like a lake

so much hurt and preservation
like a tendril round my soul
so much painful information
no clear way on how to hold it

when everything in me is tightening
curling in around this ache
I will lay my heart wide open
like the surface of a lake
wide open like a lake

standing at this waters edge
looking in at God's own heart
I've no idea where to begin
to swallow up the way things are

everything in me is drawing in
closing in around this pain
I will lay my heart wide open
like the surface of a lake
wide open like a lake

bring the wind and bring the thunder
bring the rain till I am tried
when it's over bring me stillness
let my face reflect the sky
and all the grace and all the wonder
of a peace that I can't fake
wide open like a lake

everything in me is tightening
curling in around this ache
I am fighting to stay open
I am fighting to stay open
open open oh wide open
open like a lake

--sara groves

...

when my sister and her family came to visit a few weeks ago, we had a picnic by the lake. as we were finishing up a lovely lunch, my sister's eyes got really big and she said, "run! rain's coming!"

and sure enough, before we could gather up the kids and the picnic supplies, we were momentarily covered with rain.

a perfectly clear day turned into a small but quick storm in the blink of an eye.

sometimes my days are like that, too.

a perfectly good day, filled with accomplishments and a pleasant, open mood, can see a storm roll in before i can gather up my emotions and run to shelter. i suddenly find myself drenched in tears and shut down to either sadness or anger.

today it's sadness. i'm looking grief in the eyes and feeling the sting of change. i am standing in the storm waiting for it to pass. and i know that it will. and then i can clean up the mess and once again look out into the openness of the lake.