message in a sunset

I saw the most beautiful sunrise this morning. It was a welcome sight, last night the winds were howling, ripping leaves and sticks off trees. Rain was pouring over the water spouts of homes, neighbors were clambering to rake out leaves from clogged drains. Cars were covered in huge tsunami type waves as they drove through puddles.

But that was last night, and not this morning. This morning, as I drove to work, I rolled up the mist covered hill, dew still fresh on the evergreens and as the road bent, and the trees parted, I saw the most brilliant light of oranges, blue, and violets. Mount Hood stood out in the backdrop, the peak illuminated by a golden halo, clouds swirled at the basin. Rays of light shone down through the breaks in the rose laden sky.

I turned my radio down, engulfed by the sight, trying to brazen it into my mind, I did not want to be distracted. I took out my camera and tried to take a picture. I could not focus it right, not enough to capture the image and do the sight justice. I realized maybe some things are not to be captured. Maybe, sometimes God shows you something that you need to capture in your heart. Maybe, God was showing me peace and serenity, strength and grace because there was a purpose that I did not know yet.

I wondered how many people, at this exact moment, are seeing what I see. How many people are capturing the essence of a sunrise? I wanted to share the image with someone else, but then again thought maybe, it would be more profound if I kept it to myself.

It would not be until I got to school, that I understood. Often we muddle through our lives. Things get out of control, priorities screwed up, we worry about texting, checking emails, arrange important decisions over lunch meetings. We constantly are trying to clean out our own gutters, while all the essence of life is backing up, flowing over downspouts and spilling into the street like uncontrollable floods. We try to fix damages after a storm. We tend to remember a huge storm over a beautiful sunrise because it is the damage that is left that is imprinted more in one’s mind.

For me, the sunrise meant that I needed to help someone realize the serenity and peace he had forgotten. I had to help someone find the essence of grace and forgiveness within himself because for some reason, his life had been overflowing. His “water” had been pouring in directions he could not control and the imprinting of past storms had been so great, that he did not see the sunrise within himself.

God works in ways we do not understand and if we get so busy with our lives we tend to miss his messages. Today, I was just lucky enough to listen.