The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Still trying out the new boots in the house, so I headed out for a short walk in my old wellies, unaware of just how icy it was underfoot. My ability to focus in on God and a meditative, prayerful walk was undermined by the necessity of paying attention to every step I took. I have two good friends who have broken wrists or hands when a confident step forward was sabotaged by an icy patch.

Every day I step out into my life, wanting to maintain a conversational relationship with the Lord. Every day I encounter icy patches which distract me and draw my attention to them, cautious lest I slip and fall. May I have confidence today  in the Lord’s ability to hold me fast through all potential hazards, so that I can maintain a lively relationship with him. I’m still thinking about how peacefully the lion slept beside me in that dream the other night, confident that all was well.

In him (Jesus, not the lion!), all is well.

Loosen the List

Driven by accomplishments, many of us wake up each morning enslaved to the tyranny of a too-long to-do list. Time is money. We feel justified by what we do, not by who we are.

So we fly through each day anxious to check more jobs off of the list, but finding that in fact the more we check off, the more we add on. I know that personally I find it so satisfying to either score out or check off something that I hurry to do the easy jobs first just to bask in the sense of satisfaction. 

And so I arrive at late afternoon (now) aware that the important things which take a bit more time are still on the list. Feeling empty and weary from the rush of accomplishing things and needing time in life’s lay-by to refuel.

Come to me, Jesus says. I will give you rest.

We don’t need to earn that rest. We don’t need to keep moving to justify ourselves. We just need to call time out, to breathe deep, to relax, to cogitate, to stare into space or into the sky or the garden or even the middle distance. We might be thinking deep thoughts, or our minds might be a blank. 

Doesn’t matter. I should rush off and do pilates, practice my cello, study Russian (yes, really...), or skype my mother.

I'm only going to do one of those things. The one that matters.

Take a break. With or without a KitKat.