Monday, February 4, 2008

Cirque du Life

I got to go to Cirque du Soleil with my Mom. We had a great time being amazed at the physical stunts. I got to sit next to a 4-almost 5-year-old boy. His wonder and wide eyes were an extra bonus. His whole body moved as he followed the acts back and forth and around the stage. I want to be that wide eyed and attentive to the phenomenal acts God is performing quietly in the lives around me, and in nature.

There was a performance before the one we attended and as Mom and I arrived we saw the earlier audience streaming out of the Blue and Yellow striped tent. I tried to guage the success of the show by looking at their faces and was a bit nervous because it might as well have been a bunch of people leaving work. Occasionally I saw a few cheery faces showing evidence of having been in the presence of something wonder-ful. It made me think about how when I enter into the magical place of God's presence by reading a book, hearing someone tell of super generousity, taking a walk, singing a song, it's like going into the special circus tent where I'm awed and overwhelmed, surprised and challenged to be more. But when I leave, am I changed?

Another really cool thing about the circus was that there was a place for all kinds of people. There was the short bald guy who played the kid, the teeny tiny girl who was the most flexible person I've ever seen, the big tall strong guys who flipped the medium sized guys in the air and caught the girls on their shoulders, and their were musicians, too. That was just the performers. The behind the scenes set up crew, director, costume designers, porta-potty deliverers, ticket takers ......all made the event really amazing. Every time I glimpse a big cohesive group of people working together like that it makes me want to joing. I remember watching an Air Force film on an Air Force base in Colorado when I was about 14. I couldn't wait to sign up and BE A PART. Just like when I was at the circus, or when I'm at church. I think deep down we all want to be a part of something really special. We see what a beautiful thing it is to be part of a living team and want to belong, want to have our own niche.

Right now, I can't say that Brian and I know what our niche is but we still feel like we are part of a living organism. As we venture further South we are still a part of a group of people who all want to actively love God-not just by doing traditional "churchy" things but by doing "Jesus-y" things like hang out with people we've never met and listen to them, ask for help from other strangers, pray and do the things we hear, give away the things we've been given, and more. I anticipate we'll meet rich hypocrites and rich kind people. We might meet illegal immigrants and homeless people, regular shopkeepers and surfers. But every where we go we are definitely going to need guidance about what the next step will be and how to love the people immediately in our lives....Just like in the circus-all kinds of people all kinds of jobs, one purpose.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Megan, I really enjoyed the parallels you drew from the circus. How could people who saw something that amazing not leave smiling and laughing? Do I do the same thing? Thank you for sharing what you saw.
dmh