Reflections of Reflections
January 16, 2025
The Moon In My Window
Yesterday morning I woke up half an hour early, instantly alert, my eyes landing on a mostly-full moon in our upper great room window. Underneath was an identical but dimmer version of it. It took me a few minutes to figure out the reflection was bouncing off the window on the other end of the great room and reflecting back at me. I found myself adjusting my gaze to see only the dimmer version, as the brighter one hurt my eyes.
It was all so sudden and unexpected, I found myself asking, “Is there a message in this?”
No answers came to mind, so I tucked the thought away but soaked in the view a little longer before getting my phone to take a picture. It doesn’t capture the fulness of the image or the moment (where were
you, Ellie?), but gives you an idea:
Things got better after that, and my heart lightened. As I pondered it all at the end of the day, I remembered the reflection in my window and found its message.
The moon is a direct reflection of the sun. It can be really bright … almost too bright to look at.
I want to reflect God clearly in my life. But maybe someone somewhere needs to see only a reflection of a reflection in me for now, because it’s all their eyes are ready for.
“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror dimly; then we shall see face to face.” – I Corinthians 13:12)
Truth be known, on Monday
night I was more like a third or fourth
generation reflection. I don’t even want to describe that
for you. My kids can if they want to.
Here’s the point: Maybe it doesn’t matter how many generations down our reflection is on any given day … AS LONG AS WE KEEP REFLECTING. And that means keeping our gaze fixed on What
we are reflecting, no matter what’s happening around us. Little by little, we'll move up the ladder.
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18
“Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option.” (2 Corinthians 4:8)
Do not grow weary in well-doing, dear nieces and nephews, for great is your reward!
Have a great day,
Aunt Michelle
Dear Nieces & Nephews, I haven’t written in a while. It’s not because I’ve thought of you less, but because the thoughts haven’t been clear enough to express. So maybe it’s a time for asking questions instead. How are you? Is your summer ready to hit full-swing? Do you have plans for deep soul-rest mixed into your bucket list? Does this list reflect your heart’s desires, or just the “summer shoulds” that swirl around our culture? Or the demands of your people? Are you giving extravagantly to them, while still letting them exercise their “NO" muscles? Are you exercising your “NO" muscle? Speaking of which, here’s a question about me: Do I teach too much about grace, and not enough about consequences? Probably. I hope that where I have, God will bring balance. He promises to be our Teacher. So maybe I can take the pressure off and realize I only carry a small piece of what He’s saying, and that’s OK. I’m not making or breaking anyone’s life. How about you? Are you putting too much pressure on yourself to be more than you are or to have more than is yours? If so, here are two wonderful terrible thoughts to remember: It’s not about me. ( Whew) I’m not God and am no one's savior. ( Double whew) Some of you have asked how you can help me through this season. I didn’t know until Shannon asked me at church this morning. Mid-answer, it became clear to me: Don't be afraid to look me in the eye. Tell me what’s happening in your life. Show me the world is bigger than the problem trying to block my view. Remind me that I’m still me, and tough things happening don’t change who I am. I'm still just plain ol' yours truly, Aunt Michelle
Let God Handle The Heavy Stuff
Dear Nieces & Nephews, Images of you have been filling my mind this morning. You’re going through so much. I want to be with you in it. But lives have put physical distance between us, along with the invisible barriers that come with full homes and schedules ... only to be crossed at special events and chance encounters at Costco. I sure do want this to change. Being with each other really is a very big deal. It’s the substance of relationship. Jesus wanted his disciples with him when he was entering his darkest hour. He brought them to Gethsemane with him. When he told them he was overwhelmed with grief and sorrow to the point of death (pretty vulnerable), it’s remarkable that they fell asleep on him. It’s not like He had a victim mentality and talked that way all the time. “I want someone with me in my pain,” is central to the human heart, and I believe mirrors God’s. Yet how often do we sleep through our loved ones’ pain? Or defend ourselves in it? Or analyze it? Or devalue it by trying to rationalize it away? Yesterday was the portion of Resurrection Weekend that experiences Jesus’ pain with him, that watches and prays with him, that doesn’t try to explain anything away or fix anything, but just stays with Him. I'm going to give it another day. What does that MEAN for me today, Lord? What does it LOOK like? Watch and pray f or WHAT? There are no soldiers for me to watch for. Perhaps I am just to watch. ??? Why is this so hard? I want to know what to watch for. And I want to know what to do when I see it. But you haven’t told me that yet. And if I try to prepare for it, I’ll bring along a sword and cut off someone’s ear, or something equally rash. JUST WATCH. AND PRAY. AND BE WITH HIM. Be with Him in His pain. Be with my family members in their pain. Don’t try to fix anything. Don’t defend myself. Don’t analyze it or assign blame. JUST WATCH. AND PRAY. AND BE WITH THEM. And remember. I didn’t prepare for this at all, but I’m going to set up our kitchen island with the closest thing I have to bread and wine, and serve a day-long communion. I'm going to remember what my Savior did for me as I watch and pray, and invite Uncle Kerry and your cousins to do it with me. And I'll be remembering YOU, my nieces and nephews. Maybe I can’t be with you, but I remember you. I am praying for you. And I am watching for any points of reconnection. All my love, Aunt Michelle
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