Mud

He see things in black and white. Right and wrong. The sign says no trespassing … What if we get caught? This is wrong. Isn’t it? Always trying to play by the rules. Pounding the dirt path of living by the law.

She sees things with fluid non-defined borders. How can one judge without knowing the circumstances or the lessons that have been learned? She trusts in forgiveness. Swimming in the waters of grace.

The question of law or grace goes way back in time to the first century and we are still trying to figure out the right recipe today.

 It’s not all law nor is it all grace.  But what is it?

 It’s mud.

Yep. Dirty mud.

It is dirt mixed with some water creating something different altogether. It’s almost impossible to separate out just water or just dirt from mud. One always comes along with at least a little bit of the other. The law needs a little grace to soften its dry hardness. Grace needs some boundaries for firmness to walk on.

Law gives a firmer foundation 

while grace provides some cushion.

Might give a whole new meaning to mud-wrestling!

Spring in Boston

BOWLING NIGHT! 

I came in last... as usual

The Japanese anime convention made for some interesting entertainment.
If I had only know I would have packed my Sailor Moon outfit.  

Picnic in the Gardens
It was a little chilly, but the food and company were great.

 

The Museum of Science

Where I worshiped on Easter morning
Stephen's graciously welcoming church

Reflected Light

One of the things Stephen and I did this weekend in Boston was visit the Museum of Science. It was filled with many hand-on exhibits in so many different areas of science. The area we spent the most time in was all about LIGHT. We played with prisms, lasers, black lights and colors.

There was one activity that used light, colored panels and mirrors to make art on a white wall. I could not figure out how to best use the mirrors to shift and move the colors. I either ended up with nothing but shadows on the wall or one square of color. I gave up and went onto the next thing that caught my attention without much thought about it.

Later I would see this in a whole different light.



















A dear friend of mine is in the midst of working through a difficult family situation where emotions are intense. Stephen and I were discussing the best way to help her find the truth in God's Word and encourage her. The exhibit from the museum flashed in my mind. It creatively illustrates the idea of the true light being reflected off our emotional mirrors. If we set up those mirrors (our thought and feelings) right, it can create reflected beauty. But if they are placed incorrectly or turned the wrong way the darkness remains.


Are our emotional mirrors reflecting the light or deflecting it?

The ability to create art with the light of truth is in us. What is being reflected on the wall to be seen? What is being bounced off the emotional mirrors? Are there too many shadows? Is it just one color: all blue with sadness, too much bitter green, or blazing angry red? Turn the mirrors to reflect the beauty of the true light.

And just like the exhibit at the museum, it takes time and it isn't easy, but almost nothing beautiful ever is.

Hanging up Human-ness

Life is like a roller coaster they say, with it's highs and lows, but what about the times when we slow down in the middle sections and it's starting to sway? There are decisions we can't seem to make and emotions get shoved aside because there is a to-do list to get done. People we love need our strength. A snapshot of how different we dreamed our life to be appears and tags 'it' and wants to be chased after, but there is no extra energy to go running in pointless circles. Everything feels just a little bit heavier even though nothing being carrying seemed to have changed. A break from this journey would be nice. Not a unloading, or shutting down, or running away, just a moment to walk away and be different. 

If only we could unzip and step out. Hang up our humanness on the coat rack and walk out the door. 

A floating in oblivion. 

Free from the limitations of the body, the aches and expectations. Free from decisions, failures, desires and disappointments. Free from the weariness of life's journey.

A complete rest. 

Just for a while.

Then coming back inside, lifting our humanness off the hook and quietly slipping back into it. Back for the rest of the ride.