by Christine Sine

Saturday was my 69th birthday. Not a big milestone you might think and a seemingly inauspicious event on my journey through life. Yet this has been a very special celebration and as I enter my 70th year on this beautiful God inspired and God created world, it makes me realize how special every day and every celebration is.

Part of what this weekend, and in fact the whole week that went before it has taught me is how important it is to keep my eyes and ears open for the special things that God is saying and doing in my life. It has reinforced how important the times of reflection and contemplation are and the joys that come to us when we seek to be fully attentive to the presence of God.

The card above was drawn for me by my dear friend Kim who is recovering from heart transplant surgery. It started as a doodle with her non dominant hand which she then colored. Hopefully you can see the dancing figure that has now become my image and dream for Kim. She still needs a walker, but I pray for the day when she will be able to dance as free and joyously as this figure.

Kim, an expressive art’s therapist inspired me greatly when I was writing The Gift of Wonder, so to receive this card, one of her first poems and reflective doodles in months was incredibly special and it will sit on my desk, an ongoing inspiration to me, for many months to come.

Inside was this poem that Kim wrote for me:

I dance…
not the finesse of a flamenca
or the thrust of tango,
but with wobbly legs
uncertain
where am I, who am I?
With great gulps of air,
finding a breath rhythm to keep me going.
I follow new born heart,
butterflied with wonder,
waiting in now
arms reach out to dance, hug,
to hold my shaky fingers and hands
as if to say, “LIVE!”

Kim’s journey over the last few months has been slow and arduous yet it has also been an inspiration for many. It was wonderful to be able to celebrate with her and her husband as she came to spend her first night home since her ordeal began.

Notice the glowing Lights

With Kathy Escobar at The Refuge

Kathy’s finger labyrinth – trust the path

The weekend before, I was in Colorado. A weekend with Kathy Escobar, conducting a workshop at The Refuge allowed lots of time to talk. I felt that her finger labyrinth summed up much of what we talked about – Trust the path! What an important reminder for all of us. At one point Kathy asked me:

WHAT DO YOU LACK IN YOUR LIFE?

What an important question for all of us to ask periodically, not so that we can make a great list of all the things we would like to have but so we can evaluate where we are at and what we think God would like us to journey towards.

My answer: NOTHING. Life is not perfect. There are struggles and challenges, but when I look at what really matters, I lack nothing. I hope you can say the same.

From there I journeyed to Estes Park with Godspace bloggers Michael and Denise Moore. What a privilege to get some face to face time with these special people. Again we talked, and talked and talked. Kindred spirits on the journey through life.On my last morning with the Denise and I took a long walk through the town and around a lake. We began in the dark and the first photo I took was of a fairytale land of winter lights. It summed up my feelings this week – a wonderland of God’s light shining around me as journey into this 70th year. Some of it is shining directly from God as the light of the moon does (or at least that is how it feels) and some of it is shining in the “trees” – the people around me. All of it providing a rich and enriching glow of God’s presence.

Lights in Estes Park Colorado

Take a few minutes to sit and think about the lights that shine around you. Maybe life is difficult for you at the moment. Maybe it is easy, but for all of us there are lights shining that aids our journey. What and who provides that rich glow of God’s presence at this time?