On this date, (8/22) 30 years ago, our family took a leap of faith when the 9 of us flew into Minneapolis airport, our worldly goods contained in 2 suitcases each.
It was a New Beginning
I defined the ‘Adventure’ as “What God will ADs when we are willing to VENTURE out in faith in him”
When in faith Hilary and I started out again on our recent road trip I glanced down at the mileage. It was 19537.
I said to Hilary, “Hey that’s my birth year. Pity the last number wasn’t 9 and that would have been my birth month!”
‘Now don’t go trying to make things fit.” Hilary cautioned.
‘OK’ I chuckled….but half an hour later smiled as Father reminded me that the number 7 was even more personalized than would have been the 9, for my mother told me that I was born at 7.07a.m. weighing in at 7lb 7oz!!
God knows our names and knows our numbers and every detail of our lives, and he wants to communicate with us in a more personal way than we could ever imagine that he is with us guiding our every step.
On our first stop in Michigan we picked up with friends we hadn’t seen for 10 years. As Leah commented it gave,’in the twinkling of an eye’ a new meaning as if no time had passed at all between us!
As we worshipped and prayed and shared together on our final morning we noticed a heron descending on the pool outside…….and then another, and another and another and another! Most unusual! Heaven was bearing witness to what we were experiencing on earth.
The heron is a symbol of resurrection life. The number 5 represents favor.
On the morning of nephew Tom’s wedding I was wakened early by the cooing of a dove. I got up and set out for a walk only to spy not just one, but 5 turtle doves on the wire outside our bedroom.
A symbol of both the Spirit and the Bride and another sign of favor.
Our final stop on this first of the three Victory Laps was again with old friends we hadn’t seen for many years. The dear sisters of the Servants of God’s Love in Ann Arbor Michigan welcomed us with open arms.
We joined them for evening prayer. Laura was assigned to help me follow the simple liturgy.
I smiled that once again it was that name, “Lady of Victory’ ……like Laurie our daughter in New York and Laurel Road where we were given hospitality in Massachusetts.
The next morning we were home and as I went to our front porch to welcome the dawn another ‘out of the blue’ bird experience as two young hawks playfully swooped into the tree in front of me…..a powerful symbol of strength, grace, freedom and connection to the divine.
I thought of the trip the two of us had just joyfully completed.
I couldn’t quite remember where I was in my reading of the psalms. So thought I would follow on from the lead of the previous evening with the sisters in Michigan. We had read together Psalm 123 about the servant and handmaiden waiting and watching for the slightest request from their master and mistress so that they could instantly and eagerly respond.
So I turned to the next psalm 124 …….about our breaking free ….like a bird escaping out of the fowlers snare!
I went upstairs, only to find Hilary listening to this beautiful rendering of the very same psalm!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k4cddVjyQc
I recounted the CD we had been gifted by the sisters was called ‘Uncaged Bird’
…..and my being wakened that last morning with the sisters, by a bird outside our window singing at the top of it’s voice
……Come On! Come On! Come on! Come On! Come On!
You’ve come this far now step farther out, out of the vale of tears
You’ve come this far now move farther in while all of heaven cheers.
‘Freedom! Freedom!’
Let all creation sing!
The inspiration for this song had come from Zephaniah 3:17……There were the three Victory Laps again!!!
And now today, 8/22 the 30th anniversary of our New Beginning
Might this 8/22 be signaling another New Beginning (8) for the Sons of Light(22)?
Romans 8:22 …..
“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to…………THIS PRESENT TIME.”