Month: June 2011

Legacy

/ Sharon / 1 Comment

His hands hold steady.
I pedal forward to be
          released to the Wind.

This marks my fourth Father’s Day without my father’s presence.   As I grieved three years ago, I received many thoughtful expressions of sympathy, but one stands out in particular.  A childhood friend sparked a precious memory that has continued to be a point of reference in my journey.

The bicycle is yellow, not particularly fancy but definitely sturdy.  My father is a practical man, but I wonder why he would pick a yellow bicycle for a daughter who is terrified of bees. The sun is out during my riding lesson (probably one of many), so at least my bike matches the day.  I get on to the bicycle.  My father holds on and walks with me as I pedal, reassuring me.  Then we pick up speed and momentum builds and all of a sudden, he is standing with my friends, cheering me on. I don’t know when my father let go. All I know is that I’m riding.

On any given summer evening, I can imagine that many fathers are still teaching their children to ride their bikes without training wheels.   What speaks to me now is the beauty of the transition of that moment.  There was not only a release, but a release to something — the wind that continued to usher me along even as I struggled to find my balance.  Certainly, this experience points to what parents and mentors are called by God to do.  I am inspired by my father’s faithfulness to his assignment and compelled to follow his lead.  In the meantime, the ride continues and when I feel unsteadied, I remind myself that the Everlasting Arms have always picked up where my father left off.

Your Call: Think about someone who has left a legacy which inspires you to move forward in God’s purpose for your life.  What legacy do you want to leave behind?

From Lent to Pentecost: The “Absent” Presence of God

/ Sharon / 2 Comments

Under Evergreen's Eye

As Pentecost Sunday winds up, my mind goes back to a trip I took about two months ago during Lent.  I knew I needed some time away to process things going on (or not going on) in my life.   I can’t even remember how I stumbled upon the information about the retreat. All I knew is that I needed to go.  So I went, enjoying the rustic scenery on the way.  When I arrived, the sky was overcast.  It was springtime, but neither my surroundings nor my mood reflected this.  Almost a year after my ordination, life seemed anti-climactic.  Perplexed,  I wondered, “Now what?”

So here I was at this gathering.  There couldn’t have been more than 10 people present.   To reinforce our discussion, the facilitator decided to play a clip from the movie Ray, which offers a glimpse of the life of the late Ray Charles.  In the scene, a young Ray, who had lost his sight, runs into the house and trips over something on the floor.  Disoriented and scared, he cries out to his mother for help.    There is no response. Ray’s cries grow more desperate. The mother is in the room. She is standing in a silence that would seem stoic, if the camera had not come in closer. Compassion fills her face and her eyes brim with tears, yet she knows that her son has to apply what she has taught him.  So she stands and she waits. Ray begins to grope around to get his bearings. Then, he gets still. He hears a cricket and runs toward it, fears fading.   And yes, he hears his mother breathe.  She had been there the whole time.  “Why are you crying, Mama?” he asks. Her answer — “Because I’m happy.”

As a fan of Ray Charles’ music, I had already seen the movie.  I recall being very moved by the scene I just described, but this second viewing was different.  This time, I wasn’t just watching Ray.  I was Ray.  Along with his cry, I heard the voices of the Psalmists weeping as they sought the whereabouts of God.  And I heard me.  In the face of Ray’s mother, I saw the face of God, full of love and waiting for me to get still, listen, and apply what I have been taught. God was there the whole time, breathing and rejoicing.  In that quiet moment, I had a profound awareness of God’s Presence that I had not experienced in a while and tears of release came.  Pentecost had arrived a bit early and I’m just realizing it now as I write this post. I’m grateful.

Your Call: How have you navigated seasons in your journey in which God has felt distant to you? How are you heeding the call to be still and pay attention to God’s presence in your day-to-day life? 

Welcome!

/ Sharon / 1 Comment
Thank you for stopping by! It is my prayer that Answering Your Call  be a place of renewal and reflection for you as you answer God’s call to relationship, identity and purpose. Please join me as I explore the call not just to do, but also to be your most authentic self and to live out of the abundance that Jesus offers.  Make yourself at home and feel free to add your voice to the reflection and conversation. Grace and Peace!