The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind. From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth--he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds…
…Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield. Our heart is glad in him because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
–Psalm 33:12-15, 20-22
Dear Family of APUMC,
First, Happy Birthday to my beloved wife, Kristi. God bless her!
Second, and in light of the occasion, I am thinking about the passage of time today.
Customarily, I might use this space in the newsletter to remind you of all the things that are coming up in the life of the church, and then encourage you not to miss out on your chance to get involved. We do this for the sake of communication, of course, but also with the understanding that your schedule is likely inundated with more than you know what to do with already.
This is a busy week, too. Families are getting ready for a new school year. Kristi and I will be heading to Orlando in the middle of next week to move our guys into their college apartments. I just left a meeting with all of our Ashland Place Preschool teachers who are gearing up another great year. We’re also looking forward to blessing some backpacks this Sunday.
School is about to be back in session. But there are other events, too, that we never intended to fit on the schedule. Another consultation with your physician, perhaps, after an unexpected infirmity. Or maybe another stressful call to the attorney in preparation for a looming court date. Add to that a meeting with your therapist, your personal trainer, and your accountant. Plus the kid’s practices, lessons, games, and recitals. And when was the last time you broke bread with a few friends? Or had a date night with that person you swore to “have and to hold from this day forward?”
Whew. Ugh. ________. (fill in your own word for it)
All this coming and going can be exhausting…especially if you can’t even remember your “why.” It is easy to confuse ‘busy-ness” with holiness. Even as I say this, I can feel the tendency to “keep on pushing through until…” Until what, exactly? Can we at least name the present hurdle? Or the aim of our journey (in all of its struggles)?
Undoubtedly, I’ll be happy for you to take a look at the rest of this newsletter. But not because I want to overwhelm your schedule. None of us is expected to do it all. My prayer is that together we can find ways to transform our experience of time. That is, to redeem the gift that God has given us for the sake of a more abundant life that is full of joy.
With this purpose in mind, I turn back to Psalm 33. When things feel overly hectic, or even frantically out of sorts, I am comforted by the image of the God who sees it all, who is attentive to our coming and going and who does not miss a thing. And when frustrated by the feeling that I am wasting time, or somehow stuck in the traffic (or loneliness!) of life, I have come to see those moments as the perfect time for the practice of hope.
It reminds me that waiting on God does not have to be tedious or even a cause for despair. No matter the surrounding chaos, or how long the carpool line, or how full the waiting room, there is still a space in our souls for sacred solitude.
Every day, I believe there is a place and time “where the steadfast love” of the Lord “is upon us.” Thus, I wonder…
How is the ‘fashion’ of your heart today? When and where do you practice hope?
How much time do you give it? If you’re going to be busy, anyhow, why not enjoy it?
A reminder just went off on my phone. It’s time to go pick up the cake.
Enjoy!
Darren