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Dear Friends,

While driving through my neighborhood on Monday, my attention diverted momentarily when I glanced over at an 8-point deer standing near the road. Here, I have grown accustomed to such sightings. Just this morning, six deer strolled into my yard, totally undeterred by my presence and the sight of my dogs on leashes. We have learned to coexist.

Monday’s deer was unique, though. And I couldn’t help but laugh when I spotted a large clump of Spanish Moss dangling from his antlers. I began to wonder how that happened. As I see it, he most likely leaned down to munch on some blades of grass and picked up the moss by accident. It’s also possible, if unlikely, that a clump fell from a tree at just the right moment, hooking itself into place.

It’s a lot more fun to imagine that he put it there himself. That he woke up and did it as a joke, standing in the woods with his buddies in the middle of hunting season, pretending to be a tree. Or maybe, that he wanted to catch the eye of a certain doe by showing off his flare for the dramatic. Unique can be a good thing if you remain committed to the look and know how to own it.

Yet, in the midst of my laughter and daydreaming, I also thought about this series. After arriving at SCC a number of months ago, I resolved to refer to these weekly Evotionals as “Beneath the Spanish Moss” in a nod to our shared existence in this place. The title is a reminder that God has created everything – all that we can see to the ends of the earth, and even beyond. Together, we affirm that what we have – what God has given us – is very, very special, and that Beneath the Spanish Moss is where life finds its meaning.

Peace and best wishes,

Jon