Tonight I’m taking a red-eye to the east coast so I can check in with my aging parents. The last few months have had them in and out of unexpected healthcare situations, and I feel the need to see them with my own eyes, put my arms around their solid selves. This physical distance is something we live with, since my life is here in the Pacific Northwest, and the rest of my family remains a continent away.
I sometimes feel similar in my relationship with the Divine. I long to be able to embrace a physical presence. Sit and talk over a beverage. Know I’m connected in a tangible way. But this life we live is one in which the Divine can’t necessarily be reached by flight or phone. Or can it?
I write this message in the early morning, woken by too many difficult thoughts swirling in my head. An 80-pound dog lays his head across my arm, despite my typing. A cat curls on the blanket atop my stretched-out legs. And in this sleepy moment I remember that I believe the Divine’s presence can be experienced in these things; that I believe God’s palpable presence is found in the realities of this world, when there is tenderness, comfort, connection…
Sometimes it’s easier to sense the Holy in the quiet darkness before dawn. And yet—without doubt—I know I felt God in an encounter yesterday with one of you I hadn’t seen in a long while. I experienced the Divine in a deep conversation with another person over coffee this week, and in the Adult Forum discussion last week. I found the Holy in the gentleness of my therapist who held my frustration of overwhelm. And I saw the Beloved looking through the eyes of those who joined in membership during worship on Sunday.
Some of us need the tangible reminders—the touch and sight and sound—of the Divine in our lives, just as I will get to touch and see and talk with my parents tomorrow morning. I pray that you take the moments to remember what you believe about God’s presence with you this week, and savor each of the encounters as they come.
In faith, Sharon
Ministry Highlight: Trunk or Treat
This fun seasonal event is coming Sunday, October 29 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. We've already got commitments for several trunks, so it's shaping up to be a good, fun day! We need your help with candy donations. We are also collecting donations of small toys for children with allergies. Please bring donations of wrapped candies and/or small toys, and leave them in the donation box in the Narthex.
