"Slowly, Sister, Slowly!"

One of the most vividly contrasting scenes in the Sound of Music is towards the end when the Von Trapp family is hiding in the church from the Nazis.  While the soldiers are speedily pursuing there is fast-paced chase music which sets everyone on edge due to the tenseness of the situation.  Then, as the nuns are summoned to the front gate, the music changes, and they purposefully, with great effort, endeavor to slow their pace, slow their speaking, slow their movement to indicate peace and tranquility and calm.

We could learn a lot from a nun.  Even in the midst of haste and hurry, the best way to  find peace may be to manufacture a little of it by slowing our pace and slowing our heartrates, and "pretending" we are calm.  During these times in our lives when the winds may blow and storms may rage, we find ourselves in the middle of it all, struggling for some type of reprieve or relief.  Generally we find that the answers do not come as we expend our energy furiously treading water; we only get more anxious and more tired and more desperate.  Perhaps the most radical move is to gently turn onto one's back and peacefully, slowly, begin to swim toward the shore and remove ourselves from the situation.  We purposefully slow our heartrate; change our plan; recognize what our body and soul are telling us.

I picked up a book today.  It has been within arm's reach of my desk for the past month, unnoticed and untouched.  Until today.  After calling my name to pick it up, its counsel rang with such truth to me.  It spoke of this conscientiously slowing down life's pace; of how as a society we are driven to accomplish, to please, to produce, to perfect, all at the mercy of our peace.

The book reminds us of the wisdom in doing fewer things, while taking the time to make the most of those we choose to do.  It encourages us to "walk a little slower and notice a little more, drive a little slower and be more aware of what is around you.  You will only lose a few seconds, and you will start to win the battle against haste and hurry."

I believe we should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, but not to the degree that "anxious" becomes "anxiety".  We needn't run faster than we have strength.

My goals for the new year are to walk slowly and think slowly, trying for more awareness and perspective--to see more, feel more, and to look for more quality and less quantity in my activities, my relationships, and my goals.

My favorite quote from Dr. Bridell's Logical and Rational and Poetic and Beautiful and Completely Guaranteed Eat-Half Diet for ALL your Appetites book, and what I intend to take to heart is this:

"Let that kiss for your loved one take a little longer.  Look into a person's eyes and hold the hand a second longer when you greet someone.  Sit down and take a look around you for a moment before you start a piece of work....Slow thinking is intuitive and creative.  Slowing down and giving ideas times to simmer at their own pace yields rich and subtle insights, leading to lateral thinking and serendipity."

Sounds like a chance I am willing to take.

The Pieces are Coming Together

Don't you love it when you are working on a jigsaw puzzle and the fragmented image slowly but surely starts to come into focus;  when your efforts, which at times had seemed futile, begin to show promise?  What had begun as an exercise of faith in the puzzlemakers, is now confirmed as a real image, and not just a hodge podge of random colors and shapes.

I love it when the apparent randonmness of life's components begin to take shape as well and the colors of life show their purpose.  Sometimes they are real mysteries that become explained.

I am finding in my life that the times of clarity may not always be dominant, but I am so thankful when, for one reason or another, I am blessed to have an "A Ha!" moment.  This past Fall has been full of turmoil, chaos, stress, and unrest.  I will never forget the feelings of humility and inadequacy and worry.  But truthfully, my life has been blessed with peace and assurance that Someone else is running the show, is aware of my situation, and loves me!  The puzzle pieces are coming together.  I am learning that I don't have all the answers, but I do know the source.

And that's enough.

All I Want For Christmas...

Thanks to the tradition of Christmas music there are a number of ways to finish this statement.  All I want for Christmas is YOU!  All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.  I have come to an altogether different Christmas wish this year.  I have come to understand that the most valuable thing to me is peace.

As the angels heralded the Birth of the Christ Child, their Christmas greeting to the shepherds and to all was "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14). 

As the Savior was preparing His Apostles for the difficult times to come, He reassured them with the promise of another Comforter and the timeless offering:  "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:  not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

I am not so naive as to believe that the hearts of men all over the world will suddenly turn away from war and evil to embrace the peace of Jesus Christ.  But I do believe that this promise of peace can fill our troubled minds and hearts with comfort, with rest, and with a reprieve from the cares of our own personal struggles.  At times I think we all deal with an inward, inexplicable tumult that drags us down to depths we don't want to be in.

I caught a glimpse of the power that peace has in grasping us by the hand and pulling us up from those depths.  In my quiet little home, surrounded by the people I love, sitting in the glow of our Christmas tree, I felt the peace of the Savior and came to realize its priceless value. 

Although the mom in me has a strong desire to make sure everything is "just so" this Christmas, with all the surprises tied up neatly in a bow, my quest this year is to find peace; to nurture peace; to give peace; to rejoice in peace.

Maybe you will join me.

Just for a Moment I was Back at School

The Christmas season is here.  Everywhere I go there is Christmas music playing.  The past couple of years I have noticed something odd.  At least I think it is.  There is a song that keeps popping up on Christmas playlists that I never would have considered making the cut.  My daughter will think I am referring to "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music.  Well, that isn't really a Christmas song either, but it is not the one I am talking about.

Let me give you another hint:  "Met my old lover in the grocery store.  Snow was falling, Christmas Eve."

That's it.  That is the only reference I can see that would sneak it onto a Christmas playlist.  Pretty slim, huh?

Of course, it is that haunting song "Same Old Lang Syne" by Dan Fogelberg, from his 1981 album, The Innocent Age. It has always been a favorite of mine, so I actually welcome hearing it more often this time of year.  I decided to do a little research into Dan's obvious inspiration.  The following was found in Wikipedia:


"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem "written" by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many English-speaking (and other) countries and is often sung to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, its use has also become common at funerals, graduations, and as a farewell or ending to other occasions.  The song's Scots title may be translated into English literally as "old long since", or more idiomatically, "long long ago", "days gone by" or "old times". Consequently "For auld lang syne", as it appears in the first line of the chorus, is loosely translated as "for (the sake of) old times".

So perhaps I have misjudged its aptness as a song of the Holidays.  Is there a better time to turn our thoughts to long ago, and days gone by?  I know that I have sweet memories of  long ago that fill me with warmth and the glow of Christmas.  Some are associated with presents and trees and stockings, but many focus on family and friends and cherished moments.

I think Dan got it right.  As we get caught up in the here and now, we all have a need to look to the past occasionally.  We can't go back.  We wouldn't choose to go back most of the time.  But memories have value and carry emotions that we can tap into once in a while.  If we try.

We drank a toast to innocence;
We drank a toast to time.
Reliving in our eloquence
Another auld lang syne.

Just for a moment I was back at school
And felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain.


Thanks for the memories, Dan.

Back to the Real Deal

Last year I did something I had never done before.  Due to a Christmas trip to Florida for the holidays, my family did not put up a real Christmas tree.  For us, a REAL Christmas tree involves a saw and wood and branches and fragrance and errant needles.  It requires scootching under it every day risking hair and clothes being covered with gold glitter to make sure it remains adequately watered.  It requires risking a mess of fallen needles and dribbled water on one's carpet. 

Our memories of Christmases Past are filled with trips to cut our own tree.  Now before you imagine us tromping through the woods Chevy Chase-style, let me stop you.  We live in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  This is where Christmas trees are grown, groomed, and then shipped all over the country.  We are surrounded by tree farms on every side.  I can't drive the few blocks to Wal-mart without passing a tree farm.  They are abundant, they are affordable, and they are simply the most beautiful trees to be had.

With all of our children here for the Thanksgiving holiday, we thought it would be wonderful to go get our tree while they were here.  Surely 16-month-old Evelyn would think it a delightful activity.  One problem:  most of the tree farms do not open until the day after Thanksgiving.  We wanted to get it the day before.

After a little research, we found one that was willing to let us come early.  Granted there would be no charming amenities like cocoa and candy canes, but we deemed it worth the sacrifice.

Being used to cutting our tree here in town, it seemed unusual to have to drive too far.  The cooperative tree farm was on the other side of Silverton, half way up the hill to Silver Falls.  And they had snow!  And very slippery roads.  Which was fine for Brian driving his 4WD pickup, not so much for Robert driving my Chrysler.

But that was not the only thing that set this trip apart from other tree-hunts.  Not being ready yet to cater to individuals seeking single trees, the tree farm was in the midst of harvesting and shipping trees for its commercial production.  We found ourselves in the middle of a thrilling adventure.  Helicopters and all!

And to heck with the little handsaws that tree farms usually provide, this owner pulled out his chainsaw and zip, zip, zip, made short order of that tree.  My son Robert did not mind, as it usually falls to him to cut down our tree.

I am glad we made the extra effort to get our tree while our children were here.  I realized how much it has become part of our traditions.  And traditions should be cherished and nurtured. 

The Value of Constancy

Newness is exciting.  Surprises are fun.  A change of pace can be thrilling.

But I have come to find great value in the things that stay the same; things that I can rely on to always greet me the same way.  I have also learned that the most comforting are not the predictably stagnant things, in fact they are not things at all.  We expect inanimate objects to remain unchanged, but can we say the same thing about people? or nature? or relationships?

This morning I awoke to the comforting song of the ocean.  Its constancy is very satisfying, very reassuring.  It may not always remain the same intensity, or the same color, or the same tide level.  BUT, it is always there.  I know that it is never going away.  And the peace that brings is remarkable.

I am thankful for the other constants in my life.  Perhaps that is the true test of value:  those in our lives that we can always count on.  Perhaps the intensity changes but knowing they are always there can be a great comfort.

Very Thankful

So Thanksgiving was at our house this year.  And I think I could do it again sometime.  We filled our week with a multitude of fun.  There was just the right balance of planned activities and down time.  We had way more treats and goodies than we could eat.  No one was injured too badly in the Turkey Bowl football game.  We crafted, saw movies, played games, had a family talent show, introduced Josalyn and Evelyn to the wonders of Bingo, went on a beautiful drive to find a Christmas tree, and finished the week off at the Coast.  I have been overcome with feelings of gratitude.  The Lord has spared nothing in blessing me.

You can come next time, if you'd like.  Just make sure you prepare a talent to share.