The big dipper

It seems so silly now.  I always loved constellations.  I usually could never find them but I loved to just stare at the stars and hope the shapes would just appear to me.

As I have said, many many times, I have always loved camp.  I have always felt so much of God's presence at camp and love the opportunity to share that love with other kids even now.  During camp, as I got older, they started asking questions like "When was the first time you saw God active in your life?"  That was a funny question for me and one that I could never quite come up with an answer.

I grew up around God.  Church was always more for me than going on Sunday morning.  I don't know if I always knew it but I did.  But how could I have answered that question?

One night, when I was a Staff in Training YEARS ago, we sat on the upper deck of the chapel just quietly reflecting the day and looking up at the stars.  The question I could not always answer was asked, "When was the first time you saw God active in your life?"

That is when it happened.  I looked up at the big dipper and saw it for the first time.  I had probably seen it millions of times before but there it was.  This feeling of utter peace that I cannot express came over me and I knew my answer.   I have always known that God was active in my life but actually seeing it, I just had to open my eyes.  I had to be open to it.

Millions of times since that night, I have found myself in need of peace.  If I am able, I go outside and find the big dipper.  Except I usually don't have to look for it.  My eyes sometimes know right where to go and immediately, I find peace.

As I sat at Ebert, last night at our first evening worship, I again found myself gazing at stars. Sure enough, I looked up and there was the big dipper.  After the crazy week that I had last week that was what I needed.  I needed that peace, that reminder that God is there.  I don't necessarily have to look for the peace but when I am ready to receive it, it is there.

AMEN