Decemberneverlasts

-
"I don't even know why we have December, it never lasts." Thank you to Ellie Wilemon for that precious little quote, and for permission to quote! If you feel like her, first, realize you're not alone. Second, I'm surprised and delighted that you're reading this.

December zips by not only as a month, but with December, we suddenly find ourselves at the end of a whole year. My own 2012 turned out very differently than I thought it would. It was a year of transition; when I read back in my journals to last December, there are hints in my writing and in my dreams that something was stirring.

December is a darker month for us in the northern hemisphere. It's a reflective time to contemplate where we've been and where we're going. Perhaps because of that introspection, we sprinkle the season with festive celebrations. Parties with friends and families, it seems, leads to more introspection. We see one another grow when we gather together. We see children growing. In all of that, we see ourselves growing older.

I texted a Happy Birthday note to a friend, and made a joke about going camping in the Guadalupe mountains, "after finals are over." That was our practice for a couple of years in college. Finish finals, go camping. In no time he texted back, "That was 15 years ago." I didn't reply.

"I don't even know why we have December, it never lasts," said Ellie. Maybe we have December because it doesn't last. We need this month at the end of the year. We need these celebrations together, and we need clear dark nights to see where we've been and where we are going. We need December to catch up with our friends, our families, and our selves.

So, instead of feeling overwhelmed with the pace of life this December; I'm feeling thankful with the gift of life. The gift of this year, this month, this day.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

plastic: a spiritual perspective

-
Image
Plastic bag in front of Trinity by the Sea On a recent trip to Austin, I was surprised and delighted not to be handed a plastic bag when I checked out of a grocery store. I wasn't buying much, so I was able to carry out my things without remembering to bring in my reusable bags. For some time now, I've gotten in the habit of turning down plastic bags in convenience stores when they try to put my humble bag of sunflower seeds, lonely, in another bag. The plastic grocery bag has become like a handshake at the end of the deal: it seems to make the shopping experience complete. It is such an ingrained habit, that the person behind the cash register sometimes gets a suspicious look when I ask for no bag, as if thinking, "This yahoo is threatening our way of life!" I think about habits a lot, as a Christian of the Episcopal persuasion. Our practices and our experiences in everyday life shape the way we understand our relationship with God, with others, and with ours
Read more

movin' the tide

-
Image
I recently saw a performance by Shinyribs Russell and heard him tell the background story on his song, " Who Built the Moon ." He told a funny story about a conspiracy theorist's idea the moon was built by someone. I like the song for what it is, never mind the conspiracy. That song went through my head again and again this weekend as the Super Moon rose from the gulf horizon, sailed across the sky, and set over the bay. The moon, "hangin' in the sky, shakin' the oceans, and movin' the tide" has long shaped our human lives. It has helped us mark time, it can guide us in our fishing habits, and it inspires artists, musicians, and fireside philosophers. Life looks different in the moonlight. On Sunday morning, as I finished writing my sermon, I took a break to walk outside to see the Super Moon set, and I caught it hanging in the porch of the church. That night, Laura, Eli, and I went to the beach to watch it rise again. Someone told me it's t
Read more
-
Image
For the past three years, I have preached the Gospel Easter Morning including a pop song. The first year it was Widespread Panic's Diner . Last year Prince's I Would Die For You , and this year, the Grateful Dead's Ripple. Music is so inspiring to me, and it is an easy connection to relate to God, Resurrection, and new life through some of my favorite songs, even when they don't use traditional church language. Easter Morning 2023 My earliest impression of the Grateful Dead was as a pre-teen, staying the night at long time friends of my parents and sharing a room with Monroe their son. Earlier in the day Monroe had sent me down a fairly steep hill on his old bike which had no brakes. I managed to stop by veering off the road into the open arms of a magnolia tree. Monroe was so cool. So that night, after having some Neapolitan ice cream we watched MTV. If you remember MTV, you’ll understand how excited he was that a music video of one of his favorite bands, the Grateful
Read more