As I flew into Baton Rouge on Saturday, the Mississippi looked muddy and not very impressive from the air. On Sunday, we drove to downtown Baton Rouge and walked along the river. From this angle, the river sparkled with sunlight.

 

On Monday, we left the Zachary United Methodist Church early before the preschool children arrived and set off for our next stop, Opelousas, Louisiana. In our first twenty miles, we crossed the Mississippi River, then rode along an arc formed by the river.

 

It takes about three months for a single drop of water to make the trip from the Mississippi’s origin at Lake Itasca, Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. The river represents a journey, which can be peaceful at times or turbulent as rocks and other obstacles arise.

 

But, even as the tiny drop of water eventually makes its way to the ocean, we too can take solace in the ever-moving steam of life, the river of life, and God’s life-giving presence in our lives.