Recently I visited Fort Sheridan Beach on the north shore of Lake Michigan and this is what I saw as I got out of the car.
By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. Romans 1:20
This. This is why I come here
Here I am reminded
of your existence,
of your character,
And why I can trust you
when the pieces don’t fit.
To the north, I see your handiwork.
I am reminded.
I can hold in tension
two truths about life:
Sometimes it’s hard,
desperately
difficult.
Sometimes it’s good,
heart-stoppingly
beautiful.
He is present n both.
For today
It is enough for me.
joining with with Diana Trautwein (Just Wondering), in her continuing series on “Living the Questions.” Topic: Holding it together when the pieces don’t fit. Click HERE and join the conversation at Diana’s blog, including the comments for more on this topic
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You know I like to do puzzles. Sometimes I get stuck because I think a piece should fit but it doesn’t. So I lay it down for a while and Lo and behold, I find the piece that does fit. God helps us find the puzzle piece that does fit!
Carol, your lovely poetic prose, accompanied by such beautiful images and a truly appropriate Bible verse, literally stopped me in my tracks. Then I remembered I was a first time visitor here and I paused again to read your sad, grace-filled and poignant story.
Loss after loss is painfully hard to deal with, whether it’s a bereavement, health (mental or physical) or unwelcome changes and alterations to normal exisitence.
You write sheer beauty from the ashes of your life and I am awed and humbled in the reading of it. This is a place to sit a while, absorb, be inspired, emerge grateful and breathe the sweet air of God’s goodness throughout it all. Thank you for a holy moment where questions are left aside in the glorying.
Carol, I read your About story as you asked and then this lovely piece that is part of Diana’s Q and A. I too lost a sibling as an adult and it was a deep and life-changing loss. Add to that all the other things that have come your way and it’s clear you have a heavy burden to carry. One of the things I love so about this community Diana is building is the strong testimonies of faith that people are able to share. Your simple statement:
‘I can hold in tension
two truths about life
Sometimes it’s hard,
desperately
difficult
Sometimes it’s good,
heart-stoppingly
beautiful
And You are
present In both.
For today
it’s enough for me.’
This inspires me, strengthens me and humbles me.
Thank you.
Juliet
Summer…thanks for your visit. It’s lovely the connections we can make in Diana’s community, isn’t it?
I live 30-40 minutes from the Lake and don’t get there often, but it’s delicious treat when I do. thanks for visiting
Coming from Diana’s…I’m struck by your story and the tension you live with written here so beautifully. Thank you for your faithfulness yesterday, today, tomorrow.
And the pictures…we just moved from Michigan 6 months ago and I desperately miss those landscapes! A gift this morning.