SMOKE SIGNALS

There are many areas that have advanced over the years.  Communication is one of them.            

The caveman, when face-to-face with a person, could communicate with grunts, facial expressions, and hand gestures. 

But what about when a farmer wanted to know how much rain they got on the other side of the valley?  I wonder who thought, “I will send a smoke signal.”  Not a bad idea unless it was raining or windy.

When the sun was shining, you could get out a piece of a mirror, aim it just right, and, voilà, a message in the sky would appear.  The trouble is, along with your mother, the whole community would see that you burnt supper — again.  Still, not a bad idea unless it was cloudy and no sun.  No sun … no message.

Communication improved with the invention of the telegraph, Pony Express, the postal service, and the telephone.  Today, we have text, email, FaceTime, and ever-expanding ways to communicate.

My favorite form of communication is bubbles.  Bubbles are stupendous.  If I sit on my patio and blow bubbles, my neighbor Linda appears.  Honest!  It is amazing!  I will sit down.  Get comfortable.  Take the wand out of the bubble stuff.  And blow.  The bubbles slowly rise higher and higher.  They will go past Linda’s window.  Or over their house to their front porch.  Then, having seen the bubbles, Linda comes over.  That is when those face-to-face actions take place.  Words.  Hand gestures.  Face movements.  And sometimes, just friendly silence.

This got me thinking.  How does God get my attention? I have never had a voice come out of a burning bush.  Believe me when I say, “No donkey has given me a message.”  No burning bush.  No donkey.  Then how?

God speaks through His Word.  His Word directs, comforts, and teaches.

God speaks when we pray.  There is no loud voice saying, “Thou shalt ……” BUT there is a stirring of our Holy Spirit and, if we sit in friendly silence, our Spirit will direct us toward right and away from wrong.  The Holy Spirit can open our mind to possibilities and can help us take a deep breath to calm our soul.

God speaks through others.  Pastors give sermons which convict us, stir our soul, and humble us before God.  People will pray for us.  Support groups can help us move out of the past and into our future.

Sudden words or a kind act, from a stranger, can open our eyes and we will see God sending us a message through them.  Maybe – maybe you will find God speaking through, oh, a blog.

God does speak to you today.  BUT you have to do the listening part.

Now back to those bubbles.  They are my way of allowing life to slow down.  There is something about watching a bubble grow, fly away, and then just … disappear.  Those bubbles are also an invitation to join me on the patio.  Follow the bubbles and be a part of the conversation.

Now go buy some bubbles.  Blow them and see what happens.  A neighbor might follow them.  A conversation might begin.  A child might chase and break them.  A mother might thank you for calming her child.  You might see the beauty of the colors swirling in the bubble, as it floats toward the sun.  Or you might feel some of life’s stress floating away.  Give it a try and leave a message about your bubble experience.