It was based on a praxis assignment for the Renovaré Institute where we were, like the poet, to see "Jacob's Ladder" running from heaven to our everyday life. I have loved it. I wrote my praxis answer more than a week ago, and there have been so many sightings of Jacob's Ladder since then. But I am going to post what I wrote. It will be nice to have it here. God continues to shine His Kingdom right where I am.
"'Tis ye, 'tis your estranged faces,
That miss the many-splendored thing."
These
lines intrigued me. I have long believed that God is constantly trying to
capture our attention, and it is because we are "estranged" that we
miss "the many-splendored thing" He is trying to reveal to us.
Ever
since I read The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence in
my 20's, and I was crying while walking back on a cold, winter's evening at
twilight from a basketball game in which some silly boy-man made some snarky
comment, and I became undone. The moment will always be etched in my mind
because it was a turning point to everything. It began the quest I have been on
for almost 40 years and will, Lord willing, be on for the rest of my
life.
In
that twilight moment, I asked God, "Why do You feel so far away in this
devastation when you felt so close this morning in my time of morning prayer?
Where are you right now? Can I please have an awareness of You 24/7/365 like
Brother Lawrence even in these kinds of times where people are unkind or life
is difficult? Is that even possible when I am not a monk? How do I experience
You all the time?"
Testing
and trials came my way throughout my 20's: father almost dying twice only to
die on the third time due to pancreatic cancer and suffering a breakdown were
two of the major things. God was constantly trying to reveal Himself to me in
those moments, and I got glimpses of glory at what might seem like the worst of
times. For instance, He spoke to me about where to go after my breakdown that
led me to freedom from memories that had enslaved me (and led me to my
husband). He also made His manifest presence so real to me in the midst of my
dad's death. They were profound glimpses into that "living in moment by
moment fellowship" with Him. I find it interesting that Thompson wrote
this poem when he was a homeless opium addict. God wants to meet us even in our
darkest hours.
I
read excerpts of Letters by a Modern Mystic & The Game with
Minutes by Laubach in my 30's. Here was a man who was not a monk and even
reached out to Muslims! This encouraged me even more. Then, my ministry boss
started having us do The Game with Minutes with each and every group we
trained. Now, I had buddies in the quest to experience God in the minutes of my
day. (By the way, this is always one of the highlights for our trainees. It is
a really fun thing to do together.)
So,
here I am in Renovaré, and days before this assignment, He reminded me of that
twilight prayer so long ago. I love the accountability of it all! Thank you
Renovaré for this assignment.
So
here are some times when the traffic on Jacob's Ladder "pitched
betwixt" heaven and where I live more recently:
1)
Meditating on Psalm 23 in my living room (yep, I am still in it even though it is
November because our ministry team is meditating on it this week), He led me to
look at the sunrise through my window and really notice the beautiful world of
my backyard, and I asked Alexa to play Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful
World." while I watched God's creation in awe. WOW! What a perfect song for
this God moment.
2)
At mid-day, I shared "What a Wonderful World" with my three marvelous
men as we drove back from church. I played it, and God put on a show of light
peaking out from behind rain clouds glistening through fall leaves. There was a
holy hush in our car. We all sensed the glorious presence even though not a
word was spoken.
3)
With a busy day ahead of me, I struggled to chose between the funeral of my
friend's father and my bimonthly beautiful Kingdom Community prayer and
storytelling time with four ladies, and God whispered, "I want you to go
to both." When I protested that this would be too much, He said, "I
will work it out and give you a show of my beauty and Psalm 23. I will show you
when you are to leave to go to the next engagement."
I
knew the ride would be lovely. I have driven this back road to Salem before,
but the GPS (God's Positioning System) took me on another road that I had never
been down, and OH MY. The trees enfolded over the top of the road, and I was in
a corridor of color, awash in green, red, yellow, and orange with the sun
glistening through the leaves wet from an earlier rain. It was narrow and
winding but so worth the trip!
Then,
the funeral. What a celebration of a life well-lived! I have never been to a
Catholic service, but when the Cantor sang the verses of Psalm 23, and we all
sang responsively . . .
Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears,
from death into life.
over
and over again, I almost stood up and said, "God is most definitely
shining traffic on Jacob's ladder from heaven to this Catholic sanctuary right
now people!" But I contained myself.
Then
on top of it all, my very Catholic college friend, Sharon, knew exactly what to
do when, I just followed her, and I grinned ear to ear through the whole
service. God was there! When we held hands as a congregation and said the
Lord's Prayer together, I was in raptures!
Then,
the Eucharist started, and since I am not Catholic and cannot partake, I said
my adieu to Sharon who said it was fine to leave early.
Leaving
over the same road I had before I experienced more of God's presence because
the light had shifted on the road to make it like a new place to behold.
And
guess what, I made it RIGHT ON TIME to a glorious lunch, prayer, and telling of
the story of David with my Kingdom Community Buddies! Heaven always shines with
these ladies, and I am so grateful that I have a community like this.
4)
As I submitted my academic assignment earlier this morning, "S", from
Afghanistan came online. I had talked to her the day before, and she poured her
heart out. Life is hard for this divorced mom of three boy, and I promised to
pray. This morning, she shared how God had given her hope about some of the things
she had shared the day before. We spent a good amount of time telling each
other what we were thankful for. Then, I sent her a story I recorded on
Creation, and we talked a little bit about it. I think the point I am trying to
make is that I could have been goal-oriented about getting my academic
assignment in and missed out on the blessings of hearing this woman's thankful
heart for what God had done.
4)
As I typed this, my best friend texted me to say that her mother had only a
couple more days to live. I could text back, but I called her instead, and
there was a meeting of our hearts in love. God was there in the grief of my
friend. We have walked together in Jesus since we were both 19 years old. I
think making an effort to be more aware of God's presence makes you so very
thankful for everything you have.
5)
I have been doing the Examen with my husband when he is home from his
job in another city, and it has been such a time of shining the traffic of
Jacob's Ladder pitched between heaven and our living room. God is there as we
share where we saw Him in our day, and how we can love others more on the
next.
6)
One last one, and I will stop! I also experienced God as I looked at one of my
favorite paintings on Jacob's ladder by Marc Chagall. It also brought a sweet
memory of an experience of God when I was at the Art Institute of Chicago and
looked at Chagall's American Windows. I sat down as I gazed at it and
wept. Art is so beautiful and shines the traffic for me!
Jacob's Ladder by Chagall
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