Timing

The world is a busy place.  As I talk and catch up with friends, it is clear how demanding, consuming, and unending the journey is for most.   Work, self-imposed deadlines, and goals all demand our attention.  The certainty of bills past and present, commitments, and basic living requirements set the stage for lifestyles that consume our total being.  Balance is a dream we never quite touch.  Reflections are usually something we see in a mirror.  Expressing our heart has lost the race with performing to the demands and expectations of others.
 
I find myself caught in the beauty that is all around us, representing the holidays.  From beautiful holiday storefronts, to decorations that permeate the scene, to expressions of wonder by children everywhere, there is a wonder flooding our senses.  No matter how busy we are, the expressions are here.  Regardless of our priorities, the holiday season is here.  Even in our moments of crisis, the opportunity to stop and smell the candles is here.  The question of timing is always with us.  What will I, we, choose?
 
Candidly, “the dead don't thank you, and choirs don't sing praises from the morgue.  Those buried six feet under don't witness to your [Divinity’s] faithful ways.  It's the living—live men, live women—who thank you, just as I'm doing right now.  Parents give their children full reports on your faithful ways.”  (Isaiah 38.18, 19)
 
Last night I took time to enjoy a sunset.  It was wonderful even as it quickly faded into dusk.  The discovery of a store with apple butter and cider carried the hope of great memories and wonderful moments with friends and family.  They have already begun to emerge in the spirit of the holidays.  It is a wonderful experience.  I know it will continue to grow in the coming days. 
 
These gifts and more are available to all.  You and I cannot purchase these gifts.  We can only receive them.  We cannot manipulate them.  They just are.  We cannot schedule the perfect moment.  The moment is now.  The only question is our timing.