Dear Rose Park,
This past Saturday Sam and I took Simon and Winn to the Hope College Donut Run as a part of homecoming weekend. The Donut Run started at 8:30 Saturday morning and it promised delicious donuts at the finish line. Simon and Winn both participated in the .5k run (one lap around the football field and then finishing on the 50-yard line). They both had a great time running with friends and then dancing on the football field with powder-sugared smiles. My heart was filled with joy to see them have so much fun, but the real emotions came in the parking lot on the way back to the car.
Upon finishing the race, every participant was given a medal (one of those Oriental Trading kind of medals with the generic ‘winner’ engraved on the plastic face). Winn was quite proud of her medal, especially because it clearly had her name on it, but on the walk back to the car she became very agitated. She started to throw a bit of a fit and her voice turned to a whine and then to cries because she couldn’t find her medal. I then put her in her car-seat and we started to leave the stadium when her tears became sobs because she couldn’t find her lost medal. I turned to Sam, who was sitting in the passenger seat, and asked her, “do you have her medal?” thinking perhaps Sam put it in her purse or pocket. Sam turned her head around to look at Winn, then looked at me smiling and said, “her medal is still around her neck.” As soon as Winn realized her medal was still around her neck it was as if someone turned off the faucet because miraculously her tears dried and her whines turned to a giggle.
This is all to say, sometimes we just need to open our eyes to the things that are right in front of us. For one reason or another we have gone blind to the simple joys, blessings, and gifts of God that are right in front of our noses. We have indulged to the state of drunkenness and gluttony on meals that will never truly satisfy, but if we could open our eyes to the gift of community, conversation, music, prayer, worship, and silence perhaps our souls could find rest and peace. Instead of growing and maturing our faith through meaningful conversation with those around us we have opted to scroll through our phone in an endless maze of monotony. Instead of loving our next door neighbors through service and hospitality we have chosen to follow the path of apathy and escapism. And instead of marveling at the beauty of creation through silence and a long walk we have decided to fill our calendars with meaningless tasks in order to feel productive.
In this beautiful season, may your eyes, ears, hearts, and minds be open to all the beauty of God around us. Whether it’s the changing of the leaves, the sound of a crackling fire, the invitation to the Table, the warmth of a good conversation with a friend, or even the feel of a plastic medal around your neck it’s my hope and prayer that we might embrace the simple gifts of God right in front of our faces.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark
Photo by Jose A.Thompson on Unsplash