Phantom of the Opera

Carellyn is listening to the sound track from The Phantom of the Opera in her room. I can hear the phantom calling out to Christine and I wonder...
What phantom is haunting the shadowy places of the opera house that is Christa?
What is waiting for me to step down off of my stage?
Phantom! Step out of the darkness. Phantom step into the light and been seen for what you really are; a wounded being needing to be loved. Step out and be healed.

I recall what I know about God from scripture...
He knows all about me
" you have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about me" Psalm 139:1
There is nowhere I can go that God is not
"Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from your sight" Psalm139:7
there is no darkness in me God cannot get to.
" But you see in the dark because daylight and dark are the same to you" Psalm139:12

so I pray, Lord, "Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking. Don't let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true." Psalm 139:23-24.

In the end, the Phantom of the Opera could not remain in the darkness either. The blazing light of a tremendous fire destroyed every dark place he sought to hide and was the catalyst for Christine, whom he loved so passionately, being set free.

Let it be so with us.

beautiful bones

Bones! I have read that from dust I came and to dust I shall return, but I know the pharaohs of Egypt did not believe that. They had every intention of taking their beautiful bones with them into the afterlife. In life, multiple wives caressed them, religious leaders blessed them and enemies stressed them. In death embalmers dressed them and I... viewed them in a museum, 3000 plus year after the fact. The bones of the pharaohs still held the muscle and sinew and hair together, still held their shape beneath linen wrappings and masks made of solid gold. Lovely
bones.

Bones! What framework that holds my muscle, hair, flesh and...fat together! They hold my shape beneath cotton t-shirt and shorts and leather sandals. I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

When I die my bones will not be dressed in linen wrappings, my head and shoulders not covered in a mask of solid gold. Most likely they will be burned and become like the dust Adam was formed from, but my soul...the part of me that will return to the one who owns it will shine brighter than gold.

Until then I will delight in these lovely bones.