Day Fourteen - April 14, 2020
Today I awoke to a little white bundle of joy snuggled up to my legs snoring loudly… our little, Nellie. She sets the tone every morning, creating rhythm and routine regardless of whether we’d prefer to stay in bed or not.
The sun rose again this morning, despite a global pandemic. Blue skies graced the sky as Andrei and I trudged through the tall grass and woods on our daily morning trek. I find it considerably easier to accept the many changes when the sun shines brightly.
*****
These were my opening lines on Day 1 of this writing challenge. With a few exceptions, this just about sums up everyday…
I was fascinated by the magnificent clouds this morning on display as we walked the dog.They seemed to defy the existence of a wide-spread virus within our world. The sky fairly danced in wonder of our Creator.
Andrei is ever so patient with me as I find the need to periodically stop, look, and wonder at the bursts of ever-changing color surrounding us!
I am fascinated by the vibrant green weeping willows casting silhouettes against the morning sky… or the sun’s rays reflecting off buildings windows - welcoming the world to a brand new day. Even the purple weeds and cattails seemed to call out their song this morning…
And then the walk is over.
Reality greets us as we enter the front door. The laundry, dishes, vacuuming, paperwork, jobs, teaching, bills… and somehow they don’t hold the same appeal as the morning bursts of color.
I find myself looking at a few particular chores everyday and manage to put them off for another day. Today, however, I finally hauled the circular concrete slabs from an old walkway to the pond area - leaving behind huge divots that I would inadvertently trip over while mowing. Therefore, they got filled and seeded! Oy vey - this garden is fast becoming my entire life.
After editing a few papers, and unsuccessfully attempting to send a fax - it was back to studying seeds under the magnifying glass. I had to laugh at the design I happened to create from one basil, one zinnia and one pepper seed on top of a 2016 penny! I think the stay-at-home order might be getting to me!
It’s not a bad life! It’s full of beauty with a houseful of people… but sometimes I feel as though I’m supposed to be somewhere and I’m not. Like when I suspect I’m forgetting an important appointment in a day but I can’t for the life of me remember what it is.
Earlier this week, I began a new very extensive study on the book of James from the New Testament. Anyone who spends any time with me knows that the book of James has literally disintegrated from my Bible.The pages are shredded, worn, marked up, torn…. Hebrews and I Peter have joined James and it’s just a beautiful tangled mess of notes that reflect my spiritual journey…
Within the first ten minutes of the study, I already had to stop and rewind the teaching to begin again… the depth and richness from the teacher is beyond anything I’ve ever been taught before.
I did manage to get to verse five today while mowing the grass with Dan’s headphones cranked really loudly.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds… because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete - not lacking anything…”
Yes. Perseverance…. Standing our ground in the midst of anything that comes our way. Routine. Boredom. Repetition. Mundane - Suffering. Death. Crisis. Trouble.
Standing so that - we may become mature. Complete. Not lacking anything. Suffering is the path to becoming whole. Complete. It is how we learn humility, compassion, freedom and faith.
And so I practice gratefulness and submit to whatever it is that I am subconsciously learning. I lean it to see the HIDDEN places of wonder each day - praying it will help sustain me through to completion.
