WEEK 83
God, what is your guidance for me, today? What would you have me say, do or be like today?
Say what comes from the heart.
Be joyful, gentle and humble…
aware of the blessings you have received
in your life.
Do what flows from this appreciation;
whether it be a smile towards someone, a word of
encouragement to one in need, or a testimony to another
of your blessings –
to inspire faith and hope.
Do this today regardless of present
difficulties, challenges or hardships you may
be in the midst of, remembering what you
have been brought through.
To claim joy and blessing in life no matter
what is a great act of your spirit and will.
It is an act of faith in the love and
care of God – who works all things for good.
Today, speak from the heart of your faith.
Do that which shows your strength of spirit
and trust in the workings of the One who kisses
creation continually and fills it with the very love it
is made from.
Today, walk in grace and be graceful.
Live in love… and love.
To do this is blessing to the world.
Will you do it?
Evening Reflection
Today, I had a unique experience. The main library in town showed the movie The Blues Brothers. I was a dancer in the church scene of the movie, where John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd see the Light that James Brown’s character is preaching about. The library asked me to come as a special guest. They had a table set up for me to talk to moviegoers and on my laptop computer I showed a video of my part in the movie. The library even played the game Bingo as part of the festivities and put my picture on the Bingo card along with other more prominent performers who were in the movie.
The evening took me back to a palpable sense of the joy I experienced dancing in this vibrant scene. It was my first movie after graduating from college as a Drama major. I mention this because the event brought to mind many blessings that came from that experience, even as it foreshadowed others. It was the very next year that I felt the calling to go to seminary.
As I spoke to people of all ages who had come to watch the movie, I spoke with joy and appreciation of that experience as a very small piece in a huge puzzle of a movie on the set at Universal Studios. Today’s guidance helped me stay conscious of the blessings that life has brought my way.
Some folks wondered what I was doing now. When I told them I was a minister and that I was still dancing, they made the connection of me dancing in that church scene.
It can be very interesting and fascinating how one aspect of our life can connect to another. But it is up to us to see it, acknowledge it and make sense of things, if we can. I didn’t know I was going to be a minister then. I am sure God did and perhaps this event was a reminder that God is always way ahead of us. For a couple of hours last night, time stood still for me and I was back dancing in that movie studio church. And yes, I have danced in a real church many times since then.
From then until now life’s ups and downs have been lived, and joy and appreciation for the journey can get lost in the shuffle of living. It can however, be connected to through contemplation, a song, a movie, a child’s question… or being an invited guest for something you did a long time ago.
