Glimpse of Normal by Barry Hughes


On my walks I have seen many things that have inspired, challenged and touched me. My little neighbors have been speaking important words to me each day. And I am so grateful.
On this day, I encountered a dinosaur. My first thought was that on this street lived a child who is so deeply concerned about the pandemic that they were thinking about our species going extinct! But then I realized that my neighbor was simply drawing what they were thinking about - dinosaurs. They still lived what they loved. Their imagination was still functioning in fine style. Their artistic skills were spot on in this depiction of a dinosaur. I walked away encouraged. What a blessing it was to catch a glimpse of “normal”.
In the earliest years of the Church, followers of Jesus faced extreme ups and downs. For periods of time they were able to live and go about their business in relative peace. At other times, they were persecuted and oppressed beyond our imagination. Through it all, they persevered and endured. We are the proof of their faithfulness, thousands of years later. The “normal” that sustained them was the heartfelt belief that God was with them. In good or bad, God was with them. They would remind each other of this truth in whatever ways were available to them. They stayed connected. They stayed in love with God and each other.
May these words be a glimpse of “normal” for you today. God is with you. Get in touch with what you love and live into it. Draw a dinosaur. Call a friend. Say a prayer. Find something for which you can rejoice. Let’s spend a few minutes today being normal.
Peace.

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