redwoods

I'm in very Northern California tonight. I have driven US-101 north five hours to supply at a two point parish in two small towns south of Eureka. The last two hours were on winding roads through redwoods - and for about 20 miles I drove a scenic road that runs parallel to the 101. Because I had no radio reception (and no cell phone - sorry Kari!) I was listening to my iPod. As I was diving this road with giant Redwood trees towering over me, the Indigo Girls song "The Wood Song" started to play. At first I was amused by the connection of being surrounded by so much wood while singing along. And then I listened to what they - and I - were singing:

No way construction of this tricky plan,
Was built by other than a greater hand.
With a love that passes all out understanding,
Watching closely over the journey.
But what it takes to cross the great divide,
Seems more than all the courage I can muster up inside.
Although we get to have some answers when we reach the other side,
The prize is always worth the rocky ride.

But the wood is tired and the wood is old
And we’ll make it fine if the weather holds.
But if the weather holds we’ll have missed the point,
That’s where I need to go.

Sometimes I ask to sneak a closer look
Skip to the final chapter of the book.
And then maybe steer us clear from some of the pain it took,
To get us where we are this far.
But the question drowns in its futility.
And even I have got to laugh at me
No one gets to miss the storm of what will be,
Just holding on for the ride.

These are verses two and three, and the whole song really captures where I'm at now - the confusion, the struggle, and the hope for something good to come out of all of this.