The Hidden Beauty

Today the sky was very beautiful and inviting. I looked out my bedroom window and saw the blue sky with the white puffy clouds.  I went outside and almost could kiss the sky. Yet, its horizon was far off. It was that desire to be able to do that though.

About a month ago, I attended a leadership summit hosted by Willow Creek Community Church.  Its goal is to provide leadership solutions and dialogue to a world that is struggling with economic poverty, justice concerns, education and social change.  Tough issues to solve in one simple solution.
One saying that I heard this morning is that there is no silver bullet to any situation.
Yet to challenge the status quo is extremely important.

That is what Nicholas D. Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn have done.  They chronicled the lives of women in the world that have suffered from traficking, rape and abuse. Words that I normally don't use. Words that are not in my vocabulary.  But words that are in many of the lives of women in this world.
Their story and mission are on PBS on a two day documentary on channel 13 and also at www.pbs.org/halfthesky

This brings me to the thought and teaching of Jesus as he approached the children.  He said in Matthew 19:14, "let these little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  I can only think back to the documentaries of that underworld of suffering that I see and hear about at mission updates or see on a Unicef commercial.  Not usually a lengthy dialogue of the suffering.

I only wish the world could open its arms the way Jesus did and welcomed the children to himself.  For they deserve that kingdom of God.  And the beauty is that Jesus left His original kingdom and dwelt among us.  And that Word was with God in the beginning too.

So I am at a loss of words of how I can physically change their world. A spreading of awareness, a special prayer maybe.  Or the shedding of a few tears as well.
And maybe just a smile to a girl or woman struggling at school, at home, or in the marketplace.
A place where we can be a world that has all the opportunities to live successful lives.

So when you look outside at the sky, remember to kiss it on your journey. And also remember the other half of the sky, that half-the women- who are fighting for a chance to succeed in this world.

Thank you!
Blessings.