Jesus shows up in a variety of places, and in all sorts of people. I met Jesus at the Lake Ronkonkoma County Park today. Jesus was a two year old little girl in pig tails. Her name was Rayna.
It was late afternoon of a busy Pastoral day. I had helped plan a funeral for one family, and counseled a woman of a different family whose sister had died. Then I found out the father of a family friend had died.
The Lake was close to the church office, so I went there to recharge at and say Evening Prayer while sitting on the bench facing the water. Heart still heavy, I walked along the beach and came across Rayna; she was at lakeside with her parents and grandmother.
When I met her, she was looking intently at the flowers growing near the large rocks in a line down to the Lake.
I said “Hello” to the family, they returned the greeting. Rayna’s eyes lit up as she pulled one of the flowers off the plant. She held the flower out to me, then with a grin yelled “Mama!” as she held the flower tight, and turned and ran laughing to give it to her smiling mom.
Rayna then ran back to me, held out her hand for me to hold, and then pointed down the beach with her other and began walking me back toward the playground. Her parents and grandmother happily followed us, gently smiling at her eagerness to share discoveries.
Rayna had lots to show us as we walked along the beach, hand-in-hand, our footprints making a wiggly path in the sand.
She was our enthusiastic yet patient tour guide, pointing out the geese, gulls, ducks (her favorite), rocks, feathers, sand. She was fascinated with the “caca” left by the birds (“No! Don’t touch that!” her mom repeated).
Rayna’s joy at her new discoveries was catching, and my spirit was greatly lifted in the short time shared on the beach. Her small hand in mine had led me to a place of peace.
As Rayna and her family headed toward their car, I thanked God for their gift of presence and simple joy in seeing creation through the eyes of a two year old!
Seeing God in the Ordinary 