The Shape of Blessing

There was a water stain on the ceiling tile, and someone was talking about the mystery of God.

I looked at that stain and saw the process of the water, slowly seeping into the cracks and seams…seeping until some sort of shape formed.

So it seems to be with God, who slowly pours Himself into our pores until a shape takes form, until we see Him as something beautiful, yet still unknown. Mystery.

What is the shape of God? What form is found in His blessing?

A few nights ago Trav and I received an unexpected dinner date.

Eliot stayed with Suzan, and we sat there with juicy burgers on our plates, a basket of fries between us.

Isaiah slept the entire time, and I said out loud, “I’m thanking God for this, right now.”

We ate slowly and savored every bite of food and every bit of conversation.

The shape of the blessing, unique for that moment.

Yesterday I sat at ONYX and watched friends pass Isaiah around while I sipped my latte.

There was a creamed tulip on top and a Celtic book of prayers at my side.

Be at the dawning of our life, and oh! at the dark’ning of our day, amen.

At the dark’ning of the day, He is the lit candles on the table, my reminder that Lent is the season of grace flooding my heart.

He is the flame, the bright hope-light.

And we are safe in our beds and full in our bellies, overflowing with blessing upon blessing.

It’s just hard to see the shape sometimes.

When I was pregnant with Eliot, I waited and waited for my belly to grow big, because I wanted to see the shape of my boy. I wanted to see him grow and see him make his appearance. So it grew and grew, and the mystery of who he was became clearer and clearer, the beauty of the blessing becoming brighter and brighter.

The shape of the blessing, the shape of the Mystery.

Look around you and see it. Look up at ceiling tiles and let your ears hear the voices of truth. They are all the blessing, and they are all the mystery, water of life seeping into our veins day by day, in the dawn and in the dark’ning.