finding grace in the moment and living a life of Joy!
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Author: Vona Wilson
I am an ordained United Methodist pastor. I fall out of almost every "norm" there is but find that authenticity is much more faithful than fitting the box. In my former days I worked as a Paramedic and maintained a business as an Organizational Development coach. I use all of that experience along with my deep love for Christ, in everything I do each day. It is a journey I walk with much Joy.
I don’t know what it is that rushes me But sometimes yes, it rushes me, and hurls me into a day where I begin already behind not quite ready and concerned…. sometimes about something I can’t even name.
And then – I catch you in the periphery a glance across the room. Where light is changing, even rising and I have to pause and see.
It was a fleeting moment impossible to hold A glance to remind me I am loved and you are still creating days of grace for us to discover together. You are here.
God, help us pause long enough to catch your glance from across whatever distance you come today. Amen.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob in our fortress.
Holy God, you bring the sun to its rising with no help from us. The birds begin their songs the rivers run without any command or assistance from our hands. The dew will dissipate breezes will arrive and just as easily disappear. We created nothing; you established all. We humble ourselves before you and all that you created. We praise you and thank you for all you have established. Let our breath be drawn from yours Let our steps be ordered by your grace Take the work of our bodies and minds; it belongs to you. Please bless whatever we offer. Take the cares and burdens of our spirits; they are too heavy. Bring peace where the deepest wounds and sorrows have lingered too long. May your wisdom that created this day guide our lives through the hours with safety, with love, and your mercy that is offered to us new every morning. By your Spirit, may the moments we live today bring honor and glory to you. What joy we have to live in your presence today! Amen.
Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.
Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew 9:29
Two blind men start following Jesus and just as soon as he goes inside they present themselves to him. They ask for mercy…neither of them can see; they are blind. They knew Jesus could restore what they had lost. They were confident that mercy was available. So they humbled themselves enough to ask for what they needed.
We don’t know exactly why, but the way Matthew tells the story, Jesus warned them not to tell anyone. He may have hoped to stay under the radar a little longer. But they couldn’t hold it in; they told everyone in the area. It was not the discreet healing Jesus may have hoped it would be. Getting free of something that is holding you back from seeing is pretty awesome; of course they wanted to tell!
We can lose sight in a lot of ways. Sometimes we have blind spots that prevent us from moving in the direction we need to go. Maybe we can’t see our way out of a situation or just simply don’t know how to take a step into the unknown. The mercy of Christ is present; we need only ask.
The night is a good time to ask for God’s mercy. The day rolls back through our minds and occasionally lingers in moments of regret or worry. We don’t have to carry it into our sleep. It’s OK to ask for what we need. We can trust the Spirit to sort out the details. Ask for mercy. Name what’s weighing on your heart and mind. Trust that everything is going to be OK, because God is holding you in the asking. God really is holding you. God is holding us.
Lord, have mercy on me. For the moments I didn’t pause to see you… restore my sight and sense of your presence. For the words said too harshly, or words not said at all… Lord, bring grace to cover the gaps. For the worries stacking up on my shoulders and the situations I can’t fix… Lord, please take it all into your hands. You are our Peace. Amen.
Being on the land always brings pleasure to my soul. I’ve been running to the wilderness all of my life. Finding spaces to observe the wonders of creation and allow my soul to rest. This was my daily pastime as a young child. We had a wilderness at the end of our one-street neighborhood. It was wonderful! A large creek that always had a strong current (or so we thought, at such a young age). Plenty of wildlife, including many snakes which we delighted in catching. We had snake hunting excursions. We built forts and dams, swung from vines and discovered new things every summer. We learned to frog gig on that creek. We hunted squirrels and rabbits as we walked the fields…always to ultimately arrive at “the creek” – our wilderness, the haven. This small, single lane neighborhood was the adventure land of my daily childhood.
Today I run to the river. The reparian buffer (a term I’ve only recently learned) is that space between the river and where we trod that is to be left alone – untouched – allowed to grow and thrive; to die off or push through; to dance as it desires. And dancing is exactly what it is doing in September. The flowers are shouting. The milk pods are birthing. Life is full. It provides shelter and space for the wildlife. It protects the water from our more damaging actions. It is life giving. And as I walk it today, it is a holy space.
Riparian buffer at Waters Edge. September 2021
I don’t own land anymore. So it is the true grace of God that a path by the river has been provided just outside my door. All I need to do is make time to to walk there and see the gifts God has ready to offer anyone who comes. I hear the poet in my ear: I sha’n’t be gone long.- you come too. -Robert Frost
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43: 1-2
Sometimes creation speaks when we cannot. The sunrise lures me and begs for my attention. Stop right here and marvel again how much beauty and strength can rise in the face of any situation. No war can stop it. No hurricane can destroy it. No brokenness can shame the sun from rising or hold back the clouds from making a grand display. The creative spirit of God rises and blesses the day’s beginning.
It will not only be this morning. All day long and well into the evening there will be signs that God is with us. There will be glimpses or whispers, tiny little things that are placed along the path to remind us that we are seen; we are loved. The One who created us is walking with us. The wisdom of the Lord is guiding our steps. Go slow enough to receive. Keep walking courageously forward, even if that is a tip toe step today. Every tiny movement in the sky was beckoned to create the sunrise. God invites us into this day too.
Lord, however your people need to see you today – thank you for revealing yourself to each one. Whatever we need to hear from you as a people on earth – thank you for speaking to us; we are listening. Whenever we turn to other voices and sources for wisdom, Holy God, please lure us back to what you have made known to us in the life of Christ. In you we remember who and whose we are. Help us to carry that strength and joy into this day. There is no place you will not meet us and lead us safely home. We love you, Lord. We need you and we trust you completely. Amen.
I, I am the Lord, and there is no savior besides me. I announced, I saved, I proclaimed, not some stranger among you. You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and I am God. From the dawn of time, I am the one. No one can escape my power. I act, and who can undo it? – Isaiah 43:11-13
Nudges of your Spirit come in the wee hours. Perhaps, Lord, someone you love is reaching for your hand of grace. We are seen. Even in the wee hours. Reaching into the dark spaces of grief and uncertainty of pain. Come now, Holy Spirit, come. Come now with your mercy into the wee hours of our lives.
Where suffering has interrupted the days of a focused life; Lord have mercy. When grief grips our souls and tugs against the pursuit of healing; Lord have mercy. For the past that returns unwanted, for the futures we dare to dream; Lord have mercy. Bring your arms of grace around our trembling bodies. Offer your blanket of peace to cover the places of our lives left out in the cold unattended.
Lead us to our simple prayers: Help! Mercy! Come quickly Lord Jesus to help us! Remind us again that your love persists In the wee hours In the waking hours In all hours.
For you, Holy God, created us and placed us in time on earth Where your grace is never offered too early, and never arrives too late. We find our peace in the arms of the resurrected Christ holding us all again. One miracle moment at a time. Bring rest. Restore our breathing. Bring peace. Let your love lead us back to sleep. Amen.
“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. “ – Matthew 26:6-7
Bethany is the town where Lazarus and his sisters lived, but in this situation, the meal is at Simon’s house. It is the most unexpected house to host a meal. Simon was known as a “leper” until he was healed by Christ. Now he is hosting a meal for Jesus.
The woman that comes with the expensive perfume is named as “Mary” when John writes his account of this story (John 12:3). She must have been saving this perfume for just the right situation and time. It is valuable. Somehow she knew (by God’s grace and a nudge of the Spirit?) that this is the time, this is the moment, for her to give it. She chooses to give it all to Jesus. She doesn’t know why, she just knows she is supposed to offer it.
The disciples – the followers of Jesus – are appalled. It is too extravagant; a waste. Jesus is pleased; she obeyed the nudge of the Spirit and did something that involved her in his story of redemption. God’s plans are fulfilled. This woman’s offer of love and devotion prepares Jesus to offer his greatest gift of love: to lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13)
We know Christ’s sacrifice is near; and we know resurrection is coming. His preparation and her involvement in his journey of obedience…these are moments of faithful risk. In the kingdom of God we take risks to love across societal norms, boundaries that limit access to Christ, and even fears whether they are real or imagined.
We return to the neighborhood today and knock on doors to invite the children to come out for “Bible Club”. Some will say yes. Some will wait for another day. We will teach the Bible stories, play games and sing. Love, friendship and joy will be shared, if even for a few short hours of the day.
I do wonder… Is it possible that we, who are so deeply distracted with our busy lives, are bringing “perfume” to the neighborhood? Or is it much more likely that Jesus finds us in Simon, the Leper, and asks us to come into the neighborhood and be healed so we can serve others with him?
Jesus is grateful for the woman’s lavish love. He says this moment is so important that every time this story is told, her act of faith and love will be shared. He wanted us to know this. She took the risk of walking into a setting where women were not typically welcomed. She gave her greatest gift and it prepared him for his. How are you giving your best for Christ?
Prayer God help us to walk humbly as we go through your neighborhoods today. Heal in us whatever keeps us from loving and serving you freely. We have no good apart from you so please come near. We love you. We trust you completely. Thank you for trusting and loving us enough to bring us here with you.
Bible Club lot #streetreachBible Club lot #streetreach
Serving with our youth group in Memphis. The joy of witnessing what God is doing in our teenagers is a gift. Being with children in the neighborhood is just finding where Jesus is already and joining the miracle. Grateful.
I was blessed with two of them. My “Dad”, is the one who raised me and taught me to love animals, take risks and that you don’t have to answer every question. I learned unconditional love from him because God showed me how to love when it made no sense. I would not be the person I am today if Dad had not been who he was.
Over time I realized that my dad’s suffering was what helped teach me unconditional love. And boundaries. And some stuff I’d rather not have learned. But there is so much more that I am so grateful to have learned! Things like: It is OK to bite if you get backed into a corner. You can always drive in snow; go slow and watch out for the other guy. If you want to eat you better damn well make sure you have a job. And sometimes your dreams get fulfilled in ways you didn’t expect, but that is OK, just go with it.
My amazing Dad!
My second blessing was my stepfather, who married my mom many years after I was an adult. He fell in love. She fell in love. They decided to make a life together. For all the years of their marriage (20+) he loved her so well. She loved him so well. I suppose without the stresses of raising children or paying mortgages, their marriage was truly a refuge and delight for later years. He was the most gracious man I’ve ever known. Never in a hurry. Always interested in what was going on in our lives. And he loved our mom.
Their marriage blessed me with extra siblings, and most of all it blessed me to experience what joy and delight can come when you least expect it. In the last year of his life there were a few health challenges. I was in their home for an overnight visit once when I woke up to someone singing. It was my mom. She was serving him breakfast on a tray, and she was singing to him as she entered the room, “Good morning! Good morning!” I could hear the love in her voice. I could see the appreciation and love on his face. They did their last season together so very well.
Mom and Dick, my amazing stepfather
I think dads have a tough job. When I finally “grew up” and experienced some big falls myself, I realized that my dad did the very best he could with his life. He was a very tough man. And broken, like all of us. His heartaches and life griefs were overwhelming. But he continued. It wasn’t always smooth or what he imagined, but he persisted until he took his very last breath. And then he was free.
I know Dad could have given up and stopped living at many different points in his life. But he didn’t. He kept going. And because he kept going, we did too. We kept learning about love and mercy and grace. We kept asking God to show us how to navigate the days, and God was faithful to help us. We all just kept living and doing the very best we could with what we had to live with – including our broken selves!
Both of my fathers are in heaven tonight. They have no pain or sorrow. And anything that was not resolved on earth for either of them, has been completely resolved in heaven. I’m so grateful they were both chosen to be my dad and stepfather. I’m so glad we lived all the way until their very last breath, and we lived fully. It is a gift I always cherish, and a gift that never stops bearing fruit.
A Night Prayer on Father’s Day Holy God, thank you for our dads. We never need them to be perfect, we just need them to be our dads. So please give all fathers an extra measure of your love, wisdom and care. Please remind them of your mercy and grace that is always available and give them courage to ask you for it. Most of all, as this day comes to an end, please cover all dads with your great compassion, and please cover all of their children with your steadfast love. Thank you, gracious God, for being our perfect father, and for giving us our imperfect and amazing dads. Amen.
The weather icon cautions me that fog awaits the day and I know instinctively it is good. Low visibility reminds me that God still sees the long view. I learned it several years ago from my neighbor in the country. “We know the sun is rising even though we can’t see it.” She loved to say it; it was a mantra for her and it became one for me. We are people that need to be reminded!
I ran to see the fog and was shocked to see the sun piercing through the shroud as if to say:
I’ve changed my mind. The fog will not linger. The lift is now. Caution is replaced with courage. Clouds are being swept away.
It happens like that sometimes. Life does. A solution emerges with the same immediate announcement of a light bulb in a pitch black room. Or that subtle inching, nudging….even squeezing into our lives like a little whisper that persists until it is shaping us into a way of being we didn’t see coming.
The fog is a friend when it comes. Reminding us in ways we can experience. Slow down and pay attention. Take a breath. Remember that the sun has not been taken away. We are being shielded while new light, new voices, and new revelation are being formed. Welcome the day; it is the careful provision of our Creator.
Sunrise – June 4, 2021
God, thank you forbeing in the fog with us and never losing sight of the long view. We welcome your new day! We love you and trust you. Amen.
The joy of the birds must be exuberant. A morning song of certainty that every rising of the sun holds new life. I was walking to the river as the birds made their melodies, and my neighbors were ahead of me. You know – the people we call “neighbors” but I really do not know them yet at all. I’m exercising; they are appreciating the gift of the day, a centering perhaps. My gym shorts feel a bit informal in contrast to their flowing garments in all colors of the rainbow. We are all as we are; it’s Monday.
My neighbors pause at the river, as I will. We pass one another there and I utter the only greeting I can say without thinking, “Namaskar”. I only know it because of the grace of my other neighbor who taught me how to say something in addition to “Namaste”. The greeting is a little awkward; unexpected, I think. We don’t know each other.
The river is quiet, and someone is already fishing. I offer gratitude for the grace of a morning walk, for the songs of birds and the dance of the river. My heart could stay a while, but my head moves me along. It’s Monday.
The route home brings our paths together again. “Namaskar” my mouth speaks and my spirit, by now, has been seen. “Namaskar!” they greet me. The smiles and joyful words I do not understand tell me: all is well. We have a small conversation where it is clear I do not know the language. Their English helps us along, but is limited.
We learn one another’s names. Well, we learn them for a moment. I suspect we will have to learn them again and again! The humility of grace is that today we could see one another, and it was enough. Actually, it was more than enough. Peace and gratitude are flowing, and the day has barely begun.
Prayer God thank you for the community you are creating wherever we are this week. Whether we meet in person or in prayer; on the street or in our homes – help us to see each other and your presence among us. We humbly and boldly ask for the presence of your Holy Spirit to guide us through this day. Like the birds, help us to sing with joy. And give us courage, Lord, to dance when we are invited.
Life in the Deep End 