Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Dear God,

Sometimes riding a wave can be exhausting. One of the things I love to do is ride the ocean waves on my raft. Whether in Florida or Maine, I love to catch the wave and ride it "home", all the way to shore. Yelling, "wheeeee" is one way I can release my excitement and enthusiasm. Now I know a wave in Florida and Maine is nothing like the gigantic waves of Hawaii but I'm not crazy here. It doesn't really make a difference how high the waves are, just that I'm willing to catch it, let it take me, then ride it all the way.

I've spent hours riding waves and all of a sudden found myself so tired I could hardly walk the steps back to my beach towel and umbrella. But once I fell down and stretched out, it felt so good to tell the story, to relive the joy, to rest.

I've been on a wave recently, a spiritual wave. In fact I felt it building, knew it was time to climb on board. I knew the ride could be a great one, a long one in fact, not just a short stint. I'm riding high. I'm not sure I've yet reached the pinnacle.

The beautiful thing, the wondrous thing is that I'm not riding it alone. This time there are numbers of people who're riding beside me. And we're all yelling "wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee." We know you are the source of power beneath the wave. We know the ride is your idea and that you will determine how long and how far we will go. And we will all drag our weary bodies to the towel remembering, sharing, celebrating.

A life with you is like no other. Catching a wave of the spirit is like life's greatest thing. It's not about manufacturing something, don't have to do it. In fact anything else is but a cheap substitute. Knowing I'm on the wave with you is my life's greatest joy. Sharing it with others is a WOW experience.

My life's goal is to live in that spirit cycle, to be open and aware to the waves, to invite others to join in, to ride with a spirit heart so blessed for the invitation, then take the short journey to rest, recuperate, and retell the story to others whose interest we might pique. Life is all about listening to you. How will I ever know a wave is building? How will I ever know where, when and how? How will I ever invite others for the ride? How will I ever know?

The story I tell is yours, not mine. I'm just the messenger. The wave is yours, not mine. In fact I'm even renting the towel and umbrella.

Yesterday I went to the bishop's office to talk with the director of communications about an event where we can put shoes on kids without them. I had done my preparation, had all my papers in place. I knew I would only have a few minutes to sell the idea. I was thinking about the good idea. Suddenly I realized no one could take credit for the idea. The message was clearly yours. We are just following through. I was just the messenger carrying the idea to someone else whose interest in you would allow him to listen. What a wave, I thought. Everyone involved is part of your idea. We're just following through, riding, crying out, "wheeee."

We're on a ride,
a ride of a lifetime.
We're riding on spirit time.
Liftin' higher and higher.
Doin' a balancing act,
keeping on the wave,
feelin' the power,
spirit power.

Love, Andrea