Walking In Truth
It's here!
It's finally here!
March 20th, 2005, the first day of Spring. Ah, the season of the crocus, lily, lilac, lily of the valley and all the other species of painted refinement.
After a long and arduous winter, I found my heart for the first time in many years yerning for the kiss of the morning sun amongst the symphonies of the newly returned red winged blackbirds. Anticipation whispered daily to my heart that change was finally coming.
Opening my eyes on the day of promise, my immediate gaze fell upon the acre that holds our large pond. Interestingly enough, it looked the same as the day before. Drab brown tones encompased the realm. Casually, I walked to the kitchen door to feel the warmth of the sun on my face. Cold gusts met my enthusiasm, dealing a blow to my senses reminding me that the circumstances of my world had, in reality, not changed.
I wasn't overly suprised at this encounter, as the weather, grumbling aquaintences and people passing by; prepared me for the rotten cold weather that would dawn this day. Indeed, they could revel in self satisfaction that their predictions were correct, choosing to use this rational to validate their foul moods and complaints.
I returned to my room and readied myself for church. Donning my light colored dress, previously selected from the night before, coupled with matching shoes and stockings, I curled my hair especially nice, took extra time with my makeup and tied delicate pale yellow silk rosebuds and multicolored pastel ribbons to my spring straw hat and headed for church wrapped in my spring coat.
Mocking gales targeted my fast cooling skin hoping to entice a rapid chilling response. I refused. Walking faster to warm my limbs, I held my Springy stature in unrelenting confidence.
"What was the purpose in all of this?" You might ask.
"It seems silly to expose oneself to undue discomfort just for a changing date on the calendar."
At first glance that may seem to be the case to the naked eye, however, such jaunts go much deeper.
I was tired, really tired of allowing the elements to rule my emotions and actions. I needed something besides the endless gray days. I needed something to celebrate.
What was truly amazing to me was the effect my attire had on some of the people who's paths I crossed that day. Many people stared in disbelief and some even ventured an inquiry or two. Upon responding with my explanations, their responses were truly saddening.
"It's the first day of Spring."
"I know, so..."
"It's the first day of Spring and I want to dress like it is."
Wondermant, astonished-unbelieving faces, and some smiles of understanding met my response. Amidst the sea of dark drab warm clothing, I stood out like a yellow crocus on a muddly day. I could see some were waging a struggle between "common sense" and civiility in engaging in discourse with me. Yet even the ones who thought I was out of my mind couldn't daunt my spirits.
As the afternoon progressed, I needed to go to the hardware store. The gentleman serving at the counter met my gaze with delilght dancing in his eyes.
"I see you're all ready for Easter."
"No, It's the first day of Spring and I'm celebrating it."
"Why yes it is."
"I decided that I was going to stand on the truth of the day and not the circumstances."
"Well, I was watching you as you walked by the window a minute a go."
His eyes were dancing again.
"Well, my house is a mess, but I wanted to look nice for this day, I will get to my house later. I'm not going to let that keep me down today."
"It doesn't matter about your house, you've gone and prettied yourself all up. My day didn't start out very good until I saw you walk by."
Now, just to be fair, the man wasn't trying to pick my up. He was telling me how the pastels I was wearing and the flowers in my hat changed his perspective on the day at hand. I thanked him for his kindness for he had surely "made my day", in which he responded in the like. Both our days had been brightened by a little color and kind words.
Where am I going with this? Do you want to guess? Ok, I'll tell you.
Many times our spiritual atmosphere is much like that of the natural. We become bogged down with religeous "should do's and don't do's" that everyday becomes the same gray monotony. We "dress" to stay warm from the cold gusts the enemy of our souls throw at us. Routine replaces adventure and celebration. We passively wait for God to burst onto our worlds with the warmth of His Presence. But His presence is all ready here, we simply respond the the circumstances around us instead of standing on the truth. Then someone comes by who's spiritual clothing seems flimsy though colorful. We eye them with a judicial eye wondering where their common sense is.
However, there are those who see such folk and are brought out of the dulldrums of their existance by the reminder of those brave enough to walk in truth over convienience, that Spring is really here. The Spring of our soul. The question is.....
Are we willling to revel in it?
"My Beloved speaks and says to me, 'Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away. For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.'"
Song of Solomon 2:10-13
Can your hear Him beckon at your heart? What will your response be?
It's finally here!
March 20th, 2005, the first day of Spring. Ah, the season of the crocus, lily, lilac, lily of the valley and all the other species of painted refinement.
After a long and arduous winter, I found my heart for the first time in many years yerning for the kiss of the morning sun amongst the symphonies of the newly returned red winged blackbirds. Anticipation whispered daily to my heart that change was finally coming.
Opening my eyes on the day of promise, my immediate gaze fell upon the acre that holds our large pond. Interestingly enough, it looked the same as the day before. Drab brown tones encompased the realm. Casually, I walked to the kitchen door to feel the warmth of the sun on my face. Cold gusts met my enthusiasm, dealing a blow to my senses reminding me that the circumstances of my world had, in reality, not changed.
I wasn't overly suprised at this encounter, as the weather, grumbling aquaintences and people passing by; prepared me for the rotten cold weather that would dawn this day. Indeed, they could revel in self satisfaction that their predictions were correct, choosing to use this rational to validate their foul moods and complaints.
I returned to my room and readied myself for church. Donning my light colored dress, previously selected from the night before, coupled with matching shoes and stockings, I curled my hair especially nice, took extra time with my makeup and tied delicate pale yellow silk rosebuds and multicolored pastel ribbons to my spring straw hat and headed for church wrapped in my spring coat.
Mocking gales targeted my fast cooling skin hoping to entice a rapid chilling response. I refused. Walking faster to warm my limbs, I held my Springy stature in unrelenting confidence.
"What was the purpose in all of this?" You might ask.
"It seems silly to expose oneself to undue discomfort just for a changing date on the calendar."
At first glance that may seem to be the case to the naked eye, however, such jaunts go much deeper.
I was tired, really tired of allowing the elements to rule my emotions and actions. I needed something besides the endless gray days. I needed something to celebrate.
What was truly amazing to me was the effect my attire had on some of the people who's paths I crossed that day. Many people stared in disbelief and some even ventured an inquiry or two. Upon responding with my explanations, their responses were truly saddening.
"It's the first day of Spring."
"I know, so..."
"It's the first day of Spring and I want to dress like it is."
Wondermant, astonished-unbelieving faces, and some smiles of understanding met my response. Amidst the sea of dark drab warm clothing, I stood out like a yellow crocus on a muddly day. I could see some were waging a struggle between "common sense" and civiility in engaging in discourse with me. Yet even the ones who thought I was out of my mind couldn't daunt my spirits.
As the afternoon progressed, I needed to go to the hardware store. The gentleman serving at the counter met my gaze with delilght dancing in his eyes.
"I see you're all ready for Easter."
"No, It's the first day of Spring and I'm celebrating it."
"Why yes it is."
"I decided that I was going to stand on the truth of the day and not the circumstances."
"Well, I was watching you as you walked by the window a minute a go."
His eyes were dancing again.
"Well, my house is a mess, but I wanted to look nice for this day, I will get to my house later. I'm not going to let that keep me down today."
"It doesn't matter about your house, you've gone and prettied yourself all up. My day didn't start out very good until I saw you walk by."
Now, just to be fair, the man wasn't trying to pick my up. He was telling me how the pastels I was wearing and the flowers in my hat changed his perspective on the day at hand. I thanked him for his kindness for he had surely "made my day", in which he responded in the like. Both our days had been brightened by a little color and kind words.
Where am I going with this? Do you want to guess? Ok, I'll tell you.
Many times our spiritual atmosphere is much like that of the natural. We become bogged down with religeous "should do's and don't do's" that everyday becomes the same gray monotony. We "dress" to stay warm from the cold gusts the enemy of our souls throw at us. Routine replaces adventure and celebration. We passively wait for God to burst onto our worlds with the warmth of His Presence. But His presence is all ready here, we simply respond the the circumstances around us instead of standing on the truth. Then someone comes by who's spiritual clothing seems flimsy though colorful. We eye them with a judicial eye wondering where their common sense is.
However, there are those who see such folk and are brought out of the dulldrums of their existance by the reminder of those brave enough to walk in truth over convienience, that Spring is really here. The Spring of our soul. The question is.....
Are we willling to revel in it?
"My Beloved speaks and says to me, 'Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away. For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth and ripens her green figs, and the vines are in blossom and give forth their fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.'"
Song of Solomon 2:10-13
Can your hear Him beckon at your heart? What will your response be?
posted by beth at 12:14 PM
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