Pastoral Pondering—Leave Your Mark
We recently did a quickie overnight ski trip to Peak-n-Peak just across the NY state line (I highly recommend the place!). Our room had a loft in it, and the morning before we left, I noticed that some mischievous little rascal had left their mark in a harmless, fun way. The kiddo had left a little action figure barely visible, keeping watch over the room and the snow on the loft support. Not obnoxious like graffiti or carved initials, just leaving a littl friend that I hope to see again on our next visit!
Whether we intend to or not, we all leave our marks (are we building a theme with last week’s note?)—will we leave them in fun ways, ways that make a positive impact? I just recently sent off a text, too, to an old friend I hadn’t connected with in years—he much more so, and his daughter ever so briefly as well, had left their little superhero marks on my soul in our past interactions. Their coming to mind out of nowhere led me to reach out again—is it a random firing of neurons in my brain that brought a smile and beautiful memories, or perhaps a nudge from the Holy Spirit? Nothing lost either way with sending off a quick note.
Little bits at a time of these kinds of positive marks can often build up into something beautiful. I love seeing the ice stacks when I’m skiing, where, a little bit at a time, the snow makers build up beautiful sculptures of ice along the trails to bring even more joy and beauty to the experience. Of course, the snow itself on which we ski is the same—little bits at a time that God sends to build up into paths of beauty and joy.
So often in life and in our spiritual journeys, it’s not the big things, but the little things building up like this, that create the beauty, that bring the joy, that touches souls. What small investments are you making in the lives of those whose paths you cross?
Keep making beauty, bringing truth, goodness and joy—Pastor Jim