Micah 6:8 (NIV)
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

A lot has happened in the last 30 days. A daughter is married, officially cutting the cord, moves back to the left coast, married to an amazing young man, doing it right in a way I haven’t. Second ankle replaced this year and after a slow start, it feels better than the first one which feels amazing. Now on a train to see my son and figure out next steps. I’m just grateful he’s alive.

Just grateful he’s alive.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (NLT)
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

Each day we see the awesome power of God and evil at war with each other. The beauty of a life blessed, the millions of dollars and hours spent alieviating sickness, hunger, and homelessness, the sun rising,/glowing/setting, the trees turning, a fire in the fireplace offsetting the falling snow, technology that transforms, at war with technology that transforms, carbon footprint, no sanctity of human life, fentanyl, fentanyl, homelessness, hunger, wealth gulf. The contrast list is endless.

I’m glad he’s alive and I get to see him, hug him. My son.

I think I have seen a tiny fraction of a glimpse of how God must feel when we come home to Him.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)
13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you

a way out so that you can endure.

Galatians 5:16-17 (NLT)
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.