Finding Faith in a Pin Oak
This morning, I awoke to torrents of rain beating the roof and assaulting the windows as though rebuking the southern heat that refused to abate. Noon came and went, and the thunderstorms moved on. By mid-afternoon, light showers fell intermittently, but the wind still terrified the twenty-five-foot pin oak battling to protect the small birds that nest in its branches.
My daily meditation led me to the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of John, specifically, verse twenty-two, in which Jesus attempts to soothe his apostles after sharing his last meal with them and relating his forthcoming death. “You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you,” he said. Likewise, the pin oak, though temporarily a slave to brutal breezes, stood staunch and sturdy with its thick trunk and defied destruction.
Searching through my collection of quotes, I discovered one from Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, an English Dominican friar: “Despair is the terror that nothing makes sense… Hope is the conviction that all our suffering, joys, and sorrows will have meaning.” If I were a gray kingbird or blue-gray gnatcatcher, both common North Florida species, this morning’s storm may have led me to lose confidence in that mighty pin oak. Thankfully, I tend to be more like the mourning dove who coos her sad song with peace and love, bringing a message of comfort to those who hear it.
I also came across a quote from an article written by Leonard J. DeLorenzo, a professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame. In describing St. Teresa of Calcutta, he explained the difference between happiness and joy: “Happiness avoids suffering; joy endures suffering in hope.” No one can truly avoid suffering, including me, yet, along with the birds seeking shelter in my backyard, I endure distress and heartache, though not always with grace, because faith is my foundation, the root that supports me.
Another find among my quotes is from Christian author Ann Voskamp, who says that we should expect the promises of God to hold us secure no matter the unexpected problems. This citation probably came from her book One Thousand Gifts, though since I failed to note its source, I may have drawn it from a post on her blog. Whichever the case, I hold this to be true:
For now, I see Jesus by FAITH. I trust that He sees me in my joys and sorrows, and I believe that He walks beside me through them all. But one day, I will behold our Lord FACE-TO-FACE, in all His GLORY!
From my collection, here are ten short quotes from assorted characters to help us all hang onto hope:
- “Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground.” (Henry David Thoreau)
- “Stay close to people who feel like sunshine.” (anonymous)
- “Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.” (Annette Funicello)
- “If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” (Winnie the Pooh)
- “Butterflies are like women — we may look pretty and delicate, but baby, we can fly through a hurricane.” (Betty White)
- “Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” (John Wooden)
- “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.” (Nightbirde)
- “The real tragedy in letting life get the best of you is that it gets the best of you. So just don’t let it.” (Laura Mary Phelps)
- “When reality looks too ugly, fantasize.” (Jimmy Buffett)
- “The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” (Vincent Van Gogh)