Revelation Friday Five

From Sally:

With this Sunday's gospel reading in mind, that wonderful revelation of Christ to the companions on the Emmaus road. I wonder where you might have been surprised by God's revelation recently.

So with no further waffle I offer you this weeks Friday 5:

How has God revealed him/herself to you in a:

1. Book

I read so much that is frivolous, but Bread and Wine has been very influential for both me and my Tuesday morning Bible study. I can't name a single reading; there are so many. And there are the "usual suspects" that I read over and over again: Tolkein, the Narnia series, Madeleine L'Engle.

2.Film

"August Rush" and "The Martian Child" come to mind. I have a little John Cusack thing, but the willingness to love so deeply that you risk almost any hurt was beautiful to me. "August Rush" was a fantasy in sheep's clothing about the language of the universe, the music of the spheres.

3. Song

I've been having this ongoing conversation with my DMin group. There are many songs in which I hear a little God. "American Pie" would be Ben's pick. I was thinking about "Desperado" and "Promised Land" by a folk group called Patchwork.

4. Another person

Again, so many. There are some wonderful folks at church, including a group of ladies (widowed) that Eric and I call "the girls." They are endlessly faithful and loving. There are really too many to mention.
Isn't that a good "problem" to have!

5. Creation

I live on the tail end of the Outer Banks, basically, about 60 miles from Hatteras. As I write this, I am in a coffee shop (my Friday office), and I can look out the windows at Taylor's Creek and beyond it, Carrot Island. The island is home to a small herd of wild Banks ponies, including a colt that's maybe 6 months old. And pods of dolphins wander up the creek from time to time.

Bonus answer: your choice- share something encouraging/ amazing/ humbling that has happened to you recently!

I did another funeral. Two, actually, this is getting to be a bad habit, although at least I knew these two fairly. I assisted Eric at the first, and then on the second, I had the meditation. The woman who died was 2 days older than my mother, just a few years older than my stepmother, and although the meditation was easy to put together, it was really hard to preach. First, 3 family members had readings or spoke (one brilliantly), and they were all crying, which always makes it hard for me. And perhaps I've had enough of funerals for the time being. I stood up to speak, and I thought, "I'm not sure I can do this."
I did, and well, I think. This time someone said they really enjoyed it (surreal). And maybe it helped me deal with my grief a little.
Also, Bob just came by to ask me about the spirituality business. I told him I think people are maybe asking different questions, but still feel a longing to be connected to something bigger than themselves, and to feel loved. He said, "I hope so, because I talk to a whole lot of people who think they are the center of the universe, and I think it would be terrible if it all revolved around me."
Me too.