Be Still...and Begin Your New Year Well

I sit alone in my office. Holiday's have blessed us with time off but it also means we must take our turns holding down the fort on our own, manning the ship so others can rest. My eldest is here, warming the foyer seats as he works on a school project. There's a new leak in the roof and a big chunk of ceiling tile has collapsed on the carpet {groan!}. This place is still drunk with the leftovers of the Christmas Eve service and I'm sure I should be trying to get it tidied up but I myself am still drunk on a full stomach and little sleep and the idea of putting away Christmas makes me sad.

I get a lot done when I'm the only one here. The silence nudges me to productivity and I find that I don't mind it that much - especially when it means I can have the rest of the week off.

It's almost a new year. I cleaned up my bulletin board because that seemed an appropriate activity to herald in a fresh beginning. Among the old post-its and drawings by my children I found a poem written on legal paper - some personal piece birthed from a exercise during one of our {less painful} staff meeting devotions.

Stillness is circular 
      and calm is a breath.
Have we not wings with which to fly
      and a voice with which to sing?

BE STILL...

A mother may rock her baby in the cradle of a wishing well
      but her peace is not silence -
            Hearts beat loud around this world.

KNOW...

Rock me gently - 
       this belly is dark and
I'm wrapped up tight in this intestinal dungeon.
But that I might be spewed out upon a beach
      to bake beneath the SON of forgiveness.

I AM...

To rest in the bow
To sleep, perchance to dream...
To hold high some vision of clarity - 
For future and hope
      all spelled out in one word of strength.
One word upon which all worlds and lives and wars are built.
      One word.

LOVE

I wish I remembered the inspiration behind this - the prompting that brought it out of me - but even without it, I think it's a beautiful creed to apply to the upcoming year:

Take time to breathe. Bask in stillness but don't forget the world. Keep on reaching and never stop loving.

And that's all we really need, isn't it?

May you find the moments you need, as we approach 2016, to reflect on what matters and set aside what doesn't - to dwell on goodness and celebrate victories, both big and small!