Monthly Musings: September

Is it just me or is this year travelling at warp speed? It’s the end of September and here are a few thoughts for the month.

Spring – The blossoms on my ornamental plum tree are long gone, but the crabapple tree is just starting to bud. A few more days and it should be a cloud of pink.

Friends – I’ve been reminded of the pleasure of time spent with friends. This month I helped friends and family celebrate their birthdays, enjoyed dinner and conversation with a close friend, and began to make a new friend over lunch. Good food with good friends – one of my favourite things.

Books – Do you love books? Choosing books? Reading books? Talking about  books? It wasn’t until I read Emily P. Freeman’s latest blog post asking for book recommendations that I realised that I don’t have enough book conversations in my life. Coincidentally the only book I’ve actually finished this month is Emily’s new book Simply Tuesday: small-moment living in a fast-moving world. September has been an inconsistent reading month for me. I’ve added a number of new books to the reading list but they’re all still works in reading progress.

Here are a couple of quotes from Emily’s book that resonated with me as someone who needs time to process things. Maybe they will resonate with you too.

Productivity skills have helped me meet important deadlines and release unnecessary perfectionism.
The problems come when I foolishly try to apply these same skills to my inner life.
The soul and the schedule don’t follow the same rules.

and

Many people are in a season of speed, a time of movement, of action, and go. But that is not where I usually am. And I cannot wait for the world to stop to embrace my permission for slow.
What part of your personality seems to fight against your own perceived ability to succeed? What might happen if your stopped bullying your personality into submission and instead began to welcome it as a kind friend?
So here’s to you, my fellow slow-processors. Take the long way home. Embrace the silence to consider. Give yourself permission to think, to listen, to be sure.

Writing – And as October is waiting in the wings you may remember that last year I joined the Write 31 Days challenge to write on one topic every day in October. This year I’ve decided to take on the challenge again, and I’ve chosen a topic that’s particularly relevant for me at the moment. Check out the first post of the series tomorrow.

 

Monthly Musings: Appreciating April

Before we move into May, here are a few things I’ve appreciated in April:

• Chris Tiegreen – I think Chris will be featuring here pretty much all year. Here’s my favourite (and challenging) quote from April (13):

If we want to hear God’s voice, we need to understand that He will not speak so definitely that no faith is required to follow; yet He will speak definitely enough for faith to have some direction. The key for us is to move forward when we think we’ve heard him. Some of us don’t do that. We wait until our hearts are absolutely certain – a waiting that never comes to an end because, underneath it, there is a fear of acting on faith. But God is looking not simply for our ability to hear. He wants a believing response.

• For a limited time only, the Hungry Hippo Board Game Cafe has set up shop in Hindley Street, Adelaide (next to Uni SA). The cafe has shelves and shelves of games to choose from, and plenty of options on the food menu too. If you like board games and a fun night out with friends this cafe is worth a visit.

• Apparently Google didn’t like my old blog theme – which it deemed as “not mobile friendly.” So Flourish! got a makeover with a theme called Penscratch. I rather like it and I hope you do too – especially if you’re reading from a mobile device.

• I was reminded how photography helps me to look at my surroundings differently, to pay attention and look for things I might not otherwise see in the busyness of life. And it’s a great way to slow down and just breathe.

• Last, but by no means least, I’ve been captivated by Jenn Johnson’s song In Over My Head. It’s on the Bethel Music worship album We Will Not Be Shaken which I mentioned in Monthly Musings for January. It’s a song that speaks to my heart and challenges me at the same time. Check out this video of Jenn talking about writing the song:

And here’s the whole song:

What did you appreciate in April?

The presence of God

The key [to the presence of God] is searching for God, learning to listen for his voice, burrowing into his heart, listening to what he says, and then doing it, however simple or complex it might be. If he says it, do it. If he doesn’t tell you to do something then why are you doing things? Why not just sit at his feet?

Roy Godwin and Dave Roberts
The Grace Outpouring

Image sourced here.

The sweet life

Original image sourced here.

Is it really that simple?

The bus carried me home from work as I began to read One Thousand Gifts, feeling the beat of Ann Voskamp’s heart bared upon the page. A heart hungering for more, longing to live fully. Perhaps we have more in common than our first name.

As she shares her discovery, it becomes mine too.

“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them…” (Luke 22:19)

He “gave thanks” is eucharisteo in the original Greek. It carries in it the words for grace and joy – charis and chara.

Deep chara joy is found only at the table of the euCHARisteo – the table of thanksgiving. I sit there long … wondering … is it that simple?
…
Charis. Grace.
Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving.
Chara. Joy.

Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

And I wonder too. Grace, thanksgiving, joy. And I wonder at her phrase … “is it that simple?”

I know that question. It echoes my own. The pages of my journal bear witness: “If a heart is full of love, can there be any room left for fear? Could it really be that simple?”

Perhaps the two are intertwined. Perhaps there is an invitation here.

At home, the summer evening light is wine-red in the leaves.

Eucharisteo.

I give you thanks Lord.