Now to catch up on Wonderstruck, the challenge. On Saturday we were to see God in His creation. The sunrise on Saturday was a great beginning to see the wonder and awe of God in creation. Saturday was a picture perfect day of creation here on the prairie. I also saw the creation of God in the creativity of friends and the beauty they bring in word, art and music. Sunday morning the drive from our home to church was a thick, massive cloud of fog. Vision was so limited. The fog made the usual beautiful and almost unrecognizable. Roy commented that the fog transferred us into thinking we were driving in the country when the reality is, we are surrounded about with a great cloud of witnesses in home after home after home.
Sunday, the Wonderstruck challenge was to see God in forgiveness. Forgiving is another name for God. There isn't any real thing as forgiveness unless it is based on the fact we need a Savior to mediate between sinful people and Holy God. Margaret's emphasis on the challenge was being willing to forgive ourselves. We've been talking about this in Bible study because we are in Hebrews and are in the chapters about the High Priesthood. Another important part of forgiveness is forgiving others. I think this can only be done if we walk in God's love. We are willing to say we forgive but in our heart of hearts we will still punish the one who has caused offenses to us. The opposite of love is not hate but fear, self-centeredness and dare I say it after writing about it last week, apathy. Forgiving actually releases us from a dark, lonely prison. Many think if we forgive that we have to be best friends with the one forgiven. Not so. It is our spirits set free from bitterness, anger, going victim, jealousy and the like.
This past weekend was one of our more social weekends. Friday night was choir camp. Great fun being together again and the added gift of the evening; friends joining choir. I didn't go Saturday morning because it would have been too much since on Saturday evening we had a Life Bible study party to attend. Great fun! The dessert exchange is so much fun, same premise as a white elephant exchange, two steals and locked on the third. We brought home delicious cupcakes. Sunday morning the choir sang two deep but upbeat songs. We even got to repeat a song at the dismissal. I went to Roy's class. They are studying Galatians and chapter 4 tied in hand in hand to Hebrews homework this week. As we were leaving we ran into David and Emily. We went out to lunch and had a fun-filled time. Love that our conversations cover the deepest topics and yet we all are so quick to laugh with each other. We might have or might have not been a little loud yesterday. We were off to ourselves at a table in the bar area. No alcoholic beverages were consumed, it was ice tea and Diet Cokes all around. We were not drunk as others supposed and David stopped at one table and apologized for our ruckus. It was an older church set of people and as Roy and I brought up the rear I heard one man say, they were drinking margaritas. Uh no, joy of the Lord verses unjoyful, legalistic table...I will choose joy every time.
It is another foggy day in Rancho de Five and it is beautiful but I can say that from the safety of the confines of home, not being out on the road. Today the Wonderstruck challenge is silence. Love me some silence. OK, I'll be quiet now. No really, starting......now.
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