vacation – Woman Warrior

Love is seen and felt in so many places and ways. Unless you are giving it or looking for it through God’s lens, most days it seems love doesn’t come knocking on your door. It seems selfishness, jealousy, envy, hatred, rejection, uncaring, and lust are the common themes that this world hands out in droves. I am so relieved that God’s Word tells us that we can love because God loved us first. His Word also reminds us that we are chosen, enough, strong, brave, victorious, unique, capable, and beautiful.

“We love each other because He loved us first.”

~ 1 John 4:19 NLT

Last week my husband and I took a mid-southwest vacation to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Our vacations are half planned with time and space left for whimsical stops and visits. One of my Dean’s wishes was a visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. The federal building bombing happened 30 years ago this April. This incident was so impressionable back then and still is. What was an unspeakable act of hatred that killed 168 people and injured hundreds more became a beckon of hope in God’s love in His people. This community and our nation rallied around determined to beat hatred with love. God’s justice prevailed.

As a souvenir and reminder of the love gathered at the memorial service almost 30 years ago, I bought a teddy bear at the gift shop. The bear is similar to the ones gifted by Illinois’ first lady to Oklahoma’s first lady in 1995, then handed out to the family and friends of the bombing victims attending the memorial service. Just one example of God’s love and grace. So many other provisions of comfort, kindness, and grace continue to be extended. Love wins!

“A Day of Darkness. Years of Light.” ~ Oklahoma City

The words were plenty to describe how I felt as a passenger in our sedan driving in the canyons with the rough crags and towering mountains surrounding. I felt swallowed up, minuet, minuscule, insignificant, a speck, as dust in the wind and then vaporized. It was a perspective I had not thought about in years as it had been at least 3 years since I was in the Rocky Mountains. I was overwhelmingly humbled by the sacred terrain at various times while vacationing in Colorado, brought to tears.

Such a vast and broad point of view if I were one of those mountains. It must be a fraction of how God views each of us. Yet He has personalized His love for each of us with His Son, Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. Oh, the love, grace, and mercy of our God! And how He views my faith the size of a mustard seed, and still helps!