The Changing Seasons of Our Lives

I have been thinking a lot about changing times this last while. Not a surprise really, as we find ourselves in the midst of changes, almost on a daily basis these days. As the world moves around us we are faced with great changes in the way we interact, shop, worship, and work and pretty much do everything. Every day there are new insights, protocols to wade through, and predictions about what the next while will look like. It is unsettling, to say the least. And then there is the reality that we need to wade through it all, trying to discern what is true and what is false; what fits our particular situation and how we will live into this and keep our heads above water. Sometimes the plans we made yesterday are no longer applicable today and we have to revise what we will do.

(Just this week I met with a couple who have had to revise their vision for their wedding three times now. This included changing the venue, changing the numbers of people invited, changing the meal they would have and the way that it will be delivered)

While many things have slowed down others have gone into fast forward.

In Wisdom’s Path

A couple of days ago, I opened a book by Jan Richardson called “In Wisdom’s path”. Toward the end she does some reflecting on the changing seasons of our lives and how those changes can be a source of power. She talks about women and change but I think that what she shares can speak to all humanity regardless of gender.

I was particularly taken by an image she shares at the end. She writes:

“I think of an image from a postcard that Elizabeth Johnson includes in her book “ She Who is.” The picture depicts a Mexican woman spinning cotton into thread.

On the back of the postcard the sender wrote – “”This is a wonderful image of God, no?”

I think that we are neither in the raw cotton or the thread but in the twirling. And so we twirl in the spiralling seasons, held by the God who is nexus and source and who roots us in the midst of all our changes.”

I love that image of being in the twirling and held by Divine. Change is hard at the best of times and most often we take our time with it, especially in the church. We wade into its waters and make little advancements at a time. Sometimes we resist it and are good at standing firm in tradition and what was. But, here we are , in 2020 and we are unable to take our time. We have been thrown into the whirlwind and we are indeed twirling. Yet, the presence of Divine love is holding us through it all.

We must stand rooted and at the same time be open to letting loose.
We must be willing to risk.
We must allow the twirling to weave us into the amazing mosaic that we were intended to be.

I leave you with Jan Richardson’s words of prayer

In my turning and returning, take me in and let me go.

At the centre of the spinning, root me deep and set me loose.

At the still point of the spiral, draw me close and send me forth.

In the passage of the seasons, hold me fast and set me free.

May it be so

Blessings
Valerie