The text on the cover of my newest Land’s End catalog reads, “Rule #1: unplug. There is no rule #2” and inner messages echo the theme of slowing down in Fall season: “my inbox may be full but my head is clear” and from a mother to a boy on a swing, “one more push, then I’ll get dinner ready. Maybe two more.”
Even our marketing agencies are encouraging us to slow down.
In contrast, two friends in the past 24 hours have described their lives as “groundhog day” which the urban dictionary defines as “doing the same thing over and over.”
For the past 5 months, my world has been anything but routine as I’ve been coordinating repairs on my house from ice storm damage in early 2015. In addition to the storm damage, my 11-year old house was in bad need of some routine maintenance. Except for final clean-up the repairs are complete, but it was disruptive as all house remodeling is, with workers on most Wednesdays and Thursdays coordinating with the weather.
I’m looking forward to my favorite season of Fall not only for nature’s brilliant colors, but it seems to be ushering some new things in my life like new projects at work, a renewed interest in outdoor activities, and the sweetness of reconnecting with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law after being apart for many years.
I know that I can’t just layer new activities on top of the old; there just isn’t time. I realize that just as we have seasons each year that nature marks with a change in temperature, color and activities, we have seasons throughout our lives that are marked with the letting go of some of the old, and the embracing of the new.
It is only by relaxing in “quality time” with God that we can hear His voice and respond to His call as He brings us new things to do, and asks us to gracefully release the old.
To all the adventures that God has in store for us: we are ready!
Blessings,
Agatha