A message of hope and comfort
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Angela Kaquitts, one of our photographically talented coffee companions from Mînî Thnî (Morley), is at it again, but this time with an unexpected twist. Early last week she was feeling downhearted over the negativity she’d been observing in her community, so decided to drive around the west end of Mînî Thnî to lift her spirits. That’s when she saw Mount Îyâ Mnathka in heavenly adornment and grabbed her camera. “I’m always in awe of this beautiful gift from God. He loves us so much that He continues to give us such beauty. But we are ugly towards each other,” she said. “I took this picture this past Monday. It was an amazing day, just driving around, thinking how life is too short to be wasting our time being bitter.” I asked Angela for permission to feature her photo and thoughts in this week’s column, which she granted. That’s when the unexpected happened. Her mother, Stoney Nakoda Elder Rhonda Kaquitts, was ill and in the hospital, not doing too well. “Can you say a prayer for mum and us?” Angela messaged me this past weekend. I responded with reference to the hope and comfort Angela often found in similar near-sunset mountain scenes. I alluded to something I’d written her two years ago about another photo of hers. “It brings to mind that beautiful hymn, ‘Day is dying in the west, / Heaven is touching earth with rest,’” I said. “It includes a verse I’m repeating as my prayer for your mum: ‘Lord of life, beneath the dome / Of the universe, Thy home, / Gather us who seek Thy face / To the fold of Thy embrace, / For Thou art nigh.’” And the very next morning, July 3, Angela wrote: “Mum made her journey around 8:11 a.m.” God had embraced her mother in His heavenly arms. She was 69. Yes, what began as an encounter with the beauty of God’s creation to counter the ugliness of our human attitudes and behaviour, became instead, by the clouds embracing her favourite mountain as sunset approached, an opportunity for God to speak to Angela about the home-going of her beloved mother, her lifelong inspiration for opening her eyes and heart to the beauty in the creation. Thank you, Angela, for sharing your photo of God’s sunset message of hope and comfort.
© 2023 Warren Harbeck |