Where We Are

We have been in the process of moving for the past several weeks. We spent the first month searching for a new home as well as packing all our stuff in between working and church and ministry and such. And putting down deposits and changing our address and, well… you know the drill.

We've spent the last couple of weeks unpacking. In other words, we are un-doing what we spent weeks doing. It would seem pretty funny if we were not so tired.

Never mind trying to figure out where everything should go and what looks right and what doesn’t and the storage problems. Oh my.

My writing life has certainly suffered through all of this but I couldn’t worry about it. I was too involved. Too focused on the task at hand. Single-minded, you might say.

Now I would like to tell you that my prayer life has not suffered at all. But it has. My usual silent time alone with the Lord has just not happened. I have gone to Mass and I have prayed "Help" quite a few times, but I have not spent that daily time in silence with the Lord that I usually did. And oh, how I miss it. I cannot wait to get back to it.

But a funny thing happened on the way to me not having my usual prayer life. The Lord was with me just the same. And not only did he stay with me, he let me know about it.

I saw him in the beautiful canal in the back of our new home.

I saw him in the peace of the neighborhood and the condo complex where we live now.

I saw him in the pictures I looked at as I unpacked them. Pictures of my children and grandchildren. Pictures of our trip to the Holy Land.

And the cards I had saved. Cards from my husband and my children and friends. Cards that said "I love you." Cards that said "You are not alone."

My youngest son's baby book that I thought I had given him already. And the loving notes and letters that filled my heart.

And finally, when I took a moment to slow down and listen in the silence, I was reminded.

We do not find God. God finds us.

We look for God and sometimes we think we find Him. But, in reality, it is God who finds us. God comes to us where we are and makes His presence known to us. As Thomas Merton said, "We have what we seek."

We are just not always aware. We are not always giving God the time to make Himself known to us.

I was certainly not giving God enough time, but then God came to me where I was, in the middle of open boxes and messy rooms. God made His presence known to me, once I slowed down enough. Once I started looking at those pictures and cards.

God comes to us where we are, and makes His presence known to us.

Because He loves us that much.