a sunrise moment

I was so tired when I went to bed last night. There didn't seem to be any part of my body that did not hurt. It had been a very long day. There seemed to be meeting after meeting (or was it just one, long, never ending meeting?) And it didn't make it any better that the very long day had come after one of the longest weeks of my life.

I was awakened sometime during the night or early morning by the wind. It seemed that a storm was blowing in. Sometime later I heard the rain falling. I got up before sunrise and come into the office to read my bible and pray. I feel so much better this morning. I feel refreshed.

In the midst of my very stormy week I had spent good quality time with Jesus (or maybe he had spent some good quality time with me.) In the midst of my very busy Sunday I had felt the Lord's annointing during worship.

A moment ago I noticed that the sun has come up and it is a beautiful day! There will be storms and they may last for days...but the sun will always shine again.

in this moment i pray

I haven't posted anything since November 4, 2008. That was election day. It was a confusing moment and a confusing day for me. I was proud of us that day for removing another obstacle from the path of equality for all. We still haven't arrived. We still have much work to do. Prejudices of many kinds still exist, but we're making progress. I was also saddened that day, and really throughout the entire campaign process, by many things.

Why does there have to be a right and a left? Because I believe that most people live somewhere in the middle. But we only hear from the right and the left; they seem to shout the loudest. They are the ones who insist that their voices be heard, but I'm not sure either of them speak for me or the majority.

I was saddened back in August at the way 80,000 people worshiped Barack Obama as he accepted the nomination of his party. Today was inauguration day. Our president placed his hand on a bible and was sworn in before God, the nation, and even the world. Again he was worshiped. An estimated 1.4 million people in attendance on the mall in Washington D.C. plus millions (probably billions) more watching on television all over the world!! Those numbers are staggering to me.

I may not have recognized any moments since November 4th but I recongize this moment. I never cared anything before about watching a president get sworn in...but I watched this one. These are disturbing times and millions are counting on him. Millions have put their trust in him. Barack Obama has a crushing load to bear. I pray that he and his people are up to the task. I pray that our country weathers this storm. I pray...I pray...In this moment I pray.

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!