You all know it: I like icons. You see them often enough on this blog. I do. You might think we are Eastern or Greek Orthodox. Or heck, Ethiopian Orthodox maybe? But no. We are Roman Catholic. But still, we really like icons in our house. Because icons are ‘windows into heaven.” They help us see the unseen. The help us visualize and pray but aren’t realistic and lifelike to have us really attach to the image like a photo. And I think that is cool. They help us leap the divide of earth and heaven, material and spiritual.

I’ve been thinking about this icon today. For one thing it has the Archangel Gabriel in it, one of my favorites and the namesake of our dear boy. He is the messenger. God’s messenger. And in this icon he brings tidings of the greatest joy. A son. The Son. And Mary learns she will be a mom. And she says, “Fiat.” “Yes, I will.” And the heavens rejoice.

And today Gladney families got news of the iceberg breaking up and movement to come. And maybe even some families experienced tidings of great joy. And the moms will say, “yes, I will.”

I know for me, just knowing about the beginning, the not so distant anymore, coming of good tindings brought me great joy today for all of these families, waiting and waiting. And I think of the rejoicing to come. And the message sent: God is faithful. He sends his son, and a mom will say yes. And there, in that message, is typified the joy, real joy. A living breathing icon in our homes, a window into heaven played out by our own selves.

How cool is that? I love icons.