Meandering into Life

This past week, I began trying the advice I gave myself in The Gift of Sadness: spend more time in God's presence, with his creation and with people.

I spent time reading my bible out in my Secret Place. I started reading every day to my kids, a poignant and humorous chapter book called The Chicken Dance. Reading this book is a form of being with my kids (how they love to snuggle and laugh together!). It's also part of my effort to mix it up with regards to what I read (I tend towards serious things and this can get overwhelming after a while).

Also, I initiated a hike on Sunday. How beautiful is God's world, even in winter. And since I took the hike with my family, I got to watch my kids in their awe over a simple stream. They put sticks in it. Squatted beside it looking at reflections. Stepped on rocks to feel courageous. I closed my eyes and listened to the water gurgling, trickling. It was the most beautiful sound. Peace, on a winter's day.


Stream photo by J Barkat. Used with permission.

The Gift of Sadness

Once I did a post on the emotion anger. To this day (with the exception of a blogjacked post), it holds the record for the most comments. People had strong feelings about anger. They also demonstrated fear, confusion and guilt.

From the way our culture deals similarly with sadness, I'd say we're a people who haven't embraced the gift of emotions. Instead, we're tempted to distract ourselves or medicate.

Alternately, we could see our anger, sadness, fear and so forth as gifts— signs that show us where we need to walk. Often these emotions speak most strongly to us in dreams. Pay attention, they say. I've got something important to tell you.

Yesterday I was still feeling sad. So when I went out to my Secret Place, I took my bible with me. The Psalmist, after all, says, "My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to your word." (119:25)

First I prayed about my sadness. "Show me what I need to know, Lord," I asked. Then I opened to Proverbs, a favorite place, to meditate on a section I've been mulling anyway...

Proverbs 8:22-32 shows us the partnership that Wisdom had with God at the time of Creation. Wisdom ends the section by saying, "Happy are those who keep my ways."

Happy are those. Happy, if we keep Wisdom's ways. I couldn't help but notice that promise. A small devotion, tucked in near this scripture, from Carole Mayhall, further expressed, "Three things will bring rejoicing to our souls: 1) God's very presence, 2) his world around us and 3) people."

Right now, I'm not completely sure what to do with this charge. But I'm embracing the sadness as a sign... that I need to find my way more deeply into God's presence, or his created world, or people. We'll see where I go.

For now I'm simply content with the gift of sadness— a sign, a fragile cone bearing seeds I need to grow.


Pine Cones in the Ivy photo, by L.L. Barkat.

NEW LINK:

This really cheered me tonight. From Blue Mountain Mama's new music space.