Through Stained Glass: Advent Word a Day-Restore

Restore

Except for one or two photos, I try to post a picture from the day as it relates to the Word-A-Day prompts. Doing this today is challenging. I'm heeding the advice from First Responders and Weather people to stay inside during this Winter storm. Thus, I'm not sure what I'll capture today for restore. 

I did venture out to grab something from the store. As I was out, I saw an Ameren truck, and I thought, "Goodness, I hope the power doesn't go out, and these workers don't have to be outside in this weather to restore our power." Then, I offered a quick prayer for those working today: First Responders, State and City Workers keeping our streets free from snow and ice, medical folx, assisted living staff, and the many others I'm forgetting right now. 

Of course, I'm mindful of our unhoused neighbors in the community. To my knowledge, Lincoln / Logan County doesn't have a designated warming center for folx to come to during these extreme temperatures. I am thankful for the agencies in town that provide assistance and care for the most vulnerable in times such as these. I keep thinking about Mary's Magnificat and the portrait it paints with these lines: 

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones

    and lifted up the lowly (Luke 1.52)

What captures my attention in this line, and all of Mary's Magnificat and Jesus's ministry is its concern with embodied people. The love of the Living God is moving to restore harmony here on earth! I recently read it put this way, "God fills the hungry not only with hope but with food. Rather than being satisfied with comforting the lowly, Mary's Lord lifts them up, granting them dignity and honor, a seat at the table, and a voice in the conversation. At the same time, God shows strength by disrupting the world's power structures, dethroning rulers, and humbling the mighty." (Judith Jones) Her words and the Incarnation story remind me of Living One's invitation to join Them in restoring and re-creating our beautiful world. Every time these occur, the Christ is born in our midst. The Incarnation bears witness to the liberating love of the Holy Three, while the Resurrection points towards the reality that the Holy Three's love can and will always find us! 

As I write, my Bird friends are busy storing energy as they eat the seed off the feeder and ground. On my fence sits a floofy Squirrel. Let me clarify: this Squirrel sits after stretching to grab sunflower seeds off the feeder. My thoughts turn to our more-than-human kin who live outside and hope the stray animals find warmth and shelter. I'm thankful for those who work to care for these family members of ours. 

I hope you all continue to stay warm and safe. If your internet goes out, remember to turn off your modem to restore it. [What a lousy attempt to use the word of the day!] Embrace these days inside to restore your interior life -- pay attention to your body, enter into the silence and solitude of your space, and listen to the still, small voice of Love whispering to you, "Surely, I am coming soon!" 

Chances are, you'll experience what we are waiting for -- God with us.