Week 9: Water-Filled
As I reflect on my full summer and scroll through pictures, I notice the steady presence of water. From the weekly swim lessons to the waterfalls cascading into fjords, water was everywhere. On our recent road trip to New Jersey, we dipped into water almost every day. Whether it was Lake Michigan in Chicago, the Atlantic Ocean, or a hotel pool, we were wet!
When I asked my 5-year-old what her favorite part of summer was, she says, “Splash Valley!” a water park near our home. Every time we went to Splash Valley, she wanted to go down the blue body slide, again, and again, and again. The blue slide is a gentle twisting water slide. Personally, I prefer the orange slide with the thrill of a tunnel and steep slope. To make the blue slide more interesting, I closed my eyes. Suddenly, not knowing when the next turn was coming, I was knocked off balance. I put my hands by my side to steady myself. The water flowed over my hands. I could feel the current carrying me. I relaxed and trusted the water. It was exhilarating.
This summer memory at the water park flooded my mind as I worked on a funeral sermon. I imagined the person as an infant, water pouring on his head as his parents held him over the baptismal font. At that moment, he didn’t know the turns life would bring, but he could feel the water on his head. He could feel the water dripping down his face, just like God’s love dripping, pouring, cascading down.
Now looking back on the summer, I can also see the steady presence of God’s love.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall live in the house of the Lord forever. –Psalm 23:6
This is my last reflection for the summer. I hope these notes have helped you notice God in new ways. I hope you can see how God’s generous love has been a steady presence through your summer. As fall activities pick up and we return to routines, may you continue to find ways to explore faith and curiously follow God’s Spirit.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Jenny
Read this: Psalm 23 and Revelation 22:1-5
Try this: Get wet! Walk in the rain, splash your face, dip your toes in a lake. Water is a physical sign of God’s love, that’s why it is used in baptism. When you feel water on your skin, dip your finger in the water and make the sign of the cross on your forehead, remembering your baptism. Say, “I am a child of God. He loves me and cares for me.”
Be Curious: What types of water restores your soul bringing peace (or joyful exhilaration!)? Is it is the still water of a lake? Is in the ever-changing flowing river? Is it the steady rhythm of waves? Find a way to be near that source of life this week, even if it’s simply listening to the sound on YouTube or meditating on a picture.
Pray: Pray for earth and water courses. Relief from wildfires, rain for crops, and clean drinking water. Give thanks for organizations like Friends of the Mississippi who teach and inspire people to care for our natural water sources.