(a 3 minute read) Justin was reading a book on his favorite chair. Justin loved his chair as it was one of those over-sized types. It was comfortable, cozy and relaxing.  He could literally sit sideways if he wanted to. Justin was into a suspenseful part of his book when his granddaughter pulled the book and ran to the other end of the room. “Hey Ashley, that’s not nice. Why did you do that for?” Justin did not realize that Ashley has called “grandpa” like 3 times, but he was so into his book that he did not hear her calling.

Justin felt the frustration in Ashley’s voice. He pulled himself over to one side of his chair and motioned Ashley to join him. Ashley had pep in her step as she approached grandpa. Many a time these two would sit together and ponder questions that puzzled Ashley. She loved the times that she spent with her grandpa.

“I know you are here grandpa, but it is frustrating when I talk to you and it is like you’ve teleported somewhere and left your body here”, Ashley said as she chuckled. Justin laughed, then put one arm around Ashley and started to tell her a story about one of his journeys.

Remember when we visited the natural history museum when you were younger, and we stood in front of the Dinosaur skeleton and were just totally amazed by its size? Then we started to play this game that the dinosaur is alive and breathing. We’d run around and put our hands over our ears as its growling was deafening. Then hide behind some statues so the Dinosaur cannot find us.  Then we became a little daring. We’d go to the very tip of its tail and touch it and hide, then watch the Dinosaur’s head, which seemed to be two miles away, turn looking for what touched its tail. Ashley pitched in with a giggle, “and we did that over and over again, I remember”.

Imagine the air that we breathe as being one single entity, which actually it is. Imagine for example the head of ‘air’ in China and its tail in America. So the ‘air’ is present here and there at the same time. The ‘air’ knows what’s happening at its tail as it knows what is happening at its foot as it knows what is happening at its nose. You and I can play this game right now, right? And they both laughed out loud.

Well my dear Ashley, I was in desperate need to sense the presence of our Lord and Creator. I knew in my mind and in my heart that our Creator is always amongst us, always with every person, and that included me. But it is kind of hard to visualize, imagine and envision even the possibility of that. To be everywhere with everyone all at the same time is mind boggling. So now I use the ‘air’ that we breathe, as a tool to remind me with our Lord’s constant presence.

A simple intentional breath is now all I need to continually sense the Lord and Creator’s presence. May you my dear Ashley remember this story as a constant reminder that fills you with PEACE and JOY always and forever.