Day 255 Living in the Moment with the Birdies and the Breeze

Dear friends

Today it felt like I was walking through wet cement all day long. I kind of experienced the feeling I had back in November when I was so dog tired I worried about driving. I don’t know why, but for the past few days exhaustion has been my continual companion. I haven’t changed anything, so I’m not sure what the problem is. But it’s made me think about the people with chronic illnesses, struggling to put one foot in front of the other all the time. I hope to be more aware of those folks when they cross my path, and to offer whatever little help I can to make their loads a bit lighter. Sometimes it takes a little baggage of your own to remind you of what others are schlepping.

Nothing was going to stop me from cleaning my picture window today, inside and out! I was up on the ladder, squeaking away with the Windex and paper towels. The warm wind was blowing and I just decided to live in the moment, looking through my nice clear glass and feeling the sheer delight of the breeze and the sun. I stopped thinking about the living room floor needing a vacuum, and the phone calls to be made; the thank you notes to be written and papers to be filled out. I had a second or two of timelessness, a brief taste of eternity. How often I don’t stop and take in what’s happening now! I’m often two beats ahead of myself, trying to keep everything under control, trying to be a step ahead of the next problem. The only thing is I know that’s impossible. This blog is a witness to the stubborn fact that control is an illusion. Your life could radically change in 2 seconds. That’s why Jesus said without skipping a beat:

“Give no thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow will give thought to the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil therein.” Mt.6:34

Mr. Hercules continues to strive for maximum range of motion. Now there’s a man who knows how to focus. He can live in the moment better than anyone I know, except for my son David and some of the other little people in my life. Stephen, not surprisingly, is great at math and puzzles and reading the fine print on insurance papers. I stink at all three of those things. Sometimes I get irritated with him for not fretting about something I think should be fretted about. Have you ever heard of anything so stupid? I’m learning and growing, and thankfully both my husband and the Great One have shown tremendous patience with my bustling, scattered ways. Oh, in my heart of hearts I’m a contemplative all the way. But the shadow is always rushing, always planning… So it was lovely to watch the birdies out my clean picture window today, and to listen to them tweet. Nature is a constant reminder of the gracious care of God. Even in the rough and tumble of a fractured, mixed up world.

I think of you all every day. My great hope is that sometimes, you might find something here to remind you of the bigness of God that will help on a day you feel like your feet are slogging through cement. You sure have done that for me.

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann

PS Remember to put Saturday, October 23 on your calendar! It’s the Smith Family Thanks You dessert night. Time to stop and taste the sweetness of life…