Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
Our son was married this weekend. It was an outdoor wedding on a farm, and the weather reports had been sketchy, so rain was a constant thought as we prepared. Sure enough, as we hung paper lanterns in the reception tent on Friday it poured. Little streams ran across the brick floor; it was too wet to set the lanterns down. And it kept on pouring, one thing and another. After the rain it poured wind. Then it poured sunshine. Then a bald eagle soared over the clearing, and a perfect storm of blessing began. We held the rehearsal in the meadow, where autumn colors poured from the trees.
The day of the wedding we were continually showered—but not with rain. Drenched in the warm autumn sun, flooded with color and life, we were showered with beauty. Dan and Jill dripped with loveliness and confident gratitude. Of course they were gorgeous. They were baptized by immersion in love and joy. They poured their hearts out to one another. Friends and family showered them with blessing. The prayers and good will of those who couldn’t be there washed over them. All Creation wrapped its arms around them with tears of joy. And they knew it. They trusted the great outpouring of love. They pledged their faithfulness to each other and entered the great river of faithful love that flows from God into all the world and changed everything. And all of us waded in and splashed each other with that joyous, life-giving water. The blessing was not just for them. It was poured out on all of us. For a moment you could just stand there in the meadow and notice how lovely we are, and how beloved. It poured, all right.
Sometimes the clouds fool us. Sometimes the sun breaks through and we see clearly how blessed we are. That’s the promise of God’s marriage to us. No matter what’s out there, someone thinks you’re lovely, and is grateful that you’re here, and blesses you. It’s all about blessing. Deep, abundant, free-flowing blessing. Let it pour.
_________________
Weather Report
Loveliness,
descending from the highest levels
and condensing in each person,
increasing throughout this whole
Day of Creation,
with not at all isolated showers
of joy.
Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve
__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
To subscribe to Unfolding Light by daily e-mail write to unfoldinglight5(at)hotmail.com