When all is said and done

Well, the work of the past few days has now come to an end, or at least this chapter in the unfolding saga has come to an end. Thanks to the help of many hands and willing participants, some really good progress was made and soon the fruits of labour will finally come to light.

In the meanwhile, there are signs of goodness all around. From the presence of friends old and new who continued to share and weave the stories of our lives and faith during this past week, to the rare opportunities to spend time with family members who I don't often get to see, this has been a week of many blessings, and through the eyes of faith, I now give thanks for the many opportunities to see the face of Him whose work we are about, and the opportunities to touch the divine and holy places that exist when the sacred meets the ordinary.

These encounters can take place in the most unexpected of places: in the relative plain-ness of a hotel meeting room, sitting around a coffee table, sharing taxi rides and other modes of transportation, gathering around a kitchen table, rushing through the early-morning bussle of the airport, chatting over a simple lunch prepared with much love for those we love.

Each day there are opportunities to see and celebrate goodness ... love ... God. Sometimes they show up like passing moments to peer through a window at the wonder of what lies beyond. Often, they are opportunities that pass us by too-often unnoticed. When all is said and done, for what shall we give thanks?