In Case Anyone is Wondering
Just in case anyone is wondering...I thought I would give an update on the status of my "orderly life." :)Our Christmas tree is still up. That about says it all. Last night at the end of cell group I moved three of our Christmas figures to the foot of the stairs. I laughed because they looked like the Three Wise Men--as if they were definitely going somewhere. I can only hope that this weekend they make it to their final destination, a cupboard upstairs, where they will be neatly stowed away for a few months.
Usually our Christmas things vanish before we return to work after New Years Day, but this year, with holding on tight to celebrating Sabbath, and getting sufficient sleep and having a daily Sacred Hour, Christmas seems to have come to stay.
I have held on tight to my Sacred Hour. It has really helped to build a new morning ritual around it. In spite of my best efforts I have not done so well in the past few days at getting enough sleep though, and on Sunday, because of a deadline I had to meet at work, I made the decision to work at home and get the big task done. There was no way I could have got the work done at the office, with a full schedule this week.
I took comfort though, in what I read in Mark 6: 31-55 on Saturday.
Jesus said to the disciples, "Come and rest awhile," but it never seems to have happened. Instead, as they sought to escape the crowds by boat, and rest, leaving the exhaustion of ministry behind, the crowds actually ran ahead of them along the shore, and met them at their "Quiet Place." Instead of resting, they ended up feeding five thousand people. Yikes! How's that for unfulfilled hopes?
Then when they left again by boat, there was that storm in the middle of the night, out in the middle of the lake, without Jesus who had stayed behind to have quiet time.
When Jesus left by boat with his disciples in the beginning, he had an intent, but he went with the flow of God's agenda. He was flexible and at rest in the moment--even though the planned moment of rest for the group did not come.
Our plans may be frustrated, but we needn't be, not if we are yielding to his better plan.
Our tree will be put away eventually, but for now we rather enjoy its happy twinkle and my heart is at rest, which is what is important.
Comments
Good for you, Belinda, "holding on tight to celebrating Sabbath, and getting sufficient sleep and having a daily Sacred Hour". That's WAY more important than whether or not the Christmas tree is still up. (Besides, as you know, I kind of like it that way!)
Why not stop worrying and just wait for Action Man?
I would! :)
I enjoyed your post. Great message.
I'm curious. Does the reference in Mark mean that's where you are in your Marathon of Biblical proportions?
I'm laughing because I'm in the same book. Eeks! Catching up is slow.
Love to you.
And Susan--the reason I am pressured by the thought that Action Man might take the initiative with the tree is that the last time he did that he put all of the baubles into a plastic shopping bag. It was fun unpacking the pieces the next year. :)
Marion, I laughed that your tree fell down. Yes, that would most definitely get me going.
The Three Wise Men just made it up to the room where their closet is. Aah, progress.