upon us. The Lord's Supper is the place where wholeness occurs. We remember Christ's life, death and resurrection and the promise that each of us will once again see Jesus face to face. For me, I am reminded that community is made up of many people, like a mosaic, or the many pieces of glass assembled to create a stained-glass window. Each piece may seem like it doesn't matter, but yet it does. Without the different hues, textures, colors, shapes, and even the pieces that may seem worthless or ordinary, we can do little with the individual pieces. But place them together, and behold, there is a beautiful piece of art, inspiring and spiritual. Each of us bear the image of a God who has created us. Each of us together, create a community that makes God visible in the world. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good; his love is eternal. ~ 1 Chronicles 16:34 As many of us hurry around to complete travel plans, or seek out that infamous family recipe for a favorite Thanksgiving dish, we struggle to remind ourselves that this is a time in which we are to take a moment and give thanks, and be grateful.
Recently an article in the Daily Health Post shared that when people live a grateful life, they basically "rewire their brain." The article shares, "When you say 'thank you', do you really mean it or is it just politeness to which you give little attention? Neuroscientists have found that if you really feel it when you say it, you’ll be happier and healthier. The regular practice of expressing gratitude is not a New Age fad; it’s a facet of the human condition that reaps true benefits to those who mean it." (https://dailyhealthpost.com/gratitude-rewires-brain-happier) How can we live a truly grateful life? For some, looking back at all that has happened in the past can be both a source of gratefulness for good things that have happened to us, as well as, a source of things that we wish that we could forget. I can remember a woman telling me years ago that she had so much "baggage in her past, there was nothing she could do to get on the grateful train." Recently while sharing with a colleague I commented that I had perfectly boxed away so many things from my past. She then asked what I planned to "do with all of that which I had 'boxed away?'" I couldn't answer her at the moment, and she shared, "You know, it's okay. You don't have to deal with it today, but when you do decide to open it, just remember that everything that is in that box you have already lived through it." Suddenly I realized that I could, with spiritual gratitude, begin to explore the good as well as the bad events, the joyful times, and even the moments where brokenness seemed to overwhelm me. I am reminded that it is everything that we have experienced in our life, brings us to where we are today. Everything that we experienced broughts us here to this place. It does not mean that everything that we experienced in the past was good. It does, however, provide us with a clearer understanding, and one of gratitude, that it all did not happen outside of the loving presence of God. Once all of our life is remembered in gratitude, we then become agents of gratitude that can then become sources of gratitude for others. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 "I tell you the truth," [Jesus] said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." ~ Luke 21:3,4 Early morning drive into the city to meet with the Presbytery to be examined as I continue to serve Westminster Presbyterian Church part time in Galveston. The air is cold, but the sky is clear, offering sunlight along my journey. Under several underpasses this morning I noted homeless individuals, trying to find shelter from the colder temperatures. I immediately thought of the times years ago when I would pass out bus tokens to the homeless that would then allow them to ride for 8 hours on a city bus, where they could sleep and stay warm, as long as they didn't bother anyone.
I am deeply convinced that we can only work for change if we love the people we are hoping to help. We can also only help them when we recognize the sacredness they also possess as children of God. These images remind me of the importance of the need for social change and the necessity for us to continue to work to bring these changes about. I am reminded that daily we are called to be the instruments of the living Christ. In the embodiment of Christ, we are invited to be in solidarity with Christ as well. We are moved to work for social change. Working for this change, to me, means to make visible that which has already been accomplished by Christ himself. Years ago I began helping those on the street because I felt abandoned by the church during a time in my life when I was really struggling with many things, both personally and professionally. I felt drawn to help others because I had experienced brokenness. Since this time, I have learned that we are to work to make a better world not out of frustration, resentment, pain, or anger. (These can sometimes be catalysts for change.) We are being invited to work for change because we are called to love, forgive and live in gratitude. We are the embodiment of Christ in a world, that is seeking change. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." ~ Isaiah 41:13 The rain has begun to fall along the Gulf this morning as a cold front approaches from the North. A seasonal change is underway, and all around us are signs of that transition as leaves continue to turn, flowers retreat, and the daylight hours begin to fade earlier in the evening.
Years ago I saw a sundial with these words, "Only count the sunny days," on it's face. Almost defiant, the long gnomon, pointing towards the sky, was determined to find the sun so it's shadow might cast the time of day upon it's face. Somehow cloudy days were thought to be less important, but it was the cloudy days that were powerful as they rendered the sundial's ability to clearly harness the hours of the day as they passed by. "Only count the sunny days," seemed to declare the importance of one day over another. Funny how cloudy days work in our lives. Like the valleys we encounter, cloudy days still provide time for the journey, and provide for the steps that we must take in order to once again reach the summit of whatever mountain that lies ahead. I always seem to learn more about myself when I encounter cloudy days, or dark times in my life. They are something out of the ordinary, and I am drawn to think about what it is that has changed, or caused the sun to disappear. "Only count the sunny days," was the motto placed on the sundial by the one who created the piece. For us, God has designed us in a way to make every moment count. Even the writer Paul is bold in proclaiming to, "Give thanks in all things." (1 Thessalonians 5:18) While I must admit that I have a hard time giving thanks when I am surrounded by cars and stuck on the roadway, or when one of my children has encountered an adult problem I cannot fix, I do try to give thanks for the days that are cloudy, as well as, sunny. The idea that any day is more important than another gives way to both joys and disappointments. Each day, whether sunny or cloudy is an invitation. It is an opportunity to remind us that God never rests. God is always present, and that each day is a gift. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. ~ Psalm 30:11 I recently told someone that my cousin, John's death had, "brought me so much healing."
It's an interesting thing about death, grief, and how we maneuver through feelings and moments. I miss my cousin. While we hadn't been close for a number of years, the final months of his life brought us closer together, and we gained a new understanding and strengthened relationship because of what we encountered together. So often in the relationships I have with my patients and their families, I am drawn to the understanding that death of the person is going to bring about many things. Change is inevitable. The feelings of loss will be normal. A sense of healing and wholeness can also be present. Because of John's death, I found myself on a road trip a few weeks ago. Just me and his ashes. His request for his ashes to be taken back to Indiana where we shared so many childhood memories was a dying wish of his, and a promise I made and would keep. As I drove I couldn't help but think about so many people that I know who have kept the wishes of the dying near their hearts, and how that wish becomes a part of who they are as they continue to live on beyond the final breath of the person who has died. What to do with our losses? I always remind others that there is no "right or wrong way," to mourn our losses. We cannot overwhelm the losses with calendared events, or act as if they did not happen. One thing that I have learned is that we can shed tears over them and allow ourselves to grieve. Grief is the allowing of our losses to reach vulnerable places within ourselves that leads us to places of truth and our own brokenness. Our grief makes us experience places in our life where things are unsettled. It reminds us that in our life there exists places that are constantly changing. In the midst of grief, however, the pain seems to provide for a strange and welcoming voice. It is the voice that reminds us, "Blessed are those who mourn; they shall be comforted." This has been the unexpected welcome in grief. Like the loss itself, it is the unexpected news. Within our grief there is hidden a blessing. It is the reminder that those who mourn will be blessed. Somewhere in the midst of our tears, there is a blessing that meets us. I am reminded how the Psalmist describes how God has turned mourning into dancing. I don't understand how, but in the midst of our pain, the first steps of the dance take place. The music of our pain and the cries of our loss, become a melody that then encourages us to dance. The dance, symbolic of healing, seeing vulnerabilities and wounds for what they are. We mourn and we are blessed. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ~ John 10:9 This morning I walked to the back of our yard to watch the fog rise just above the trees. As I looked at our gate, I was suddenly reminded of Jesus' words, "I am the gate." he says (John 10:9). "I am the Way; I am Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
Jesus is the door to a life in and with God. I am reminded that many people never have heard or will hear of Jesus. They are born, live their lives, and die without having been exposed to Jesus and his words. Are they lost? Is there no place in the Father's house for them? Many ask, "How can this be in a world where technology quickly transmits the headlines just moments after an event happens?" Over the years the words of Jesus have been shaped to keep people both inside and outside of the church. Staring at the gate, I am reminded that Jesus opened the door to God's house for all people, also for those who never knew or will know that it was Jesus who opened it. The Spirit that Jesus sent "blows where it pleases" (John 3:8), and it can lead anyone through the door to God's house. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ~ Romans 12:12 Nearly ten years ago I encountered a serious period of depression. While I am not someone who normally gets depressed, I am aware of the symptoms as I have a family member who suffers regularly from depression. I understand that we all "get down," at times, but depression itself is something that can completely change a person's outlook, decision making skills, and overall personality.
Mine came after a serious illness. While visiting a therapist, he suggested that I look for something that brought me "joy," and take a picture of it with my phone and then bring it into his office. We would then talk about what it was about the photo that brought me joy. At first, I really seemed to have to "look," for something that would then become the photo that we would discuss. After a few months, I began realizing that there were many things that actually brought me joy. My photos contained images that included bumper stickers that made me smirk, a flower pushing its way through the crack in concrete, to my dog laying on my lap. I also learned that joy could be found in both large and small things. While the exercise turned into a daily habit for me (I still go out as part of my morning routine and often will take a picture of something that moves me to an attitude of joy), I realize that choosing joy does not mean to choose feelings that make me "happy," or some artificial feeling where I simply smile to hide what I'm really feeling. Seeking joy involves simple steps that bring us to a different place in our life. It involves more than singing, "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart." Sometimes finding joy takes intentional eyes. Sometimes it takes more than prayer. Years ago Henri Nouwen wrote, "People who have come to know the joy of God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it. They claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself and that a little bit of light can dispel a lot of darkness." Even when we walk in the, "valley of the shadow of death," I am reminded that there exists light to cast the shadow. May the joy of the Lord, be our strength! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. ~ Isaiah 26:3 The buds of flowers that will never bloom serve as a reminder to me of things that I have planted in my life that I will never see grow and mature. When I encounter moments or thoughts like these, I am drawn to the words of the Quaker theologian, D. Elton Trueblood who wrote, "A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit."
Years ago when I was very ill, my prayer life began to change. I found myself praying that I would live long enough to see my daughter fall in love for the first time, and to see my son grow into a man. The prayers that I lifted didn't necessarily ask for healing, but with healing, then I would be able to be present for both of these things. In God's mercy, I have seen both. There are simply some things that we will never see happen in our lifetime. I currently have a patient that prays each day for the return of Christ so that she will not have to encounter death, however, she also has faith to know that when she embraces her last and final breath, she will find herself in the presence of the One who she has been praying to see. So often I encounter people who have created, "Bucket Lists," for their life. While I believe that we should all dream our dreams, lists like these sometimes leave the creator of the list feeling as if they have failed to do something when the symptoms of the life-limiting disease overtake the plan and the person is unable to complete the task. Trueblood's words are the reminder to us that we can still place something of ourselves in places that will make a difference in the future. I'm so thankful that I have lived long enough to see many things that I have prayed for come to fruition, even if it has been delivered in a way that I did not see coming. In many ways, satisfaction in our lives begins with being open to the reality that we are called to love one another, pray for our enemies, and to forgive and seek forgiveness with others. It's about taking the time to sit and to listen to our neighbor, to look up from our phones and see the sacred person created from the same dust and breath of God sitting before us, and to not talk about what we would do to make things better for those around us, but to act upon our words. I know that there will simply be things that I will not complete in my life. I may or may not have a plan or even have thought of all the things that I would want or need to do. I can however, live in each moment, knowing that with faith, and as an instrument of the living Christ, what I do encounter in my life and for others, will continue to exist, long after my chapter of life has been lived. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 "You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear." ~ Lamentations 3:57 Sometimes in the of newspaper headlines, eight-second sound bytes, and text messages, we seem to forget that God is still at work. In my role as a chaplain and pastor, I spend a lot of my day talking about God's presence with people, and praying, but do I ever really stop to think of how God is still working in the world?
Somehow we have to maneuver through the events of the day and still strive to see God in some new, or existing way. There is the life that God has created for us, and then there is the life that we live. It is a constant struggle between the spiritual life and the life that we encounter. It's almost as if we consciously need to read the headlines with a heart that sees God working, while also realizing the struggle that is ongoing. Recently while on campus at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary I sat in on a class. During the course of the lecture, a picture of current leaders, both political and spiritual, with a very large dividing line between the two was placed on the screen for the class to see. My first reaction was that this was a illustration of "Good and Evil," today in the world. But then, in the back of my mind, I began to realize that within the context of each group, they both believe that they are God's presence and way of working in the world today. Today it seems we struggle with the power of evil, while we seek for God, whom many feel is hidden. I am reminded that God is present, and God is real, but it is up to each of us to be the reality of God's existence. Unless we are willing to acknowledge God in the midst of daily human stories that are both filled with tragedy and joy, then we will then struggle to acknowledge God in every day moment. While humankind continues to make decisions that affect our planet, our lives, and our future, we must not allow these things to distract us from seeing God as being available and present. God is omnipotent. That means that God cannot decide to be present for one event, and then not for another. Years ago Marjorie Suchocki reminded a group of us that, "God doesn't have a choice. God will always be present." She went on to share how, "God was present when the bomber built the bomb that would kill and destroy the lives of many people in Boston during a marathon. God didn't have a choice not to be present." The ability to make choices, good or bad, are always made in the presence of God. We always just seem to forget that God is present. I am reminded that to pray is not to sit and allow my mind to wander. To pray is to seek God who is real and to grow deeper in the belief of God's reality and presence in the world. God is the source of all life. It is up to us to live our life in a way where God is not just present, but is known. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." ~ John 12:24 This morning the freezing temperatures we had earlier this week have given way to cloudiness, rain, and the overall feeling that the earth around us seems to be taking a break. As I let the dogs outside this morning, I still have some plants covered for protection from the cold, while others are in various stages of life. Funny how seasons are reflected in natural ways around us.
I must admit, some seasons I love more than others, but I am reminded that each season is necessary. Just about a month ago I planted a number of bulbs that I know need the cold of winter to make them burst forth in the spring. While I may not always appreciate the colder temperatures and cloudy days, I have to admit, I can survive them better knowing that there is a promise of beauty a few months away. In many ways I am reminded that the bulb that lies beneath the winter frost is like the presence of God within us. While there are many things that effect us, there is nothing greater than the Divine that dwells within, and the knowing of God's presence for all the seasons of our lives. For now the leaves that remain, will eventually whirl to the ground and the trees will be bare, except for the live oaks that seem to defy winter, and push their leaves out in the spring. Winter is slowing making itself known. I remember how the hills around our farm growing up would turn white as snow would blanket them, hiding beneath the rich powers, that would show themselves again, when I had the patience to wait for spring. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 "Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:10 One of the most difficult things that we can experience is weakness. In today's world our times when we seem to, or appear to be weak can be detrimental in so many ways.
I often see times when I am weak as moments when vulnerability overcomes the current situation and I see it for what it is. Being vulnerable isn't always seen as a sign of weakness. It identifies truth. It reveals personal struggles that often others can identify with, while sometimes it is just what was needed to make for a stronger relationship, or a desired outcome. I have always respected people when they have shared both personal tragedies and struggles. I have often been moved to identify my own need for change, while considering options that people have shared in their own journeys. Our ability to be strong in Christ during these times begins with asking God to walk beside us when we find that we have lost our way, or have fallen into times of weakness. When we are weak, God is strong is what we learn early as a child in Sunday School. Somewhere along the way, weakness has shown itself in many expressions as we go through life. Whatever the struggle, being truthful in those times, and remembering that it's going to be okay. The God who created you in your mother's womb, designed you to be fully human in strength and in weakness, while remaining fully God's. It will be okay! Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. ~ Isaiah 43:19 Howard Thurman is quoted as saying, "Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
One of the most radical demands for you and I is the discovery that as Ecclesiastical people we live our lives as seasons, or as passages that create our life narratives. When we are born, we begin our journey, discovering our family, developing our habits, and encountering experiences that will then serve as the foundation for our future self. One thing we discover quickly about life and living is that there is no such thing as "going back." We grow up, leave our families and move to a larger community of people where our lives are forever larger and more expansive. Each day we are challenged to be something the world wants us to be, while God still hopes that we discover the gifts we have been given, and our purpose living as brothers and sisters within God's creation. Over the weekend I traveled back to Texas after spending just over a week with family and friends, and arriving home with a car full of items from my parents' home in Indiana. Many of the things I brought back were placed in storage after my stepmother died seventeen years ago. Last night I took the time to begin going through boxes with photos. Among the pictures were the faces of family members who are no longer with us, but also, the early pictures of my daughter, Emily, and her first birthday. As I looked at them, I was reminded of how different our lives were then, and then turned to realize the woman that she is today. This morning as she walked out the door to head to the office where she helps to care for persons suffering from addictions, I felt many things. I remembered many of the dreams that I had for her, and how I had hoped to protect her from so many things of the world, but yet, God has blessed her with gifts I never knew she would have. She is living her life in a way that it is bringing life to others. For some, watching their children grow up and move out on their own, somehow makes their life less meaningful. I am simply reminded that for each of us our lives continue to change. Each day I encounter folks who are at the end of their journey, and I am reminded that at some point we all will encounter daily "new normals," as we age and come closer to the end of our life. Whether we realize it or not, we are always passing from one phase to the next, gaining and losing someone, some place, something. As Thurman reminds us, we are to discover the things that make us "alive." I have always found that finding ways to unconditionally love, recognize the sacred among one another, and a desire to ask God first, seem to help me remain focused on being my best self, for myself, and others. These things also what that make me, "feel alive." While losses remind us that life is not always perfect, we cannot let them disillusion us from knowing that each day is an opportunity. The question is how do we choose it as a passage, and live our life more fully each day, rather than as a loss that we will never move beyond? Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 |
AuthorRev. G. Todd Williams is the author of the book, "Remember Me When..." and is a former hospice chaplain and pastor. Archives
February 2024
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