Take time

Who Is?

It is a great time of year, but also very busy… potentially too busy. Often though, when it seems there is so much to do and time is too little, it is precisely time to adjust the schedule and come to a halt, even if briefly.

It is truly a great time of year, but also challenging and sometimes very trying. In some places there is so much choice, maybe too much choice, while in others, hardly any.

I recently saw this quote: “The difference between good and bad rulers is that the good love liberty, the bad slavery.” While St. Ambrose, to whom these words are attributed, was referring to an emperor, I could not help but think about them in terms of how they apply to everyday life. As each person grows and matures from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood, typically responsibility increases, as does the power to make decisions. Essentially, we become rulers of our own “domains,” sometimes more than that depending on our roles across different areas of life.

However, at the same time, competing interests spring up, here, there, and everywhere. And, no matter how capable one might be, it is impossible for anyone to do all things well, all the time, or to even try, without becoming enslaved.

We must decide, each and every day, who, or what, rules?

It is most definitely a great time of year, not only to remember, but also to live, in hope, love, joy, peace, and all that is eternal.

LionLamb

On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
a spirit of counsel and of strength,
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
but he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.
On that day, the root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
the Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious. – Isaiah 11:1-10

 

Breaking Away…

Looking out the window, in the midst of being stuck on something for work, I wondered why the flow of cars had come to a stop. It was not even close to commuter traffic time. I stood up and went closer to the window to try to see what was happening outside. As I surveyed the street to the right and then back to the left, all at once the reasons for the holdup came into view.

The two beautiful horses that are normally fenced in across the street were leisurely jogging on the sidewalk, past the stopped cars on the road. I watched in awe as they calmly made their way down the street. Just as they passed my house, they started to turn left toward their home field, but then briefly paused and turned right, crossing the street at a wide opening between some cars, and taking a break in a next door neighbor’s front yard.

They seemed to be enjoying the air outside their usual stomping grounds. They stood there for a few moments, completely unaware of the angst of those trying to carefully restore them to those very grounds. They looked so very majestic and peaceful too.

While the horses breaking free and strolling around the neighborhood caused a bit of a stir, stopping traffic and leading officers to the scene, they were eventually led back to their enclosure. Everyone, horses, owners, officers, witnesses of the “jail” break, and passersby alike, continued on their way safe and sound. I went back to work, no longer stuck.

It is interesting how taking a little time to check things out, especially the unexpected, can bring with it an opportunity for great joy, an encounter or experience that can brighten an ordinary day, and perhaps even lead to insight and discovery of one kind or another. All of us, like the horses running down my street, need to step away or move into a different space at times, and take a breath of fresh air.

Horses1

What Night Reveals…

Heading steadily toward the longest night (or the shortest day) in the Northern Hemisphere, I am struck by the way this time of year brings with it not only a greater period of darkness in the sky, but also greater opportunities to see and experience things that might otherwise seem minuscule or entirely escape our attention.  Every year when the light of day starts to take its leave at times earlier and earlier in the day, and we move closer toward the Winter Solstice, there is a period of adjustment, and perhaps, even a decrease in the amount of time spent venturing out and operating at “day time” speed.

When day light and the business that accompanies it begin to fade away, it can seem like time is running out. In the midst of the challenges that may come with that, the darkness also tends to bring with it the perfect backdrop. It can seem like there is less time to accomplish the things we need to do. However, these days of darkness can actually help to create more time for things of greater importance… for that which is truly beneficial to us, and the world around us.

“If a man wishes to be sure of the road he’s traveling on, then he must close his eyes and travel in the dark.” – St. John of the Cross

Night and darkness, in a sense, slow time down, providing space and calling us into the quiet. Deep within this space, there awaits a gift to be seen or sensed.  Grace waits to show us the way. It is of no coincidence that it seems the stars shine their brightest during the shortest days of the year.  Gently, they remind us, that even in the darkest hours, “The Lord will be your light forever” (Isaiah 60).

Moon

Waiting to Arrive…

Looking out at the thin ice in the quiet stillness of early morning, I think, “How fragile life is.” As I sit and watch, I feel tired… stretched thin. Until this moment, it has been so busy… too busy.

I survey the area. It seems motionless. I think, “The time is now.” Everyone…everything must wait.

While time continues to tick, I linger, allowing more than just a chance to be still and listen. With each minute that passes, I feel a calm and steady strength growing from deep within. How resilient Life is.

ThinIce

My eyes are ever upon the LORD, who frees my feet from the snare. – Psalm 25:15