The In-Between

"Waiting is the great grace. It's a subtle sign for those with eyes to see, reminding us there is work yet to be done- not just around us, but in us. We are still in progress, unfinished masterpieces full of incompletion."

Jeff Goins
The In-Between

   

  John Lennon sang, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"; challenging words to 'planners.' I am a recovering planner, aka 'list-maker.' For me, the destination overshadows the journey. "Are we there yet?" was the question my sisters and I asked most as children. "Soon," was the response we most often heard. Soon- a short word with a long definition.

     Every day the world seems to grow louder, inundating our senses lest we sit in silence for a moment... but it is in the silent stillness where poetry resides. Jeff Goins is a warrior-poet; a rare breed of men who have traversed the planet and still find wonder in their backyard. Through a series of memories, Jeff shows why life often occurs unnoticed; in the moments he terms "the in-between", and, lessons he discovered upon closer examination. 

     To all my fellow planners, active or recovering, I suggest you find a silent spot and read The In-Between by Jeff Goins. You may remember a few 'aha' moments yourself.

Jeff Goins

Time is Weird

Samuel being tattooed

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
John Lennon, Beautiful Boy


     Time is weird. In the past two weeks my son Samuel turned 18, was tattooed and graduated from High School... in that order. Three benchmark moments occurred within a few days. But that's not the weird part. The weird part is that he was born just the other day. Well, it seems like the other day. Was it really eighteen years ago?   


     Samuel has always been perceptive. His child-like comments become known in our household as Sammyisms. I recorded some of them in journals. Here are a few, each spoken before Samuel turned five: 

"God can see the wind."

"God made butterflies so art can fly."

"You don't see rainbows at nighttime."

"Sometimes God asks us to do hard things."

"Dad, I want to fly. Will you make gravity go away?"

"My heart feels I should have a cookie."

"When you live in the Bible the Bible is your world."

"When I get to heaven, the first thing I'm gonna do is give God a kiss and a hug."

     Congratulations, Samuel. You are a blessing to me and to all who know you.

May the Lord bless you, and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance on you,

and give you peace.

Graduation Day

So This is Christmas

Nativity
Giotto
1304-06


"So this is Christmas,

And what have you done?

Another year over, And a new one just begun"

John Lennon


What is Christmas? Every year I ask this question and wonder why I can't seem to 'catch the spirit of the season'. For me, 'tis the season for Christmas malaise (for an eloquent discourse by David Taylor, click here). Many times I have been donned Scrooge. This year I decided would be different- I would be prepared with handmade gifts, I would make a long-overdue trip to see out-of-town family, and, I would change my attitude about what the Holy day called Christmas has become. Alas, some gifts are still in progress, the trip hasn't happened (yet) and my attitude is being worked on.  After all, I am grateful for Christmas; a reminder that I am loved by the Creator and Owner of eternity. 


So we give gifts. I am ashamed to say I don't remember many past Christmas gifts, given or received. There is one gift however that my family still talks about. My sisters and I were young and we wanted to give our parents something 'from us'. Pop gave us the money and Mom drove us to the store. Proudly we presented our hand-picked treasures that Christmas morn. There were smiles and 'thank-yous'. Then Pop opened my sister Debbie's gift. A pause ensued as Pop held up an art gum eraser. Finally the explanation- at some point in the shopping process my sister remembered the purpose of the trip. She then had enough money left to buy a gum eraser. 


 So many times I have gone to God the Father and said, "I have nothing to offer You. I've spent it all on myself." As I ponder the 'thing' my sister chose to give my Father that Christmas- an eraser, I realize it may well be the perfect gift a child can offer a parent. 


When we talk of a man doing anything for God or giving anything to God, I will tell you what it is really like. It is like a small child going to his father and saying, "Daddy, give me sixpence to buy you a birthday present." Of course, the father does, and he is pleased with the child's present. It is all very nice and proper, but only an idiot would think that the father is sixpence to the good on the transaction. 

(C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)