Here is my first prediction of the new year: You and I will be making many decisions in 2009. It is probably fair to say that this was also true in 2008, 1957, 1832, and 567 BC, but I was not around for three out of four of those years. As I look down Interstate 2009, I see lots of forks in the road coming. Recessions will do that to you.
The decisions are many. As I look at my own life and talk to friends, here are the questions I hear us asking:
*Now that money is tighter, who should I help?
*Now that I have lost my job, what should I do? Do I take the first thing that comes along, or wait for something better?
*Now that things are so uncertain, can we afford to _______?(Fill in the blank. In our house this one is about doing that remodeling we have been saving for for 3 years. You probably have your own version of this one.)
Our journey in 2009 is going to be littered with forks in the road and decisions to make. Some of them will be quite large, and others fairly small. The thing about forks in the road is that you can't see where each path will end up. It might be nice if someone invented the GPS that told you for certain where each path would take you, but far as I know it doesn't yet exist. You have to make a decision not knowing if it will be the right one. No wonder I get pretty anxious when I come across forks in the road.
That said, here is what I know about these forks:
1. It stinks trying to discern the right path alone. Companions to journey with are critical.
2. Often you just have to set off, not entirely sure if it is the right way.
3. God helps. A lot.
Just another thought on that third one. Once in awhile the help is in the form of answers that come from out of the blue. More often it is simply in the gift of less fear and more peace. (I have found fear to be particularly lousy space from which to make decisions.) Getting into that peaceful space usually involves carving out time for prayer. Sometimes I sit, sometimes I breath, sometimes I read scripture, sometimes I do yoga. What seems important is my intention--this time is for connecting with God.
'In your light we see light' says the Psalmist (36:9) I hope for you and me that this year brings God's light to our many forks in the road.
What decisions do you face in 2009? Let us know by responding to this blog....
Congratulations! You've opened a new interstate highway--Lumunos! I think I'll take a ride on it!
ReplyDeleteGreat first blog--looking forward to more...
I was thinking that I can decide right here and now to be more intentional about praying. As I started to write, my husband, sitting across the room working on his computer, said, "let's make 6pm on Sundays prayer time for us." Wow.
ReplyDeleteBetsy and I find ourselves worshipping at two different churches on many Sundays, our favorite day together. While we understand why, we intend to find ways to keep our faith journeys aligned and vibrant through prayer and discernment.
ReplyDelete2009 for me is making space for the now - whatever it is - but of course, still trying to be in the right place at the time.
ReplyDeleteI have spent the last 6 years on the session (church board) at my church. The regular tenur is 3 years, but we could not find a replacement after my first 3, so I re-upped. I am now done with that (whew!). While that is a great relief, I am still involved in many ways. I am chair of the building committee which brings with it a signficant time and emotional investment. To offset the feeling of "church is a bunch of meetings" that I have living the past 6 years, I need to do something else as well.
ReplyDeleteFor the last 3 years I have gotten to church a half hour early to provide some quiet prayer time between my busy work day and the session meeting. I am going to continue to do that, and make it a little longer, and have invited others from the church to join me. I need to put more worship time into my life and this should be good way to do it. I am being very intentional in that the time is relatively unprogrammed. No pressure to provide a directed prayer time. That is the whole point.
I am very excited to see where this leads me and the church.
So that is my first big decision for 2009.
Just getting around to reading this right now, but I love the reminder that "fear [is a] particularly lousy space from which to make decisions." Reading that on this Monday morning made me take a deep breath and relax my body...
ReplyDeleteKeep blogging!