Christmas in Cambodia, Around
Christmastime Illuminate found ourselves near the coast in the town
of Sihanoukville. One off day we spent 15 dollars per person to go on
a snoring tour. This tour included pickup, breakfast, a lunch of fish
steak or chicken, and somewhat broken in snorkel gear. The trip was a
success to say the least. From moment to moment I couldnt believe
that I was privileged to experience that place. The beach we stopped
at was sandy white, but the water was clear, and the charm of the
shore could not compete with the draw of the sea. All morning I
explored among beds of small tan and brown soft coral. I visited
sculpted cities colorful hard coral, guarded by waving anemones, and
peopled by clams embedded in the rock, each dressed in different
colors
Three times and in three different
places I paddled about in the water. Each place seemed to hold more
wonders than the last, and each time allotment shorter. The last
place we stopped I climbed reluctantly back onto the boat, my heart
still beneath the waves, my soul lavishing in the sunshine. We began
to motor away. The wind played with my hair. I investigated a squid
that had been used for fishing bait. Its eye was large and
iridescent. I closed my eyes and tried to isolate each sense. The
wooden bench under me. Wooden floor under my feet, seamed with tar
and cord. Sun and shadow on my skin. The breeze brought only the
faintest scent to me, a half
imagined sense of sweetness, like caramel. I opened my eyes. Blue
water. Blue sky. The cool green keel of the boat contrasted with the
hot and happy orange of its trim. Brightness grounded by the brown
grain of the inner keel.
( I hope I have not lulled
you to sleep with description. )
As I tried with all my senses to
embrace the moment, I could not help but wish I could bring my
friends and family. I thought, I would love to have them experience
this!
Wait a minute
Why do you think, Elizabeth, that
you have that desire?
Is it to benefit myself in some way?
Do I want to bring people here so
that I look good, applauded for my part in the introduction?
Is it to Empower myself in some
way….?
the answer is no.
It is because I long to share my joy.
And share in the joy of those I love as
they discover or experience this
lovely new thing
or place.
IMAGO DEI
as humans we are made in the Image of
God (Imago Dei). Not physically, like arms and toes, but with mind,
will and emotions. He loves. We love. He is the creator. We desire to
create. He makes beauty. We love beauty. He desires, we desire. And
this desire, this longing I was experiencing, I think is a God
attribute.
He is excited to experience
things with you
My mind took this idea and ran.
Think of some of the things that God
made: A secret cove, a colorful corral, fireflies, an awe inspiring
nebula in space. That one specific rose; its possibility buried in
the genetic code of its ancestors, since the creation of the first
rose.
Even as he made these
things,
He knew that a specific person
would discover them, would take joy in them.
I think He is excited to see the
breath taking view with you.
Like an artist or master programmer, he
wants to be invited to the moment where you praise his name for what
he has done. Look what he did!
Like a good friend at a movie he has
already seen (in fact he made it), he is so excited- Just wait till
you get to this part name
! You will love it!
God wants to share with you the new and
good experiences he knew were coming.
((Okay, to be clear, I am not saying
that he needs you, or any human to get him anywhere. As the
omnipresent god, He is already there. But he wants you to invite
him in. ))
Maybe all of this is part of
inviting him into your heart. I realized recently,
that this invitation is way more than a phrase in the salvation
prayer. Before I had often simply parroted the magic words,
little understanding their meaning. But now I am realizing that
when you invite someone into your heart you share: share your hopes
and dreams. Struggles and fears. Anger, frustration, love and
triumph. Your tears of frustration as well as happiness.
You share your joy, even as he
shares his.
Not only does he want to share the
discovery of his world with us
I think he loves to journey with us in
the discovery of Himself. Showing
us how Faithful and Powerful he is. He
loves to show us his love, his artistry, sovereignty,
craftsmanship,
and
loves , loves, experiencing
with us the wonder and joy of the moment of Discovery.
