Happy New Year everyone! Whatever that means. What does it mean to be happy anyway? And when does the new year begin: the first day of school, or the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the fiscal year, or January 1st? I hear you saying, "he's overthinking this one," which is probably true. Yet this seems to be the time when we take stock of the previous year, set goals and priorities, and maybe come up with a resolution or eight.
Yesterday a group of people gathered at the Anglican Convent of St. John the Divine to peer into the new year together. Surprisingly, both the Toronto Star and the CBC picked up on this rather unlikely New Year's Eve story, and I heard the sister who was coordinating the event interviewed.
Her hope was that rather than making resolutions, which tend to be an act of will, they could consider how to make room for God and open themselves to God's presence in fresh ways in the days ahead. As simple as that sounds, I think it is deceptively difficult. Even though we have just come through a season in which Christians celebrate God's loving, in-the-flesh presence in Christ, God can often seem like a distant concept rather than a steady companion. In my own life I sense that it is me, not God, who is distracted. I run around doing a lot of god-ish things at times, but lose my focus on the Godly life. Psalm One begins by saying happy are those who follow God and put their roots down deep, like trees planted by a river. Good advice.
Do you have any plans to shift priorities or reorient your life in the year ahead? What about God? Thoughts or insights about how you will create space in your heart and mind for the Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer? Maybe we should all go and hang out with the nuns for a while.
7 comments:
Can't help but think about hospitality as a New Year begins.
Hospitality seems easier, and even a natural rhythm through Advent and Christmas with so many Christ-centred moments as we prepare and celebrate Jesus' birth. Along with the abundance of the more traditional images of hospitality at Christmastime, families and friends around dinner tables, neighbourly gestures, goodwill....keeping that double-pronged hospitality focus: inward to inviting God into my life more consistantly, and outward to creating moments of hospitality in a busy world.....and eating less cookies :)
Happy New Year to all....your blog-thoughts richen my days.
sign me up.....
I stayed at the convent for a couple of weeks for two years in a row when I was studying ministry. The part that my peers and I still comment on is the fact that there was silence all through our meals. Some people hated it; others really appreciated it.
If there is anything I would like to achieve this year it would be to find that time during my day when I can sit in silence and be with God. I find it very difficult to find that time and make it routine, make it a daily part of my life.
I really want to be able to be at peace and happy at all times, and not let others change that. It will take work, but that is my hope for this year. I will try to use meditation more this year.
I, too, saw the same article in the Toronto Star over the weekend and found a reflective/spiritual retreat over New Year's very intriguing. Like Deb, I was at the convent for school but found the mealtime silence stifling and suffocating. For me, I was on course and part of my learning process is to be able to talk/discuss my learnings over the meal and in the enviroment that did not happen.
It's funny, I have resolved not to make New Year's Resolutions but I use other times of the year to make resolutions - Lent, Advent, September. September feels more like a natural New Year than January does.
Hopefully this year, I will be able to sign up for one if not more spiritual workshops/courses - courses that will deepen my inner life and relationship with my Creator.
I actually started some months ago. I have made God more a part of my life almost unconsciously. It has worked in stages. First in my work I stopped trying to be all things to all people. That was too much stress, and unfulfilled promises. Now I am myself. I don't make unrealistic promises. When I come up short anyway, I apologise, and we all move forward. Really, what else can you do?
Next I've taken to read more about God. I have a new copy of "The Message" and "The new King James Bible". Also books by famous people who have put religion in front of their lives. There are some excellent stories out there.
I also started praying more regularly. This is not a set in stone habit yet, but I'm working on it.
My beautiful wife wrote in my Christmas card that she was so proud of me to do these things to improve myself. I wasn't sure what she thought until then. It's nice to know that it has strengthened an already strong relationship.
I lead a truly blessed life
These little things are actually huge sjd. Our lives are full of habits, many of them destructive unfortunately. Cultivating the good habits is so important. From time to time someone dismisses attending worship as "just a habit." I always counter by agreeing and reminding the person we all want to build on the good habits.
Post a Comment