About Time

I have been pondering the concept of time today. We're coming up on the season of Advent, which marks the beginning of a different kind of year...

The "liturgical calendar" began in the early centuries of the Church, marking time and story particularly through the story of Jesus Christ. The rhythms and traditions of the seasons settle the Story more deeply in our souls, reminding us throughout of who God is, of who we are, and of who we can be.

I received an interesting calendar a few years ago. Rather than printing one calendar month on each page, it divides time by the liturgical seasons. It invites us to flex a bit with how we experience time. I am not planning to give up my electronic calendar anytime soon, but I do intend to focus more on the seasons this year than on the calendar months. Lectionary readings are listed, too. I am planning to use this as a reading (and writing) guide during the upcoming year, and invite others to join me in this.

In this time of transitions, I look back over the past year and forward toward the next. I wonder what will happen, and who we will become, and especially who we will become together.

-- Debi

Thanks-Giving

I was in a conversation recently with a grateful fellow. He detailed many reasons he was thankful, just from the previous day or two, and smiled, "What more could I want?" He thought about it a moment, then followed up with "Well, I need a new [major internal organ], but that'll work out okay." He pondered this a moment, then returned to expressing his gratitude.

It made me smile, and it made me think. How often am I distracted by the rather small things which sometimes inconvenience my life, and miss the many good things that come my way?

-- Debi