Wintry Themes

 

Than these November skies
Is no sky lovelier. The clouds are deep;
Into their grey the subtle spies
Of colour creep,
Changing that high austerity to delight,
Till even the leaden interfolds are bright.

- John Freeman (1880 - 1929)

Some recent days of moody, misty, milky weather have nudged me into some wintry themes at home. Some pretty wooden trees have emerged to add some cheer. Even some sweaters have adorned my arms (much to my delight). Overcast greyscale skies tend to lean toward the feeling of winter and hibernation. Even if the temperatures are not freezing, a soft dip feels significant in contrast to the intense summer heat. 

We are meant to embrace seasons differently. As the hours of days grow darker and the wind rustles colder air into our neighborhoods, similar to the trees and bears falling into hibernation, we are meant to slow down as winter draws near. In a season of darker days and cold we can warm our homes with comfort and light. Spiritually, we can prepare for the season of Advent and the waiting in the darkness and unknown before the coming of Jesus.

I love these seasons of Autumn and Winter because after such a long and sweltering heat of many months, my soul needs a revival of thoughtful, meaningful, deeper musings that can come from the explorations and themes that comes along with the colder, darker seasons. 

It is no great surprise that in the lectionary the Book of Revelation is what is being read through November before Advent begins. With a book of pictures presented in the vision of John on Patmos, we get some imaginative glimpses into the future - some images of terror, and then wonderful images of the New Creation. It is a reminder that even amidst the darkness of our land (and our nations) our true light comes from a source unalterable and unchangeable. The light of the Lord Jesus.

May we feel the blessing in that truth. Happy Thanksgiving!

Paradox of Time in 2020

Coffee cheers!

Sometimes I ponder about the oddness of our lives, and how we experience things in our everyday (like time and the strangeness of it), whilst drinking my morning coffee at my desk, next to my biggest bookshelf with a view outside.

Is it me or has the pace of this year been both slow and fast? The paradox of time is that we are stuck in it (and cannot see beyond this very moment), but it somehow has the ability to move at different paces according to how we pay attention (or do not pay attention).

I find that when I pay attention in the present moment, fully and deeply, noticing details and feelings time slows down to meet me. When I am able to do this the feeling of stress and the never-ending to do list notions tend to slip away, not disappearing but just possessing a lesser hold on my soul.

But things cannot always be slow and my attention is often very scattered and as I try to accomplish several things at once (which never really works well). Time dwindles quickly and I never have enough hours to finish and it seems like I never will. 

Is this the kind of year you are are glad to see end? Has a slower pace been granting you time you have needed? Or has there been no slower pace? I have had a mixture of both, which is probably why I am feeling this paradox of time. I have found that when I slow down and focus on one thing, noticing the details, and appreciating what it is, I am able to accomplish more in the end (whether that is completing my to do list or just tidying up my home). But when I rush, I am not appreciating, only flying by.

Simple notions like slowing down become complex as we make them that way with our desire to do more than we should. We are all different in the amount we can do, of course. But all of us can benefit from a more thoughtful pace in everything. I am learning this and trying to do this in my own days. It is really hard. This morning coffee time is my critical time to start the day in this mindset, with prayers that it continues through the rest of the day.

Autumnal Beauty

 

Poetry makes immortal all that is best and most beautiful in the world.

- Percy Bysshe Shelley

There was a day or two that felt autumnal recently. When that happens after a deep, long summer, my imagination awakens and the words come flowing, inspired by the change I long for all summer. When I get to don a sweater and feel the chilly air atmosphere, my heart leaps with joy and appreciation. May more of these autumnal days come again soon. Until then, a poem in the likeness of a memory must suffice.

Autumnal Beauty

An Autumnal firmament view on this eve -

Intricately patterned in a seasonal shift.

Green leaves rustle and some take their leave -

Embracing a change entering windy and swift.

Our neighborhood star rising on a skew -

Beams of morning gold slant in their space,

Evincing me a turn of time I view,

Pondering the perspective from such heavenly place.

The cosmos is our ceiling, a starry roof -

Reaching beyond imagination and eyes.

We measure and detect with no visual proof -

Yet we acknowledge and wonder at God's grand skies.

The falling leaf gives me this to know -

The mystery of every created pleasure -

Our meaningful ability to observe, learn, and grow -

Is a perfect posture for every day leisure.

The Selador Story

 

Have you ordered your copy of my new book? It came out last week and with all the mess of our world, may it be a good distraction and escape into another realm.

Book One - Selador: The Book of Time is available HERE

Book Two - Selador: The Secret Paths is available HERE

If you haven't read the story yet, here is a recap of the books. If you have read them I'd love if you rated them on Amazon or left a review:

Selador: The Book of Time - In the first book we meet Nella, who finds herself in a stark white tunnel, walking alone, not sure of how or why she was there. Something moves her forward and she tries door handles at least reaching one that leads her outside, and into a beautiful woodland realm which is in extreme contrast to the tunnel she just left. 

Nella journeys into the forest and meets someone (a guardian she learns later) who hurries her to a staircase that wraps around the tree to the top, where a set of huts seem to be built. Narrowly escaping the rushing waters that come sweeping through the forest on a daily basis, she makes it up to the village and learns as she meets the leader that she is known by them. She has a purpose to fulfill, but what could that be? She is a writer, but how could that be used?

Selador: The Secret Paths - In this second book we pick up where the first book leaves off, after Nella uses her gifts of writing in The Book of Time to protect the village, and the cost that came with it. She begins to explore deeply her memories, which she can draw upon if she chooses to. But why did she hide memories? What painful experiences did she purposely tuck away? 

The friendships all deepen with Master Nolan, Lady Cora, Lady Kira, and Miriam. Nella grows to love the village and the people as she learns more about her past and the shocking revelation that is told to her, which leads to the next dangerous journey to protect what is good, true, and beautiful.