I was looking forward to the Academy. I was looking forward to meeting back up with the team, my group, and the others. I was looking forward to all the Spanish and the worship. I was looking forward to the faculty and what they had for us. I was looking forward to the silence and the solitude. I was looking forward to seeing the alligators. If that last one didn't make me sound a little crazy, now I'm going to sound like a little kid here, but that's okay. As I claim, I'm a child of God. ☺ I was also looking forward to seeing the Jesus Doll. I could be "spiritual" and say that I was looking forward to seeing Jesus. (And, I was.) But, I seriously was looking forward to seeing how the Jesus Doll would participate in worship with us during the week, according to the themes of the day.
I didn't get pictures everyday this past week of Jesus, but I got a few. One I didn't get was the first day we arrived. The word was "creation". Jesus was in the back of the room, sitting by the shell with the stones and water, holding a vine. That was cool.
The next morning, Jesus was sitting on the floor in front of the altar with his right hand raised up as if to say, "Hi".
Below, Jesus holding an apple on the theme day for "sin".
Here, Jesus is knitting. I love the yarn colors here! (I forgot the word theme for this day.)
Here, Jesus is in exile, far away from the other things.
The last morning, I walked in for worship and looked around. I didn't see Jesus anywhere. I wondered where he had gone. I asked the one in charge of setting up the altars and the worship space and she explained to me that Jesus had gone the night before to keep someone company, someone who needed Jesus more than the worship space. That was pretty cool, I thought.
I sat down and started preparing my heart and mind for worship. Then, I looked up at the theme for the day and the word was "restoration". WOW! Not just "pretty cool", but REALLY COOL!! Because I knew where Jesus was. I knew who he was with. And, there was no better place for Jesus to be on this day of restoration than with this person.
Yet, what did that mean for the worship space?!?! I don't know, we'll see. Jesus has a way of showing up unexpected. I'm not going to lose hope that I will see Jesus once again worship with us and among us.
Meanwhile, it looks like it's going to be up to the rest of us to be the Jesus that he modeled for us. To live daily into whatever the "theme" of the day brings and to worship alongside others, to be the hands and feet that bring hope, love, and restoration to those in need.
I know, I know... maybe it's odd that the Jesus Doll can inspire me so much, but it has! And, I'm not the only one. There are several of us wondering about a group discount. ☺
Anyway, may you find Jesus when you seek him. May you be inspired to live as he did.
Blessings on your journey!
~Debra ☺
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