Forty-five years ago, I drove with my family into Koinonia. Together with Paula, Joy, and Marian my eyes were open to the Face of God. The invitation having been made by loving family campers and a deep desire to know God as a family changed our lives forever. The song “Face of God” by Karen Drucker has the line that summarizes the experiences of the years. When you are in a place that is filled with compassion and the beatitudes are alive,…
“Blessed are the peace makers for they will be called the children of God.”
….You come alive and you see things through God’s eyes. People begin to be the Face of God.
You are the face of God.
II hold you in my heart.
You are a part of me.
You are the face of God.
-Karen Drucker
These lyrics help me to live Family Camp. They take off the layers of hurt and distraction.
You are the face of God …
as I look out the chapel window down into the valley.
You are the face of God….
as I investigate another’s eyes in chapel or at meals in the lodge.
You are the face of God. You are a part of me…
as you appear in the plants of Grandpa’s Garden and the field lilies next to the camp
store.
You are the heart and the face of my family and the healing that takes place.
Songs give me inspiration. There is another song that connects family camp and my day-to-day life. It is “All my life is a Circle” by Harry Chapin. We would use the song at many closings on
Saturday in the old days of camp. We danced together as we circled out of the chapel singing all the while staying connected by joining hands. It still gives me chills remembering the sense of the Spirit of God there in that moment. This is a place of welcome. It was and is a place of presence where all are welcomed into the circle. It is place where we respond to each other in trust and honesty. It is a place where we turn to wonder. What we are feeling and what we
believe both matters. It is a place of deep confidentiality as we share or do not share. The gifts that are given to you as seeds. They are planted here, and they are taken unfinished and ready to grow.
Goodness gets tucked away in the heart. I doubt that any of us are normally aware of having a profound effect take place. Unless the events are startling or unusual, they generally fade into life’s experience without much of a second thought. Yet the slightest of interactions may have a great influence on another. Each of us can open ourselves to the Face of God all around us. Being at camp I have met people who were there at the right time for me and my family. God moves through other human beings who just show up, sit down, and listen to my story. They are the face of God. Recall when someone has been the voice and face of God for you. Then taking those experiences as your inspiration, find some simple ways to be an instrument of good today. Notice how many opportunities arise for you to bring the message of God’s compassion, kindness, thoughtfulness, and solace to others. Walk with a compassionate heart of Koinonia - community.