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

Wedding and Election Fever: by Bryan Norford

With expectations for a fairy tale wedding and a not so fairy tale election, it seems appropriate to share the following reflection with you. It comes from the marriage devotional Ann and I co-authored, Happy Together: Daily Insights for Families from Scripture, and published two years ago.

Eventually, we will get the government we choose, and therefore deserve. But we trust and pray that William and Kate will fare better than Will’s parents.

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Politics and Cinderella

King David had to balance politics and love; he was king and husband and both positions had their challenges. The history of politics after all is a sordid tale—of the power hungry manipulating nations for their own benefit and adulation; of dictators forcing ruthless rule over exploited people; of conquest and war as a means of extending rulers’ influence.

In contrast to this, the first love Michal had for David and his remarkable relationship with God is closer to the love story of Cinderella and seems very different from the politics David needed to practise.

Yet there may be more of a common thread to both politics and our favourite love stories like Cinderella than it appears. Behind those stories lurks the idea that “Once upon a time . . . happily ever after,” reflects a perfection of love and living that our hearts yearn for and our best experiences imply.

Political theorist John von Heyking has written a book entitled, Augustine and Politics as Longing in the World. The title evokes a sense that, despite its excesses, even politics arises from the notion that there is an ideal to strive for beyond the ravages of earthly life—a thirsty longing that wrenches our hearts but is never fully satisfied. As maidens dream of perfect love, so men envision the ideal society and strive for it.

I’m sure most politicians start off with the desire to better their communities, but easily get caught up in the subterfuge, manipulation and compromise that ambition seems to require, which undermines their good intentions. If we could read the rest of the story of Cinderella and her prince, it seems probable we might find a degeneration of their love into self-serving manipulation.

But neither of these evidences of fallen human nature should blind us to the desire God has placed in our hearts for the perfection that is only to be found in Him. If the yearning of the human soul is only complete in God, then the best that marriage can provide is found in Him also.