Greetings Dear Reader,
During April of 2015 I wrote at length about Talismans. Most have been packed away for now. I had to leave a few behind out of
necessity. I have a new one that I carry
with me at all times. It reminds me of
what has been lost, the cost of the journey, and the only hope that I have
left.
Recently someone commented on how dark my writing is of
late. Even though I journey through a dark
place, I am not out of hope. If I am to
be real in this venue there will be times when the darkness is strong, cloying,
and oppressive. There will be days when
even the noon day sun cannot chase away the shadows. That does not mean that there is no
hope. It does mean I need a reminder of
where that hope must lie.
This talisman serves several reminders. On the face it has inscribed “Footprints in
the Sand”. The authorship is disputed
and there are even different versions of the text. Here is one of them:
One night I dreamed I was walking along the
beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the
sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one
only.
This bothered me because I noticed that
during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or
defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have
seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”
Some days I feel I need to be carried through the entire
day. Some days the road beneath my feet
feels like I am actually walking with Christ.
This talisman reminds me of both.
It also reminds me that I can count on Christ to carry those who know
him but are not following as they should until they find their feet again.
The talisman also provides light and warmth. It gives me a reminder that there is always a
light in time of need. There is always a
way out of the darkness if we choose it.
It is a symbol of hope; a reminder of the LIGHT.
This talisman is not mine.
It was a gift given to another as a symbol of promise and trust. It was left behind along with the promises
and the trust. I carry it to remind me
that I never give up on people. I never
stop loving and believing. I cannot
force anyone else to follow Christ. I
can love them and beg the Father to have mercy on them. I can own my failures and forgive
theirs.
As I seek the path out of the wilderness and back to life that
matters for Christ, I carry with me this holy talisman that has no power of its
own. Yet is does. It has the power to remind me. I hold it when I pray for those who have left
the journey for other pursuits. I
remember who carries me when the loneliness grips me in it ravenous jaws. It becomes my “Light of Earendil” when
needed.
I hope deeply to return this talisman to its rightful
owner. For now, however, I will keep it
safe and use it to move me closer to home.
There is always room at my side to travel with me Dear Reader.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
Bookings at aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment