Incarnation
Incarnation; a person who embodies or exhibits some specific quality or idea.
Today the fog has been heavy on the mountain, it is as if the sun never rose above the horizon. My heart was a bit heavy as I made my way through the morning. What should have been a day of excitement and anticipation; joy ringing through the house was a day of methodically walking through a very long list.
The list was filled with gathering specific items for work, kitchen utensils that I might need in order to prepare dishes away from the comforts of my own kitchen, trying to discern the types of clothes that I need over a long period of time away from home, cooking meals that can merely be reheated throughout the week. Two days ago we received news that Emma's care team wants to move her into partial residential which is a way of beginning to expose her to being back in a real-life setting. It's kind of fascinating because they don't want her to feel overwhelmed with having to make all food choices all at once (she does get a choice as to what she wants to eat for the three meals and three snacks that she has every day) so we begin with her choosing breakfast and her evening snack at 'home'.
Home meaning the transitional living space that she'll be moving into on Tuesday evening. This transition means that a parent/guardian must live in the space with her; hence the long list of things to accomplish today. I am feeling a bit out of sorts with the unexpected news as I ready to be away for several weeks. Today was just hard trying to keep the words of hope and light that I am preaching about tomorrow deep within my own heart. Throughout the morning I would find my mind wandering, almost pleading with God asking for His presence not to be lost in the crazy of the day. It's been hard enough hold onto the words in my head much less my heart this season but I wanted desperately for today to feel like Christmas; to feel God's presence.
God's incarnation was handed to me in the sweetest text from a friend that ask if we wanted to come over for dinner. I could have easily said no. I could have easily looked down at the floor where my clothes lay waiting to be placed in my bag for the journey tomorrow evening and politely turned her down. I could have looked at the two sermons sitting on my coffee table beside me and declined because I had a full day of preaching tomorrow (not to mention packing everything into the car). I could have said no but instead, I leaned into God coming to me in the flesh, inviting me to the table for nourishment and enveloping me in love and goodness through my friend. Tonight she was the incarnation of Jesus Christ, she met me at the well and gave me water to drink and broke bread so that I could know the fulfillment of God walking here on earth.
After a night filled with love, I opened the mailbox to find a letter (not a Christmas card) from a colleague whom I deeply respect and admire. His words filled my soul with the spirit of wholeness and breathed within me a breath of fresh air. His words embodied Jesus' healing touch and words of release as he prayed over not just Emma but all three of us. His note is not the first that I have received on this journey and I know that it will not be the last but tonight the incarnation of Jesus Christ was upon me.
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is all around but sometimes we have to say yes to the very things that seem out of the way and takes us away from the task. I am reminded that Christmas is not a feeling but a spirit in which others embody and freely give the holiness, love, and hope that Jesus offers them. The incarnation of Jesus Christ came today.
Today the fog has been heavy on the mountain, it is as if the sun never rose above the horizon. My heart was a bit heavy as I made my way through the morning. What should have been a day of excitement and anticipation; joy ringing through the house was a day of methodically walking through a very long list.
The list was filled with gathering specific items for work, kitchen utensils that I might need in order to prepare dishes away from the comforts of my own kitchen, trying to discern the types of clothes that I need over a long period of time away from home, cooking meals that can merely be reheated throughout the week. Two days ago we received news that Emma's care team wants to move her into partial residential which is a way of beginning to expose her to being back in a real-life setting. It's kind of fascinating because they don't want her to feel overwhelmed with having to make all food choices all at once (she does get a choice as to what she wants to eat for the three meals and three snacks that she has every day) so we begin with her choosing breakfast and her evening snack at 'home'.
Home meaning the transitional living space that she'll be moving into on Tuesday evening. This transition means that a parent/guardian must live in the space with her; hence the long list of things to accomplish today. I am feeling a bit out of sorts with the unexpected news as I ready to be away for several weeks. Today was just hard trying to keep the words of hope and light that I am preaching about tomorrow deep within my own heart. Throughout the morning I would find my mind wandering, almost pleading with God asking for His presence not to be lost in the crazy of the day. It's been hard enough hold onto the words in my head much less my heart this season but I wanted desperately for today to feel like Christmas; to feel God's presence.
God's incarnation was handed to me in the sweetest text from a friend that ask if we wanted to come over for dinner. I could have easily said no. I could have easily looked down at the floor where my clothes lay waiting to be placed in my bag for the journey tomorrow evening and politely turned her down. I could have looked at the two sermons sitting on my coffee table beside me and declined because I had a full day of preaching tomorrow (not to mention packing everything into the car). I could have said no but instead, I leaned into God coming to me in the flesh, inviting me to the table for nourishment and enveloping me in love and goodness through my friend. Tonight she was the incarnation of Jesus Christ, she met me at the well and gave me water to drink and broke bread so that I could know the fulfillment of God walking here on earth.
After a night filled with love, I opened the mailbox to find a letter (not a Christmas card) from a colleague whom I deeply respect and admire. His words filled my soul with the spirit of wholeness and breathed within me a breath of fresh air. His words embodied Jesus' healing touch and words of release as he prayed over not just Emma but all three of us. His note is not the first that I have received on this journey and I know that it will not be the last but tonight the incarnation of Jesus Christ was upon me.
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is all around but sometimes we have to say yes to the very things that seem out of the way and takes us away from the task. I am reminded that Christmas is not a feeling but a spirit in which others embody and freely give the holiness, love, and hope that Jesus offers them. The incarnation of Jesus Christ came today.
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