This is me.

I’m trying to capture a moment.

Obviously it didn’t work out too well.

Last night was one of those perfect nights.  When the moon is so big and bright in the sky that it lights up the snow.  Our backyard turned into one of those magical places where everything looked etherial and it was beautiful.   When I attempted to capture the uniqueness of the night I got this picture.   I knew it was a long shot when I grabbed the camera but I had to try.

It’s hard to capture moments like this.  Even if you get a picture, it never quite lives up to the feeling of that moment.  You can’t capture smells, sensations and emotions.  We are forced to rely on memories and tales woven throughout history to help us remember that experience..

The Bible is one such tale.  The experience of God’s people woven together so that we might know what happened to God’s people throughout time. Sometimes when we read this book it becomes easy to expect that the people are super human.  We forget that Abraham was a man who loved his wife and would have mourned bitterly when she passed away. We forget that David was a man who struggled with temptation and lost.  We get angry with the disciples for abandoning Jesus when we don’t know how we would have reacted if we had been there.

These stories are stories of people, real people.  They lived, loved, lost and ultimately stood firm in their faith.  There is evidence of questioning, of discerning and challenge.  They lived with God and they share their stories so that we might know and believe.  It’s important for us to remember that these moments are a gift, captured for us so that we can see God’s work in the world.  In our own lives we too have these moments.  We need to begin to share them, to capture them for our children so they might know that God is still with us, that God still cares.

This Lent I’d like to find some of these stories.  I’d like to collect them and share them if you’re up for it.  Moments of Grace in this world are to be treasured and protected.   It might be nice to talk with each other about the ways in which God works with us today.  To experience a moment of truth in a world that feels angry, dangerous and overwhelming.  Let’s capture a moment.  Let’s offer some hope in a troubled time.

This Lent I’d like to capture a moment.   Would you care to join me?

If you are interested in sharing your story please head to the Lenten Project:To Capture a Moment page where you will find more information.