A WOMAN'S VIEW ~ Lenore Buth

Are you ready to step into the abyss?

    We're about to enter the New Year ... 2009! A period of time as unknown to us as if we were following a mountain path into thick fog. We only think we know what lies ahead. 

   I love some things about the arrival of another New Year, like putting up new calendars. Who could miss the symbolism of "off with the old, on with the new?"

    Whatever 2008 was ... or wasn't ... it lies behind us. Ahead lie 365 uncommitted days. Freedom! Freedom, that is, until I start writing in those unavoidables of life, the meetings and appointments already scheduled ... and there will be more. That task makes me feel organized, but also weighed down as I watch those unsullied days fill up. Knowing I've chosen most of those commitments helps, but hey, they nail down my time. I'm one of those people who likes keeping her options open, because who knows what possibilities may arise?

    But then I get a grip. I wouldn't trade places with anyone. Many of those notations remind me that I'm needed, or I make a difference, or simply that I matter in someone else's life. There's nothing that brings more deep-down joy.

    At any point, you and I have this day, this moment. That's scary, but also comforting. We don't have to deal with 365 days, only the one we're living in. Still, beginning a new year feels like starting a journey, not quite sure where one will end up. None of can foretell what 2009 will bring.

    For years I had a piece of writing framed on my office wall, and I love it still. 

                                               "The Gate of the Year"

    And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:  "Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown!"                                    

    And he replied:   "Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.  That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way."    

                                                                                        --M. Louise Haskins 

     I can't say it better than that. So let's step off into the unknown with gusto! As long as we hold tight to the Father's hand, we'll be safe.

    May God watch over you and yours every day of the New Year!

    Lenore

    Your comments welcomed!

                                        

As leaves start falling ...

     Fall is in the air, even here in northern California. Mornings come with a chill, even though a few hours later everyone peels off layers. I, for one, am not ready for long pants and sleeves, for jackets and real shoes.

    No matter. Soon it will be October, and tomorrow we'll be hanging Christmas wreaths.

    Isn't that just like life? Days and months gallop by while we're not looking. Then we notice ... the toddler is a high school freshman. That letter we never got around to writing? Too late now.

    Sorry if I sound like a nag, but I'm nagging myself. You see, I'm one of those "busy" people, and I love it. Who wants to sit around wondering what to do with oneself? But once in awhile I realize with fresh clarity how easy it is to miss what matters most. 

    So here's the word for today, a gentle reminder for us all. Let's pay attention to the day we're living and revel in it. Let's look around at the people in our lives and ponder what they mean to us. Let's open our eyes and really see.

    No matter who we are, our lives consist of the sum total of those small moments. Each one counts. Sometimes we're captivated by the rich and famous in the media, but they really don't affect any of our lives. Come to think of it, that's a relief. Now we don't have to invest so much energy in trying to be "memorable." We already are.

    Let's savor the joy ... while it's here.

    Lenore

    What do you think? Your comments welcomed!