Remnant Living

     

     

From Spinnakees Farm

These feathers are left over from a visit to a parishioner’s farm.  I collected them for a project and promptly forgot I had them until the next cleaning of my car.  When I found them they made me smile, I thought of them as remnants of my living. 

     Yesterday was Ascension Sunday; we shared the scriptures of Luke and Acts that described Jesus rising to heaven leaving the disciples behind.  The disciples stand looking to the heavens in awe, wonder and/or fear.  They are the remnants of his life; we are the remnants of Chris’s life of his living. 

     Take a look around your room, car, office and what would someone think or learn about you?  I sit in my bedroom typing and I look and see a couple of tops size 2 folded on my dresser, this says I have a child I care about in my life (my grandson), I have about 20 books on my night stand (it has a nice lower shelf for stacking) ranging from devotionals to my latest book club choice, I see photographs, flowers, crosses and a pile of laundry to iron (I know, I know, I know...but ironing is relaxing to me). I hope these things say I love to read and learn; that my family is important to me but that because none of it is perfect I hope it also says that I love my time outside of this space.

     I think of all the homes I have visited as a social worker or as a pastor and I am always humbled by people sharing their lives with me, because there is a little nagging feeling in most of us that knows new eyes see our leftovers from life a little more clearly. 

It is not the messy kitchen that most of us are really concerned about when unexpected guests arrive, it is all we have shed from our lives that we are unaware of.

    The angels come to the disciples and tell them to get moving from this space, yes this is a wonderful moment but you have got to move on.  This event happened on Mount of Olives and there is what is thought to be the right footprint of Jesus. This is a physical remnant like my feathers, or the items listed in my room, things that can be held or captured in time.  However this foot print will not bring the grace, love, healing and compassion to people, the pieces of Christ's life meant to go on and on.

    Carrie Newcomer sings in Bare to the Bone:

So, when I rise, I rise in glory

If I do, I do by grace

Time will wash away these footprints

And we'll leave without a trace

Between here and now and forever

Is such precious little time

What we do in love and kindness

Is all we ever leave behind.

     Take a look around and think about your space, what do your remnants say about your living, what did you bring in from the outside that is a blessing and testimony to your living and what needs to be let go of in order to get moving?