Reminded of Love

Yesterday seemed to teem with bad news and bad luck--poor economic news close to home and across the land, and a flat tire in the middle of nowhere that was followed minutes later by a dead battery. After rescuing my wife on the lonely country highway and giving her my car, I proceeded to drive the minivan back toward Franklin with the cruise control set at a James-Dean-Would-Be-Jealous 50 mph.

I kept the radio off, trying to clear my head and embrace the silence. There was no lyric, no tidbit of news, no talk radio data-smog I needed at the moment. My brain was filled enough, and needing to let some things go rather than absorb even more.

It was a perfectly sunny day. The view of the hills and trees around me could not have been more gorgeous as I proceeded along, in a sense grateful for the frustrating interruption to my corporate day.

It all gave more room for the deepening stirring that is the hunger for more of the presence of the holy in my life. I texted a new friend from church, Marc, with the simple message: "Argh....pray for me plees." Marc immediately texted back with his positive energy, assuring me that whatever the circumstance happened to be he was praying....and he finished his communique with the most encouraging text message I have ever received:

"Jesus Christ loves John De Marco."

Wow. If I ever doubted that God uses a BlackBerry, such lack of faith was disabused in that moment. The economy feels in shambles and the price of gas sucks and corporate life these days is moving at a stressful pace with many challenges...I don't have the time I need to reflect or write, or at least I think I don't...and in the midst of it all, I remember that I am deeply loved.

I kept the radio off, content with the music of the spheres, tapping into mystery made flesh.