Swinging

This evening we took a ride on some lake country roads near us. It has been a stressful time helping a friend who is very ill, and it was necessary to take a break to gather ourselves again for service. We saw some wildflowers, but these huge tree limbs really ministered to me. There is something about a huge, sturdy tree limb that just calls for a simple plank or tire swing. A living foundation from which to be rocked back and forth.

I vaguely remember my grandmother rocking and comforting me. Of course, my husband has often, through the years, held me in his arms as I grieved over some losses. There is something comforting about that rocking. I use it often as a massage therapist to ease tension and relax a person.

Jesus told his disciples that he was leaving them his peace, and to not let their hearts be troubled. We are invited by the Holy Spirit to take comfort; to crawl up in the lap of the one who laid down his life for us, and let him collect our tears. I love my children to the degree that I am capable, but how much more can Jesus love and comfort us.

All rocking is not about being comforted, however. Some swinging is about simple joy. It is about feeling the wind in your face; giving it everything you have got with complete abandon, knowing you are more than okay because that swing is held by a sturdy limb. It is about trusting and leaning into the momentum. It is about being hyper vigilant of the life force that pumps through your veins and heart, about gratitude for life. It is about living fully, with the foundation of peace that Christ offers us.