Camels have settled my heart and mind in the tumultuous beginning of 2022. The despair of the new COVID surge, the discourse in our country, the weight of the work needed to be done to right injustice, along with my mom passing away at Christmas seemed an overwhelming start to the new year.
I consider myself a “glass is half full” kind of person, so for me to feel such despair was surprising. How do I get past this? How do I keep this grief for our world and missing my mom from being all-consuming?
As with countless things, it takes the Holy Spirit connecting the points of light and breathing life-giving hope when you can’t see it for yourself. My beacon, interesting enough, was in one of God’s amazing and unique creations, a camel.
I know you were still thinking, camels? It wasn’t a typo. Camels can stink, be messy, and mean but they can also deliver us home in an unforgiving desert. I experienced God in camels three times in the past few days that had me reflecting on my sadness.
As I was preparing to teach our LOL preschoolers at our monthly chapel time, I was thinking of ways to engage them in the story in the Spark Story Bible of the Three Wise Men who followed the star. Connection through all their senses is always key. I decided we were going to ride our camels throughout the sanctuary as we followed the star to find baby Jesus.
A few days later, I received photos from my daughter, who is deployed in Iraq, of her interactions with camels in the desert. I shared those photos with my family. My brother sent a photo back of my dad riding a camel on my parent’s trip to the Holy Land with their church over 30 years ago.
I hadn’t remembered that photo. My dad is waving and smiling while on the camel and my first thought was that he was saying, “Hey don’t forget, mom is with me now. She is safe and at peace. We are on our next adventure.” These camels in my life allowed me to reflect on the goodness that is still surrounding me even in the face of these uncertain times and sadness. Wonderful memories of the trip that my parents experienced together. My daughter may be serving in Iraq, but there is enough peace in the region for her to safely engage in some of the culture and see the amazingly beautiful country. Then there are the preschoolers shouting with innocence and joy at the sighting of the star as they rode their camels. After we had ridden to our seats, one of the first things we do at Chapel is to light a candle and declare together, “Jesus is the light of the world.” Such a soul-lifting gift to share this message together especially during this time.
Life can be messy, mean, and even stinky but we are seen and held by our Savior who will carry us through our despair. I know my emotions will be up and down in the coming weeks and the grief will come in waves but John 16:33 reminds me, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you may have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Who or what might the Holy Spirit be drawing you to as your beacon of hope?
Some of the beautiful qualities about my mom is that she truly appreciated nature, loved to learn, and delighted in the small details of life. I am going to try to carry on that spirit of reflecting on the goodness of all of God’s creations. I also know if she were reading this, I would soon find interesting articles and fun facts about camels in my e-mail or mailbox. There is always something more to learn.
God’s peace always,
Angie Seiller
Director of Faith Formation