Tag, You're It!

    
       After I drove up to the country church Sunday morning, I took a moment to just sit and breathe.  It's my habit to do that when I am arriving somewhere to begin a task (in this case to preach and lead worship).  I use that brief time for a deep breath to relax and to center myself in my new surroundings.         Out at Augustana, I also use it to take in the beautiful surroundings of the church, the wind in the trees, the serenity of the churchyard and cemetery, and often the songs of the birds.  Of course all bets are off if it is twenty below zero!
       As I looked around, I noticed a very small squirrel sitting on a pump by the road.  Then it jumped down and half-bounced and half-ran over to a big tree in front of the church.  Just as it was about to run up the tree trunk, a robin flew down and began nattering at it, chasing it away from the tree by running after it while flapping its wings.  The squirrel must have been a young one because it was barely bigger than the robin from nose to tail end.
       When they got near the church, the bird flew a bit and landed in front of the squirrel who then started to chase the robin who ran ahead instead of flying off.  At the church steps, the robin turned again to go after the squirrel who ran off into the bushes.  The robin stood waiting and watching where the squirrel entered.  After a long pause, the squirrel tore out of the other end of the bushes and ran across the yard and up into the closest tree in the cemetery.
       I sat still to watch the whole scene because I was afraid that if I moved or made a noise, the whole game would have ended.  It was so much fun to watch this little game of play out over the green grass in the sunshine.  I know I went in church with a big smile on my face for the gift of joy I would have missed if I had been in too much of a hurry to notice God's creation around me.
       God takes delight and joy in creation.  We know this from the creation story at the beginning of Genesis.  In spite of all the years of argument and discussion, it tells us that God spoke creation ("And God said...") and that God found everything created to be good.  It is not a science lesson but a faith lesson.  The power of God is such that when God speaks, creation happens.  And God finds creation good.  I have found that my life is in better balance when I take the time to notice that same good in creation.
       As a young mother, I found it frustrating to read about spirituality and prayer time.  It always seemed like the instructions focused on silence, meditation, and time away from normal life.  I felt that when I needed support the most, the resources didn't exist that I could use.  There were days I could barely find the time to go to the bathroom in solitude much less go on retreat.  So, I began to cobble together a spiritual life made of small moments of awareness and quiet; much like that pause before getting out of the car.
       I know that it doesn't compare with the solitude and quiet focus of the cloister, but taking time to breathe deep and to be aware of creation and the creator are important to my faith and prayer life.  It's a reminder of the beauty God created and of God's immense power and love.  Many times, those pauses are also a moment of prayer for what I am about to begin or the people I am about to encounter; even a simple cry of "help".  Or like Sunday morning, they are a gift that brightens my day and lightens my load.  Read Genesis 1:20-31