The Fraud and “Kumbaya”

I’ve been searching for words since early last week.

Searching for what I really want us to talk about, when all I can hear is the clang of name-calling and petty arguments. All I can see are pictures of guns and children running from their school, hands in the air. All I can read are endless debates about safety and world powers – who is acting, who is not. About hacking and lies. The emerging, shameful history of our brothers and sisters of color. Bullying in every arena, at every age.

Searching for words.

Because what I really want to do is talk about how we can be more and do more. All of us, all for us. I want to show up when you find yourself in dark places and bring light to your world, no matter where you find yourself.

I want to listen with both ears and help you figure out “why?” And when the answers don’t come, hold you real close to my heart and sit real close together while you weather the storm.

And even though I want to scream and yell, stamp my feet, and say all the words I told my dad I’d never use… what I really long for is peace in the middle of the chaos. Hope in the middle of frustration and grief. I want it for me and you and everyone we know … and everyone in our radiating 6 degree circles.

Good golly, Miss Molly.

I want us to stand strong and tall in a circle and hold hands. I may even go a little  Kumbaya on y’all. Don’t judge me.

And then I read this prayer from Kaitlin B. Curtice’s Glory Happening: finding the divine in everyday places…

O God,
Call us into the good work.
And when we are unable,
push us into the sunlight,
and let us see your face.
Hydrate our souls
with the kind power of your Mystery.
There, we will understand.
There, we will not be afraid.
Because there,
the darkness is only a fraud. Amen

Say that again? Darkness is only a fraud. It’s not even it’s own thing. Or a thing at all. It’s just the absence of light. It is nothing.

Oh, my lovelies, I’m just sayin’ both “Glory!” and “Hallelujah!”

Kumbaya. Yes, come by here, Jesus. Come by us and help us listen, help us heal, help us love.

Help us shine bright and spread kindness and hope all over the place until, well, I don’t know until when.

Help us shine it bright into that powerful dark corner, the one that seems to get bigger and darker with every news report and Tweet. The darkness looming closer every – single – time we think we’ve made a tiny bit of headway with a new friend or a rebuilt friendship. Every time even the slightest bit of good work emerges, the darkness elbows in, sucking out the light and life.

I’ve made a little promise to myself to include more prayer over my days and less “checking the latest post” or turning on “must-see” TV. I’m not good at it. I’ve got some silly habits that have a habit of hanging around.

That fraud darkness is hanging around, too. It is always there, even in its nothingness. It’s pure evil and it’s dead serious. Despite all our new-found Fraud Awareness to the contrary, darkness feels real. And it feels strong.

But we are stronger because we know this: as we are called into the good work of light, we will see His face.

“We will not be afraid because … the darkness is only a fraud.” Amen

The search is over, for now. I’ve found the words I’ve been looking for… Kumbaya – Come by us, Jesus. Come.

In the sunlight, “we will not be afraid. Because there, the darkness is only a fraud.” Kaitlin Curtice – Click to Tweet