Suddenly It Dawned On Me...

So here I am, late on a Saturday night, sitting at one of the desks I make use of in my house. Yes, I said it, ONE of the desks. I have a lot of papers in a lot of places in my house - and I am not ashamed of it. 

At this desk, I am surrounded by journals and pens and colored pencils and crayons and markers and washi tape. Travel journals filled with receipts and maps and postcards and hotel key cards remind me of adventures and co-traveling adventurers that have changed the course of the life of my mind and soul. 

A watercolor painting with the words "Tengo que vivir en esperanza" (I have to live in hope) inscribed on it made by one soul sister and a hand-painted cross purchased in Haiti by another soul sister are on the wall in front of me. 

A red canoe from a writing group floats on one bookshelf and two bowls I bought at Le Pain Quotidien in Rome rest on the shelf above the canoe. 

A ziploc bag filled with coins recovered from a dramatic interpretation I did of the story of Jesus flipping a table in the temple sits precariously on another bookshelf. I flipped a table at Montreat Youth Conference two years ago - and I still have the coins that didn't roll too far under the stage there in Anderson Auditorium.

Next to my desk is a peacock feather, given to me at this year's Montreat Youth Conference by the same man who gave me a white feather from the juvenile stage of the same peacock at the Montreat Youth Conference two years ago. (I'm praying for his wife who is dealing with kanswer these days...)

Next to me on the desk is the program from my April 2020 seminary graduation. It was one of those early Covid online graduations. A couple of hours after I had to put on my own Masters hood that day, some amazing people from the church I served at the time drove past my house and left gifts, flowers, cards, balloons, red Australian licorice, journals, pens, and other delights on our front lawn in one of those early Covid drive-by parties. Those kind and generous Caldwellians loved me well that day, so very well.

Hanging from the bookcase on my left is the VIP credential that got me early access and a great seat at the Cece Winans concert I attended this past spring.

Here I am, late on a Saturday night, surrounded by mementos of joyous, love-filled, hope-fueled moments in my life. I am grateful, so grateful, always grateful. 

In the meantime, wildfires blaze out west. Floodwaters recede in some places and rise in others. Islands and cities and towns demolished by Hurricane Beryl are still without power and without prospects of timely restoration. Train derailments derail lives and topple businesses.

Politics in this country - and around the world - are an absolute, unmitigated, hot mess. 

Violent words are carelessly spoken, and then deadly weapons are intentionally fired. 

War rages. Innocent people are demonized, dehumanized, terrorized, targeted, displaced, disregarded. 

Those desperate for a better life discover that this is not a better place. 

Suddenly it dawned on me - it's not over. 

My story is not over. Neither is yours. Neither are their stories - whoever they are. 

There is healing to be experienced. There is hope to be shared. 

There is love to be offered. There are hugs to be received. 

There is forgiveness to be sought. There is grace to be extended.

There are sermons to be preached. There are prayers to be prayed.

There are blog posts to be read. There are books to be written. 

There is a whole new world to be dreamed. 

There is work to be done to bring that world to life. 

What world are you dreaming up? Who is with you in that world? 

Is everyone free and safe, fed and housed, loved and cherished in your world? 

What do liberation, equity, justice, and peace look like, smell like, taste like, feel like, and sound like in your dream world? 

Whose stories echo through your mind late at night, when you are trying to fall asleep but you can't?

What are you willing to do to make sure that their stories end well? Whoever they are? Wherever they are? Whatever they are going through?

Are you at least going to vote? At the very least???