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still saturday: when God seems far away–remember

December 28, 2013 By Sandra Heska King

Haiti Annabelle 2013

Sweet Annabelle Joy and Louis

“At some moments we experience complete unity within us and around us.

“This may happen when we stand on a mountaintop and are captivated by the view. It may happen when we witness the birth of a child or the death of a friend. It may happen when we have an intimate conversation or a family meal. It may happen in church during a service or in a quiet room during prayer.

It may happen when a small Haitian child feels so safe he or she falls into a deep sleep in your arms. ~Tami Heim

“But whenever and however it happens we say to ourselves: This is it … everything fits … all I ever hoped for is here.’

“This is the experience that Peter, James, and John had on the top of Mount Tabor when they saw the aspect of Jesus’ face change and his clothing become sparkling white.

“They wanted that moment to last forever (see Luke 9:28-36). This is the experience of the fullness of time. These moments are given to us so that we can remember them when God seems far away and everything appears empty and useless.

“These experiences are true moments of grace.”

~ Henri Nouwen

Haiti Annabelle 2013-2

I’ve memorized some mountaintop moments from this past month. Sealed them in my mind. They hold me close, and I’ll try to share some soon. This Haiti experience has done something in me even deeper than last year. And then, of course, there was the Christmas week ice storm. It’s been a memorable December. And when God seems far away, I’ll remember these moments of pure grace.

Still simmering,

Sandy

Note: Sue Duffield has created a video journal of our trip. What a privilege and joy to share this week with her. This will transport you there with us: Haiti December 2013.

What are some of your freeze-framed mountaintop moments of grace…moments you remember when God seems far away?

Welcome to Still Saturday where we pause after a busy week, move in quiet pilgrimage, maybe linger a while in some still place, and soak in the beauty of images and words. We’d love for you to join us. Get the details on the left, grab your favorite button, and link up below. We all love to hear if something especially speaks to your heart, but please don’t feel pressured to comment. Simply take some time to gaze long and drink deep.



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Filed Under: Blog, haiti, stories and reflections

Comments

  1. Melanie says

    December 28, 2013 at 10:57 am

    I love reading and hearing about your Haiti trip. Thank you for sharing the ways it impacted, continues to impact, you.

    • Sandra Heska King says

      December 28, 2013 at 10:59 am

      Thank you, Melanie. It seems to have taken longer to process this one. I wasn’t prepared for that. šŸ™‚

  2. Lyli @3-D Lessons for Life says

    December 28, 2013 at 11:02 am

    Sandy, thanks for sharing Sue’s video with us. It took me right back to Haiti — those smiling faces stay with you. I am thankful for “moments of grace.” Hope you have a wonderful New Year’s with your family. Hugs

    • Sandra Heska King says

      December 28, 2013 at 11:04 am

      Hugs right back to you, sweet Lyli. Hoping for the same for you and yours–and a year filled with a multitude of graced moments. xo

  3. Sharon says

    December 28, 2013 at 1:01 pm

    What a beautiful post. There is something transcendent about a child sleeping – and in this setting, it’s something holy.

    A moment that I have cherished lately was at my oldest son’s recent wedding. I will never forget his face when his soon-to-be wife entered the church. I will never forget the way she looked at him. And, to have my other son standing next to him as best man? Well, that just added icing to the cake.

    But, what made that moment so extra-special was knowing how God had answered so many of my prayers. How He had brought two lives and two families together, even when I had often doubted that He would.

    His Presence proves sure, even when I am not sensing it.

    GOD BLESS!!

  4. ~ linda says

    December 28, 2013 at 2:32 pm

    Sandy, I am mesmerized by the photo of Louis so very asleep on Annabelle Joy. Precious are the little children, so innocent and needing love and comfort. May God watch over this child and use him for His Kingdom some day, one day.
    Caring through Christ, ~ linda

  5. Patricia @ Pollywog Creek says

    December 28, 2013 at 6:05 pm

    Beautiful post, Sandra. Much love to you, dear friend. xoxox

  6. Laurie Collett says

    December 28, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    So beautiful…His peace transcends our sadness. Thanks for hosting & God bless!

  7. Joanne Viola says

    December 29, 2013 at 6:57 am

    I have so been blessed reading about your trip. That is a great quote by Henri Nouwen! Beautiful post! I am so grateful for those moments of grace!

Trackbacks

  1. Even In The Dark, He Sees Me says:
    December 28, 2013 at 10:55 am

    […] Linking with Still Saturday […]

  2. Rich: Meaningful; Significant | Nourishment for the Soul says:
    December 29, 2013 at 7:26 pm

    […] Linking with the Sunday Community and Sunday Stillness and Still Saturday. […]

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Talking with D about his grandfather. One of the f Talking with D about his grandfather. One of the farmhands said Grandpa King was one of the toughest men he ever knew. In the dead of a Michigan winter, he wore a baseball cap instead of a knit hat. In April through October he never wore a shirt.
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Once he was raking hay and while trying to get the rake in gear, he fell against the tractor fender. He finished raking hay. Then for the next two days, he rode on a combine bagging oats, bouncing and breathing in dust and lifting bags. After 3 days, he said, ā€œI don’t feel very good. I’m gonna go to the doctor snd see what’s wrong.ā€ He had two or three broken ribs, a punctured lung, and pneumonia.
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D said he only saw him tear up three times.
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1. When his 19-year-old grandson died from a heart condition.
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2. When D said, ā€œ Goodbye Grandpa. I’ll see you in the spring.ā€ ( D was maybe 11 or 12. ) Grandpa was on his way to FL for the winter and knew he probably wouldn’t be back. He died about a month later.
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3. When he talked about the fact that the hotels in FL would not let black baseball players stay there. That was in the 50s.
ā€œBe like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.ā€ ā€œBe like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.ā€ -Rumi
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Even if it’s spring.
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This evening’s walk.
Happy place. Happy place.
E.T. phone home. E.T. phone home.
Side effects update - 50 hours post Covid vaccine Side effects update - 50 hours post Covid vaccine #2...
šŸŒ’
Zip. Zilch. Nada. Nope. None. Not even a sliver.
No chocolate this year. Besides, the neighborhood No chocolate this year. Besides, the neighborhood raccoon we saw up the tree the other night has (had?) a sweet tooth and stole the box the next-door hubby had delivered--took it around the side of their house and ate it all.

Also no flowers or cards. 

Just this. And her name shall be called... drum roll...

We loved all the suggestions. But we also wanted to keep the love connection--and I wanted to let D finally get to choose a name for our 13th (if I've remembered all of them) cat. The rescue named her Valentine, so since she's the only Valentine either of us are getting today, we decided to keep that name--but as a middle name. D has been calling her "Lucy Vallie."

Lucy--for Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy) and her mischief and troublemaking. We've already seen signs of mischief in the shattered antique bottle we'd discovered next to our farmhouse in Michigan. It sat on the windowsill over the bathtub--silly me in having neglected to totally cat-proof--and in the missing top to my contact lens case--that D finally found next to the litter box. 

Also, there's the light-shedding Luci Shaw... whose poetry I love. 

And Lucy Pevensie from the Chronicles of Narnia who superly loved Aslan.

So now we have Lucy the Goose and Lucy Valentine whom we already love and expect lots of love and light and laughs from. And probably lots of mischief. She also has trouble staying still long enough for pictures.

How is Sophie taking to her? Well, they are still pretty much separated. This morning there were some barks and squeals and hisses and growls. But we will get there.

Happy Valentine's Day to us. And to you from all of us. ā¤ļø
Peekaboo... I see you little cutie in the next doo Peekaboo... I see you little cutie in the next door neighbor’s tree. (I’ve got to start carrying the camera at all times.) #eveningwalk
Trees are confused. #fallingcolor #notfall Trees are confused. #fallingcolor #notfall
It’s that time of year again. #bufoserenade It’s that time of year again. #bufoserenade
I’m a sucker for a rainbow. I’m also now very I’m a sucker for a rainbow. I’m also now very wet.
ā€œThere’s no knowing. But courage, child: we ar ā€œThere’s no knowing. But courage, child: we are all between the paws of the true Aslan.ā€ ~ King Tirian in The Last Battleā€
🌱
In other news, since I was able to hike last night, I’ve been cleaning up my ā€œnestā€ where I’ve hung out for the last month—elevating, icing, snoozing, reading, watching more movies than I’ve watched in a year. I’m happy to report that during this time I’ve read every book in The Chronicles of Narnia, including The Magician’s Nephew that I had to get from the library cuz I don’t know what happened to my copy. First time. Don’t judge. Though I *did* see the LWW when the movie first came out if that counts.
Saw this beauty on our hike last night. Check out Saw this beauty on our hike last night. Check out those feet. And it moved more gracefully than I did. #purplegallinule
And that’s a wrap. Furthest I’ve walked in a m And that’s a wrap. Furthest I’ve walked in a month. I might feel it tomorrow, but it feels so good today. No broken ankle is gonna keep me down for long.
Here. On a whim. No crutches. No boot. No scooter. Here. On a whim. No crutches. No boot. No scooter. Walking slow.
ā€œalert as an admiralā€ ~ Mary Oliver in ā€œHawk ā€œalert as an admiralā€ ~ Mary Oliver in ā€œHawkā€
Thursday, my ortho told me I could start weaning m Thursday, my ortho told me I could start weaning my ankle from the boot and crutches on Saturday--which would have been 3 weeks from injury. So I went home that same day and discontinued the boot. The next day I hung up the sticks. Today I canceled PT. I know what to do, and I will do it cuz you can't keep an adventure girl down for long. But I suppose that means the days of being waited on are over. I may have just sabotaged myself.

Also, my FB memories told me I canceled PT for something (I can't even remember what) 11 years ago this day. I took both cheers and jeers for that in the comments. šŸ˜‚
He thinks I can’t see him. He’s wrong. Camoufl He thinks I can’t see him. He’s wrong. Camouflaged but not concealed. #kingofthehedge
Breakfast. Not sharing. Breakfast. Not sharing.
Time out for a little #berniememes fun. Time out for a little #berniememes fun.
ā€œWe don’t know when he will act. In his time, ā€œWe don’t know when he will act. In his time, no doubt, not ours.ā€ ~ Peter in Prince Caspian
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It’s Inauguration Morning. Prayers for the incoming and the outgoing. Prayers for all of us because we are all exhausted. Prayers for peace and patience and safety and wisdom and more compassion and more kindness and more love and unity. And, please Lord, no more virus.
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