Royalty

While walking this morning, I was a witness to royalty.  Throughout our neighborhood there are pockets of forest which take up the space between people's yards, sometimes spanning an entire block.  As one sneaker pounded out a rhythm with the other, the pocket lined street took me back to playing as an eight year old behind our neighbors' houses.  This was a time when pockets, similar to these, were magical places where I made friends with the rays of sunshine sneaking through the tree arbor.  Forts made from twisted lower limbs, colorful beds of leaves, and the mystery of being lost coming to life in the shallow depths of our friendly forest took up months of childhood.  Our sibling army battled the made up foes who surrounded us behind every tottered stump, evil looking bush, and tattered fence line.
Today, light trickled through the branches and played tag with itself on the leaf strewn floor.  Once tall trees lay on their sides, the victims of strong winds or simply old age taking its toll.  And then, I caught a glimpse of a shape which almost fit into the quiet autumn landscape but somehow didn't.  In plain sight, his color would have served to hide him; however, behind the stately animal, a fallen tree pulled him into view creating an obvious contrast.  My eyes traveled from thick legs, to wide brown flecked flank, to a chest covered in white.  Then, I pulled in a chilly breath and came to a stop as I realized a ten point buck was watching my movement.  He stood about 50 yards from the edge of the street.  My speed quickly stilled to a halt as I fixed my eyes on his form, staring.  Calmly, he turned and stared back at me.  For what seemed like an hour, I just stood, drinking in the wonder of such a large and beautiful creature. 
A number of cars passed me and slowed when they saw a random girl stopped in her tracks.  But, I don't think a one could make sense of what I was doing.  The moment was mine, all the beauty, the deep pools of black eyes holding my own, the graceful shape of his neck, and the antlers which he wore like a crown, mine.  Finally, I began to walk away.  Reality pulled at me, leaving the majesty of that forest's pocket.  
Now, here I sit in a living room, typing, a witness to royalty.  And a gentle reminder flits through my head, "you, my child, witness royalty everyday."  I do.  In every moment I breathe, every step I traverse, every consuming thought, there is a touch of a royal hand on my former peasant life.  Being able to seek His face through prayer and to name Him as my Lord is witnessing royalty.  My prayer for today is that I would live with this reality before me.  That I would see royalty encased in the beams of sunlight more often than my eyes are taken up with the fears lurking in the forest.  That I would remember who I am because of Christ and Christ alone.  That I would stand as a buck, stately, assured, beautiful because I am a creation of His.

1 Peter 2:9-10

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,

a holy nation, a people for his own possession,

that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you

out of darkness into his marvelous light.