"We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it." Psalm 39:6 (NLT)Chapter 4, A Sanctuary Of Time, was a PACKED chapter. I will admit that when I first read this chapter I said to myself, "Could this really be ALL about a bubble? A soap sud? Really?" But as we discussed last night - it is SO much more than that. This chapter really challenges readers to slow down. To discover what it means to live this one life well. To experience the full life in the midst of the hurry and the running and the getting to.. the... next... thing.
How do we slow time down?
How do we stop living life as if it were an emergency? Because life is NOT an emergency!
And what does it mean to have not MORE time... but ENOUGH time?
Ann begins this chapter with her observation of a another gift to add to her list... #362, Suds... all color in sun.
And it's this sud that opens her eyes wide to the gift of time. Making time. As she says on page 64, "I only see it because I'm looking..."
I only see it because I'm looking.
What other things do we miss because we are in such a hurry? What other beautiful gifts have we allowed to pass us by simply because we were not paying attention?
Could it be that this hunt for gifts... for all things beautiful... is JUST the thing that will allow us to slow time down?
Hurry makes us hurt... (isn't that called stress? And don't we do that to ourselves... unnecessarily?)
Hurry empties a soul.
Think about it. I was just saying last week that all would be right in the world if I could just have ONE more day in the week to get accomplished the things I need to get accomplished. Just one more day I begged for. But is it really MORE time I need? Or is it ENOUGH time that I need? Because wouldn't I just fill that ONE MORE day with even MORE unnecessary things? Who really wants more time for worry? Guilt? Shame? More running of errands. More spending money we don't have. More schedules. More crises. Really? Is that what I want?
I love the beautiful way Ann writes it on the top of page 68... "I just want time to do my one life well."
That's it!
My hearts desire is to take this one life I have been given and live it... well! Oh how I long to hear the words of my Savior... "Well done good and faithful servant." (Matt 25:21)
Receiving gifts... naming them... and thanking God for them... is our only hope for slowing time down because it begs for our full attention NOW. One page 69 Ann remembers the words of her sister, "Where you are, be all there." She continues, "I have lived the runner, panting ahead in worry, pounding back in regrets, terrified to live in the present, because here-time asks me to do the hardest of all: just open wide and receive."
And isn't that harder to do?
But "This"... Ann writes, "is where God is."
And I WANT to be where God is.
So could it be as easy as one simple formula... Giving thanks = more time.
I LOVE her analogy on pages 71 and 72.
In John, chapter 6, the story so many of us are familiar with, is the story of Jesus feeding 5,000. Jesus and His disciples had just crossed over the Sea of Galilee, when a huge crowd began following them. It was nearing time for the annual Passover celebration and they were in need of some food to feed themselves and the large crowd that had gathered. And there was nothing. The only thing that was available was a young boy's lunch which consisted of five barley loaves and two fish. "But what good is this with a huge crowd?" Andrew asked. (verse 9) (Oh I can SO see myself in that boy Andrew, can't you? Doubting the very One who had just come from performing all kinds of miracles. Don't we KNOW the miracle worker and still doubt His amazing abilities?)
After gathering the loaves of bread and the fish, Jesus "took the loaves and gave thanks to God and passed them out to the people." (verse 11). John goes on to write, "And they ate until they were full." Jesus even responds to His disciples, "'Now gather up the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.'" (verse 12)
Stop!
What just happened?
Jesus had only FIVE loaves of bread. BARELY enough to feed the 13 of them... let alone FIVE THOUSAND!
Jesus had five loaves of bread and what did He do?
He gave thanks. Those two words. The "bridge words" as Ann calls them. "The crossing over that took the not enough and made it enough."
He gave thanks. There it is again... Eucharisteo.
"Jesus embraces His not enough... He gives thanks... And there is more than enough."
That's it. Again. The miracle of thanks.
Oh what being grateful does. It multiplies the blessing!
So... Jesus gives thanks for the five loaves of bread and it multiplies.
Could we give thanks, then, for the moments so that those, too, can multiply?
Is that the secret to getting more time?
Ann says it best on page 72, "The real problem of life is never a lack of time. The real problem of life - in my life - is lack of thanksgiving."
"Life is a dessert." Ann says, "You don't wolf it down." (page 77)
Wherever you are... be all there.
Life is not an emergency.
Giving thanks = more time.
Slow down long enough to see the miracles.
Because I'm with Ann... "I want to savor long whatever time holds."
And it IS fleeting.
Below is the video from week four. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)
One Thousand Gifts: Chapter 4 from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.
Finding JOY in the JOurneY,
www.wendybender.blogspot.com
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