Sunday, November 6, 2016

Cold


I am walking in Siberia, a long way from home. It is cold, icy, beautiful in springtime, they say. An open field stands between the precipice I am on and all the others. It is full of flowers. They break through the ice and the springtime as if they were the same thing. There is no warmth and no cold to these flowers. They bloom regardless. Sometimes they are angry, or hurt, wounded, but still they bloom. They are like fire on stalks, swaying in the breeze, igniting everything around them. 

I am walking and Siberia is changing. It is getting warmer.

I pray as I walk because Siberia's hope comes from God. As I walk, I run into another's prayer. It meets me here, this prayer, said a hundred years ago or more by someone chained like me. Someone devastated. And our prayers meet here. Here, where prisoners were once sent, but now people come with purpose. They save and strive and work to come here to live free, where the ice has melted and fire blooms on the earth.

I listen to the prayer. Before I hear it I know. I know this is a prayer for someone's enemy. A forgiveness prayer. Lord, bless them and keep them. Make your face to shine upon them and give them peace. I take it as mine, because I am cold, and I want to be warm.



20 comments:

  1. Wow, this was so powerful! What a beautiful prayer and message. Thank you for these thoughts today. I guess I am trying to figure out, however, are you truly in Siberia, or just in this place in the spirit? Either way, thank you for this. Praying with you.

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    1. Thank you, Pamela! No, I am not actually in Siberia, though I would love to visit there some day. They say it's beautiful.

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  2. Sandi: I have had times when I felt I was in a desolate distant land when my prayers seemed to go unanswered. This is good writing. Thank you for sharing this.

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  3. I guess we all have our Siberias, Sandi. I know I have had my share of them. They do pass, thanks be to God. Take care. Susan

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  4. Very interesting, Sandi... your words are going to linger a long time with me..

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  5. Forgiveness is freeing for both sides of offense and blossoms in the coldness of a Siberia state.

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  6. it meets me here, this prayer said 100 years ago. I love this. by the way the year was 1977 on my blog post.

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    1. 1977???! What. I'll just scream, "WHAT" a lot here because I am a little stunned.

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  7. Hi Sandi! I think you are saying that prayer and hope can melt us, moving us from the cold to the warmth of God's presence. So many of us are in Siberia at all different times, I hope I remember to keep walking and praying. The thaw will come...
    Ceil

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  8. Hello, lovely words and prayer. Thanks for sharing. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!

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  9. So beautiful writing.. I don't know why.. I got tears in my eyes..

    Love..

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  10. Hi Sandi, Once again you have written a post that requires some serious reflection on my part. I love this. You have a blog here that defies those who wish to stop by here quickly, say 'thank you for sharing', and move on. Nope, Dandelion Tea is a place to stop and think for a while. And that is pretty uncommon in the blogosphere. Thank you for your time, your writing, and your thoughts. God bless you, Sandi!

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  11. Thank you so uch. I am glad with this blog. The same feelings.

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  12. Wow. These are profound thoughts, Sandi. Especially the ones about Siberia being a place where people used to be sent as prisoners, but now they come there to be free. You have a gift for weaving words, my friend!

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  13. I am not a believer, but loved this post.
    And wish that forgiveness prayers were more common. Much more common.

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  14. What a beautiful post. I am very much a believer. God has brought Hope to the earth, just as he said he would. Jesus lives, Light dispels the darkness. Thank you for this post.

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