Intertribal Life Newspaper -

My favorite mystery ended, and the screensaver satellite image of earth began. I felt too awake to go to bed so I sat, fascinated with watching the picture. I focused on the ribbon of atmosphere dividing our living planet from the frigid blackness of space. It looked so thin, so fragile. I felt uneasy. If that line went away, we would all be dead in a microsecond. I guess gravity must hold our atmosphere in place, but what if the One who provided life changed His mind about us?

I woke the next morning with the image still on my mind. I lazed in the warm blankets, listening to the birds in our lilac bush. We have so much on this planet. We even have a lot that we may not really need to survive, like birds and lilac bushes.

I double-toasted my waffles to get just the right crispness and poured a glass of juice. I tried to figure out what I should get out of the freezer for supper and, once again, thought of the thin line protecting us from outer space. God gives us tasty foods and the taste buds to enjoy them.

Life is simpler right now for my husband, Wes, and me because we are self isolating; we really don't want to come in contact with COVID-19. The stay-at-home orders give me more time to think, but they also give me time to read the death tallies and watch the protests and riots.

My heart aches over racism. I have lived in six states and four Canadian provinces, and friends from around the world have blessed us with their acceptance and affection. My goal in coming to Thunder Bay was to love the people here as the many nationalities and colors in Toronto loved us.

My black and brown friends really know how to love! They come from Africa, South and Central America, the Middle East, Asia and the Caribbean. Many of these are passionate in their love for God and for people. We may not have experienced such love in other circumstances, but we worked in churches. God makes all the difference!

I want to start a new series of articles based on the miracles around us. One of those is that wispy line that allows us to live. I wish everyone on our small, blue ball would simply sit down and think about why that line is there. Why do we get to live on such a beautiful planet? Who are we? Why are we here? What makes our planet a tough place right now? How can we make it better? What is the plan of the One who gave us our protective atmosphere?

We breathe it in without a thought-unless we are on a ventilator. Clouds sail above us, gathering rain to water the earth. It is thin enough to allow us to see stars (suns) twinkling in the far distance yet thick enough to lift a jumbo jet filled with hundreds of people and thousands of pounds of cargo and fuel.

Have you ever heard someone say, "I won't believe in God unless I see a miracle"? The problem with the miracles around us is that they are like the water around fish. They entertain us; they sustain us. They are in everything we see, touch, smell and feel. We are walking miracles ourselves.

Sue Carlisle grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. An enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, her passion is to encourage people to look at creation and see our awesome Creator. Sue is author of Walking with the Creator Along the Narrow Road (2013 Indian Life Books). She and her husband, Wes, now live in Thunder Bay, Ontario.