Word of the Year Review by Susan Barclay

photo by Charlemagne (Pixabay)

In my January 4th post I shared that my word for 2020 was "centre." I shared the sentiment that by "[centring] my life and thoughts on Christ, I [would] also be ready for whatever comes my way." 

I wonder if any of us could really be ready for what 2020 has brought? A global pandemic, violence and chaos in the streets (especially in the U.S.), an election year (also in the U.S., but the outcome of which will ripple around the world). I don't think anything short of a prophet whose reliability had been tested and proven true could have prepared us for the waters we've been passing through corporately.

photo by wjstokhof0 (Pixabay)

I recently said to my husband that the only good thing that has happened this year was our trip at the end of February/beginning of March, just before the pandemic hit and everything started to shut down. Although, prior to our coach and cruise vacation, I'd been doing a pretty good job of centring, starting my day with the songs Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus and As the Deer Pants for the Water, and spending time in God's Word. I'd continued my practice of scripture writing, using the SOAP method. But as often happens when I am out of my routine, as the days of our tour passed, my habits were cast off and set adrift. 

I caught a cold in Florida, felt it coming on as we watched the Toronto Blue Jays lose to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Dunedin Stadium. Returning to Canada, I called in sick to work and was advised to contact my Public Health department for instructions. Public Health told me to self-isolate but that I didn't need a Covid-19 test as I had not travelled to a high-risk area. By the time my self-isolation period was over, my workplace had closed. 

You would think that with so much spare time now available, I'd have buckled down on the centring, but no. Like many, I was like a ship without a sail. The only aspect of focus that continued unabated was the scripture writing. The rest of my time was consumed with working on my novel, writing blog posts, staying connected with online prayer groups, participating in Zoom book club and life group meetings, trying to declutter my home, doing the usual tasks of dishes, laundry, meals, dusting and vacuuming, walking the dog, running back and forth to deliver groceries to my mom in Toronto, helping my young adult children where needed, and repeat.

photo by smaus (Pixabay)

Just before I returned to work in June, my mom fell. She tore her rotator cuffs and broke a vetebra in her spine. I had to bring her home with me, take her to physiotherapy appointments, help her work on her mobility, and all the other things that go along with eldercare. In September she had a pacemaker insertion, followed by a six week recovery. More running back and forth to Toronto. All sense of normalcy blown out of the water. 

Somehow, in all of this, I managed to attend to one verse from that January post, Philippians 4:8, quoting it to those with sinking, stinking thinking, and in doing so, to myself as well.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

At last, toward the end of September, the larger concept of centring returned. What was the prompt? Looking forward to this November post? Beginning a 12-week spiritual disciplines class? Commencing a 9-month spiritual autobiography course? I'm not sure, but I'm glad my sails were finally hoisted. I know I need to be centred on Christ, that if I'm not, my life gets out of control and I stop relying on His strength, trusting in my own. 

I guess in a way I'm back to square one on this, but that's okay. With the year we've had, we need show ourselves grace and that's what I'm going to do. For next steps, I'm going to revisit the different areas I identified in that original post and how I might centre each of them around the Lord in a way that pleases Him now: family and friend relationships, church and online activities, writing, work, and personal.

God has been reminding me of truths from His Word: He is patient and long-suffering. He is good. He is working in this world, working in me, working in those around me, even when I cannot see or understand. His plans are not to harm me, but to give me a hope and a future. He's been teaching me to focus on what is excellent and praiseworthy, and I'm going to keep turning the prow of my ship to centring on the Lord through song and scripture, renewing my mind in a way that calibrates my inner compass. Meeting God in the morning is an important part of that, preventing the day's current from sweeping me away on its tides. 

  He's my lighthouse!                                      

photo by mollyroselee (Pixabay)

Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will. ~ St. Bede

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You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com