trains

We live approximately twenty yards away from the train tracks.  And approximately twenty yards away from the "other" side of the train tracks.  I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with your home if it is on wheels.  I am saying that we Americans get ideas in our heads about what exactly the "dream" is, and proceed to turn up noses at different versions of it.  Myself included.  Lord forgive me.

Back to the tracks, though.  I love those train tracks.  It's not necessarily because they remind me of a friend of ours from college who was sweet and quiet and utterly fascinated with ALL THINGS TRAINS.  And it is definitely not that it brings back memories of the horrendous nickname that my older brother gave me when I got braces during my already traumatic middle school years. 

I love the consistency.  No matter what is going on in our lives.  Hectic schedules.  Teething babes that don't seem to stop growing.  That darn dog, who can steal my affections and make me want to strangle him all in the same breath.  Church folk coming in and out of here, and making sure that I have enough coffee creamer to go around.  The sound of the train whistle coming through always gives me pause.

It is as if God Himself takes these opportunities to remind me that He is good and faithful and loving and whatever I need at that moment.  He is a God of hessed  or "loving kindness" for His people.  I'm no linguistic scholar, so don't think I'm getting all fancy throwing out Hebrew words.  But I do remember once hearing a teacher talk about that word.  You see loving kindness is the closest English translation.  But it is stronger than that.  It refers to the way that God feels for Israel.  His people.

I mostly love the sound of the train at night.  When all is quiet and I am left alone with my thoughts about what I did or did not get done that day and lying to myself about what defines me and my worth, the Lord stops me in my tracks.  He reminds me that I don't earn favor with Him.  It is a free gift of grace.  And at the sound of that whistle, I roll over and sleep.