“Because of our God’s deep compassion,
    the dawn from heaven will break upon us,
    to give light to those who are sitting in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
        to guide us on the path of peace.”

Luke 1:78-79

I have to share these two sets of photographs. First from Monday morning, then Sunday afternoon with friends.

When I saw the spectacular way the early morning light was painting the sky I immediately thought of Zechariah’s song in Luke 1. This passage is often ignored if it’s not Advent, and even then we tend to skip to the Mary parts and all the angels. But what an image! What a statement of the character of God. “Because of God’s deep compassion the dawn from heaven will break upon us!”

Jesus breaking into time and space! And the good news is that – through all those good people who follow him and who carry the light – God’s plan is to be breaking in all the time.

Monday morning’s sunrise told that story beautifully.

Lake Valley:

The Lord is my shepherd.
    I lack nothing.
 He lets me rest in grassy meadows;
    he leads me to restful waters;
        he refreshes my soul

Psalm 23:1-3

Then, Sunday after the memorable baptism (see images here), Rebekah and I drove out to Lake Valley to enjoy a relaxed lunch and the gracious hospitality of our friends Chauncey and Tammie Leggett.

Not only do they live in such a serene setting, but their home is the delightfully converted clubhouse that anchored the old golf course.

Chauncey still keeps most of the flags in, and it is evocative to stand by their front door and look through a narrow opening in the trees to see the distant green, with a flagstick, 400 yards away.

They drove us – along with Max – around in their golf cart. The tour made me consider the fact that perspective is everything. Lake Valley is a lovely 40 acre or so tract of beautiful Edgecombe County land; also, it is a home; then – if you are carrying clubs – it is a golf course. But Rebekah and I got the best perspective/viewpoint, because we have now seen it through the eyes of our friends, and their family history, and Lake Valley is now so much more – it has become a story.

Story is how places carry meaning. And meaning is how places move from being an address on a map to somewhere truly important.

This is how Tarboro is growing on us. It was always a cool town. Today it is a place where people we love live their stories, and share their histories, and forge a life together. And, now, Rebekah and I are becoming a part of its story too, and that is a beautiful thing.

This part of our story is a lot like Psalm 23:3. “He refreshes my soul.”

Peace, and more peace, always – DEREK