Uphill idealist

If it weren’t for holidays, I think it would be possible for people to keep on trucking through days and weeks before they’d take notice of how quickly time was really passing. Rush is such a part of our western world, that most of the time we don't know any other way to function. Advent is passing into Christmas and Christmas to New years and we find ourselves in the midst of resolutions and hopes for the upcoming year. What will this year hold? What do I hope and dream of in the 365 days of 2009? Before I get thinking too far in the future, there is a point that I’d like to make. The holidays have a way of marking time for us. When we return to our lives beyond Christmas, New Years and Three Kings day – what will help us to slow down and become more aware of life and spiritual matters? Living in an attitude of contemplation is one way of striving for this awareness. Contemplation is defined as being given to or characterized by contemplation. Some synonyms of contemplation are:...

The tempo of Thankfulness, turkey dinners, family, friends back home in J-town for the holiday, worship, advent's beginnings and lots and lots of things being made have been the hallmark of the last week in my household. Let's see where the beat took us... Life-draining: There seems to be this wall of "business" that is trying to invade my mind and home. For the most part, I've tried to remain at rest and peace, but there are times where I'm feeling pulled in too many directions. There is that transitional pull at work that is simply amplified by the whirring engine of the church holiday pace. It would be easier to pace myself vocationally if I was not abiding in the constant learning curve, but I am learning again that the little word, "No." is a good, good word to keep in my vocabulary and life. On a sad note, I got news that my Aunt Carol is very ill. She's been struggling in her health for several years now, but last report is she's now f...