Belizean Moments

 

We had no air conditioning at church yesterday,

But we had open windows and open hearts

And fans made the service bearable. 

Honestly, I felt like I was in Belize,

And that made me happy. 

 

When I was in Belize, 

I was fully present and fully alive. 

I wasn’t wishing that I were somewhere else,

And I wasn’t wondering what the significance of my life was.

I was just there, 

Cooking in the kitchen, or

Painting with brush strokes up and down, or

Talking with friends, or

Sitting outside and taking it all in. 

 

I guess it was being away that made it easy. 

I guess it was the thin line between God and humanity as humanity lived out of the body of Christ that provided a wonderfully abnormal experience. 

 

Because normal, at least in America, is always striving for something more.

Normal is always looking ahead to the future and wondering what’s next. 

Normal is not being content with what we have and needing some product or activity to provide us with happiness.

Normal is worrying that we do not have enough.

Normal is wondering if our life matters. 

 

We live in an anxious society.

It’s hard not to absorb the energy of

Fear, worry, restlessness, and doubt. 

It’s hard to be content. 

It’s hard to be fully present and fully alive. 

But it’s possible,

Just like church without air conditioning is possible, 

As long as we keep open windows and open hearts 

And allow the fan of the Holy Spirit to blow upon us 

Grace upon Grace upon Grace. 

 

May you experience Belizean moments this week.

May the line between you and God be so thin that you feel God‘s presence in a real and mighty way. 

As you move in and out of moments that belong to this world and moments that belong to God,

May you find a rhythm of grace and may you know,

Beyond any shadow of doubt, 

That you are loved and that your life does matter. 

 

Amen.