God is good.

I am a marveler.  I am constantly in awe of the world around me.  My friends can attest to this-- I frequently stop walking to admire a particularly beautiful daffodil, to acknowledge the silky feeling of the wind on a humid day, and I once spent ten minutes simply watching the water in War Memorial pool ripple and catch the light.  I live in this world where efficiency is critical and time is of the essence, but oh how I am enamored with the world around me.  I revel in the beauty, the complexity, the power of the natural world, and I attribute all its goodness to God.  I can't imagine a world as wonderful as this without thinking of the awesome power of its creator.  Power, that is the key word here.  Power, strength, might, majesty, He embodies it all.  And today, in the aftermath of Boston's tragedy and the remembrance of April 16, his power rings just as true.

I truly believe in the power of prayer.  My God is an awesome God, and he is omnipotent.  Awesome, add that to the list of words that keep reappearing.  He can grant whatever you ask for, so long as you ask for it. How can I doubt the power of the one that created this awe-inspiring world?  Every ant, stone, skyscraper, brilliant idea, and act of kindness stems from Him.  All I can do is sit here and rejoice that my God is so good, and that one day I'll join him in heaven.  It is so easy to doubt, to say that a loving God would never let terrible things happen, that the universe came together of its own accord, that the whole idea of God was created just to make sense of the chaos around us.  For some, this is their truth.  For me, I can't open my eyes without being blinded by God's grace.  I find that his presence is evident in everything around me, the good and the bad.  It is hard to trust that everything is happening for a reason, but I strive to do it.  When I pray for comfort and solace for the families of the 32, I believe that God will grant it.  When I pray for healing for the victims of the Boston Marathon explosions, I believe God will grant it.  When I pray that everyone around me will come to know God's grace and love, I believe that the seed of faith will be planted in their hearts and that, with nurturing, they will also know the joy that I do.

As I sit here on the floor of McBryde, awaiting the start of a class that will probably deal with something as clinical and scientific as wire extrusion or milling, I'm in a daze.  Do you ever wonder what people would leave on your memorial if you were to pass away today?  I'd hope for daffodils if it's spring or zinnias if it's summer, for band-aids, for a mason jar of blueberry jam, for a worn-in pair of running shoes, and a hand-drawn picture of a bicycle.  I'd hope that the life I've lived so far could inspire others to live their lives to the fullest.  I'd hope that I've let God's light shine through me and strengthened the faith of others.  I'd hope that you could find the joy in my passing rather than mourning the space I'd leave behind.

I realize that I'm rambling now, but I just want to impress upon you God's presence in the world around us.  Go outside.  Smile at a stranger.  Pick a flower.  Run, and feel the joy that comes with having your body race along as fast as your mind.  The world we live in is full of beauty, and God is good.