I have friends who talk about asking for or waiting for signs from God. I confess that I am puzzled by that idea. Not that I don't believe in the possibility. I am happy to trust those who tell me that they are on the receiving end of those kinds of signs but I am more often stopped in my tracks by the obvious ones. Like the sign above. I was driving Route 11 in Virginia this summer, a two lane country road, when I did a u-turn to photograph this particular sign. So true, no?
I have no firsthand knowledge of the kind of "filling" that goes on at a Church of the Brethren but as a Catholic, I am filled up with God during the Mass. Literally. We Catholics walk out of the church, living tabernacles. I know I don't always act like one. What a place the world would be if we lived the reality of the miracle of the Eucharist.
On a more basic level though, this sign hit me in the face with the reminder that I am not self-sustaining. Just like my van, I need to fill up lest I run out of gas. I confess to feeling quite out of gas now just as I'm preparing to start a new school year when I will again play all the roles in this play called life: mom, teacher, cook, housekeeper, coach, disciplinarian--oh, and wife. Poor Chris, he's the first to get the Heisman when there's too much on my plate. I know from experience that the times I feel most on empty are also full of the most potential. Right now though, I'd take some downhill coasting and easy. No more pruning God, please.
With all of the pain and trouble in the world, I am certain that some of you out there know of what I speak. Be encouraged and take time to rest and fill up for the journey. Maybe, like me, you'll take comfort in that fact that we're all in this together.
Till next time.
Alice
I'm a big fan of "Abandonment to Divine Providence" a book of spiritual direction by the Jesuit Jean-Pierre de Caussade. It's a powerful book about being open to the providential direction of God by a spiritual director who never knew he'd written a book. The book was assembled long after he died by editing together the letters he had written to the nuns to whom he'd been assigned as spiritual director.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation. I always like to hear about other people's favorites. I will definitely check this one out.
ReplyDeleteHang in there, Alice. You have no idea how inspiring what you do is to me.
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