Good morning!

Today’s Readings: Psalm 50, Zechariah 8:1-17, Mark 1:1-8

As many of you have been watching the news about, Aumsville, OR was hit by a small tornado yesterday.  And I like that one reporter said, “well, if you are in a tornado, you never think it’s small.”
But what fascinated me about the coverage was the coverage about the “elderly woman” who “left the store minutes before tornado.”  I am sure many of you have seen this converage.  She leaves the store minutes before to go on an errand.  This is where the tornado touches down…totally distroying her store.

Many people would be horrified at what happened. They would be upset that their store was taken down.  They would be mad that their store is no longer standing and everything is ruined.  And yet, this woman says, “This is material things, we can put it back.”  She went on in an interview thanking God for calling her to go out to lunch instead of being in the store.  In one interview she says, “I am a spiritual person, you know…and God saved me from this.”

Check out this interview.  http://www.kptv.com/news/26136077/detail.html  It’s down at the bottom of the page.  She even equates this rebuilding to a legacy from her husband and her. 

The woman knows the God that creates new things.  Some of you may think she is dillusional…and perhaps.  Some of you may think she is strong, she is certainly appearing so.  I hope that we all pray that in the journey ahead, she sticks close to God.  Because yesterday, she was on board with John preparing us to see God.  She was on board with the Psalmist who crys out God’s world.  She is crying out her own, “prepare the way!”  This is just material things, and we can build it back up.

In other news, when I read this morning’s gospel lesson I got real excited.  For me, when John cries out “prepare the way!” we are really into Advent.  Jesus is right around the corner.  Just a week and a few days away! 

So keep preparing, keep rebuilding, keep moving along the path.  May Advent be a full time of preparation today. Amen.

Peace,

C