Chaos All Around

I was told last week that I need to be writing in my blog more often.  Seems to be that in hard times I hide away like a tortoise in his shell, but it's in the happy times that I sing out like a bird.  Right now, these, are hard times, and the silence of my blog is testament to that fact.

I've been thinking a lot today about the "problem of evil" and of grace and of mercy... of God's plan and provision... of His sovereignty and love...  Far too many thoughts to write here, and they would be anything but coherent, I'm sure...  but, have you ever heard Sara Groves' song "Why it Matters"?

Sit with me and tell me once again
Of the story that's been told us
Of the power that will hold us
Of the beauty, of the beauty
Why it matters

Speak to me until I understand
Why our thinking and creating
Why our efforts of narrating
About the beauty, of the beauty
And why it matters

Like the statue in the park
Of this war torn town
And it's protest of the darkness
And the chaos all around
With its beauty, how it matters
How it matters

Show me the love that never fails
The compassion and attention
Midst confusion and dissention
Like small ramparts for the soul

How it matters

Like a single cup of water
How it matters

(listen to it here)

I was thinking of it tonight.  How lovely it is, and how true.  I am learning more about the beauty in the darkness, grace in the midst of chaos.

In the midst of pondering these hard things, a thought popped into my mind.  Perhaps not so much a thought as a picture... a picture of chaos--of chaos, but of joy and grace as well.

Do you see it?  My eldest there in the forefront acting as if there's nothing going on inches behind him, as he tries hard to show off his toy and snazzy looks to the camera?  And then there's the two younger in the background, vying for space, wrestling, fighting with no concern being in the picture at all.  Do you see it?  The chaos?  And the beauty?  The hilarity of it all?

Okay, so my troubles (and yours) are not so light and funny as my children's antics in front of the camera.  But, truly--do you see it?  The connection of darkness to light?  That there is no mercy without despair?  No grace without challenge?