Streams of Mercy

In “Travels with Charley”, John Steinbeck wrote:

“Americans are much more American than they are Northerners, Southerners, Westerners, or Easterners … California Chinese, Boston Irish, Wisconsin German, yes, and Alabama Negroes, have more in common than they have apart. The American identity is an exact and provable thing.”

In the final book in The Walk Series, “Walking on Water,” author Richard Paul Evans has his main character respond to the Steinbeck statement:

“I don’t know if this is still the case in America. I may be wrong, but it seems that there may be some unraveling of the American Tapestry. I see people getting so caught up in celebrating diversity that they are neglecting their commonality. l don’t see this as a good thing … I hope I’m wrong about this, and that the flame is still on beneath the great American melting pot. Americans need each other, and a house divided, no matter the color of its occupants, is still divided. And divided we all fall.”

Interesting thoughts to ponder as the Fourth of July comes around again.

That same character has an encounter with a zealous Christian seeking to “get him saved” by coming into the fellowship of his particular church, stating that only those who do so will be saved. Evans’ character replies:

“And you think it’s just that billions of people who were raised differently than you or in other places of the world are not saved Your god doesn’t scare me. I’ll stick with God who is great enough to love all his creation.”

Interesting thoughts to ponder any day.

In the midst of all this “pondering” I heard a recording the Children’s Choir at the Worship and Music Conference at Montreat singing these meaningful words:

May a rainbow run beside you,

in a sky that’s always blue,

And may happiness fill your heart each day,

and bless you your whole life through.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May a rainbow run beside you,

the best to you and yours.

A rainbow is always a sign of hope, a welcome gift in the midst of so much “pondering!”

Elizabeth