I feel, like the bus, Life just turned, completed the necessary part of the journey and now we have the view to encounter. There was no planning for this turn other than eventuality, it was almost unexpectedly, without any intervention on our part, but turned it has. And now, the dreams that we laughed about, knew as mere fantasies, never to come to fruition, seem so little. For reality is far more that we had dared to dream may actually occur, and yet it's now as natural as breathing. We know the struggles we will face probably won't change, the fears we hold will almost certainly still haunt us, the dreams we have will still be unrealistic, but that view is still breathtaking.
I have a new bus route to church, it starts out rather disappointing. You travel through a very dull looking neighbourhood, barely 3 shop fronts can even pull your attention from the inside of the vehicle. That evening the sun's glory had faded and I couldn't remember one stop from another, even though I was supposed to be counting. I suppose I feel like there are many times like this, days that bur into one another, moments you won't bother storing in your memory banks because there is nothing of value to store. But then the bus turned. This route turns at one end of 'the Kej', a promenade along the riverside. The river opens up before you, the far bank shrouded in green and faded buildings. The walkway is recently refurbished, softly lit pedestrians wander, cyclists slow to take the view, and the bridges and fortress stand proudly, facing west and lapping up the last of the suns reflected light. It's a view I know, and have known, and yet its familiarity does not diminish it.
I feel, like the bus, Life just turned, completed the necessary part of the journey and now we have the view to encounter. There was no planning for this turn other than eventuality, it was almost unexpectedly, without any intervention on our part, but turned it has. And now, the dreams that we laughed about, knew as mere fantasies, never to come to fruition, seem so little. For reality is far more that we had dared to dream may actually occur, and yet it's now as natural as breathing. We know the struggles we will face probably won't change, the fears we hold will almost certainly still haunt us, the dreams we have will still be unrealistic, but that view is still breathtaking.
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linked to source The serenity prayer is one of those ones you rarely want quoted at you, it's challenge is clear and yet like many well known forms of words we often chose to completely misread it. I think until recently I could have re-written it as "God give me wisdom to know when to be patient and when to act". The problem is that little word 'accept'. When we truly accept things we stop fighting them, badmouthing them in our frustration, we stop trying to change them, sit back and let them be, it's more than simply patience. Acceptance doesn't mean agreement either, we don't roll over and stop thinking, feeling, or believing to the contrary. When we truly accept it's really tough. We talk not to change the situation but to understand it better. We have to lay our own agenda aside before we speak, even if the other parties don't, especially for those who won't. Acceptance is also difficult because sometimes others are incapable of getting there. Their views are clean cut and our fuzzy edged acceptance is hard to swallow, feels almost mocking to their views, contrary to their understanding, and threatening to their comprehension. Accepting this is probably as hard as accepting the object of disagreement, to be met with hostility hurts. Plain and simple. While I will continue to pray for wisdom to discern when I should muster my courage to move, I will also endeavour to practice serenity and acceptance. To love is sometimes to accept without judgement, to step down from principles and practices, no matter how fundamental they are to you. For pointing out speaks in a brother's eye, no matter now much you quote the scripture, is still to ignore the plank in your own. “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’ (Matthew 25:40) |
The other siteWho is GfeefGfeef is the name that my writings have been under for some years. As far as I know it's unique to me. Originally from the UK, I now live in Serbia but continue to have a passion for childrens and youth ministry. Archives
October 2014
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