Friday, March 16, 2012

The Beauty Of Your Peace

Breakfast
In these last few months I have Stopped Doing Some Things. In an effort to get back to center, away from the extreme edges of what seems to be a tenuous grip on a balanced life, I have peeled some of The Things I Do away from The Person I Am.

So I am no longer defined by my work as a piano teacher.

I am no longer obsessively working every waking moment.

I am no longer existing on a scant five hours of sleep.

I am no longer trying to be somebody else, some amalgamation of a Highly Successful Ministry Leader Musician With A Family.

Stripped of some of these things, which seem so simple and easy tossed aside (but which, in fact, are not), what am I?

Well, we are all on that journey, I suppose. I have no definitive answer. Yet.

I am not so busy. I am calm. I am not so anxious. I have peace. I am not so frustrated. I am centered.

And there is this: I am seeing. I am making every effort to be present in the moments of life, and rather than a trite mantra designed to make me feel better about living a valuable, worthwhile life in the midst of chaos, I am seriously taking the time to do it. Not just say it.

This Sunday, we will close our worship service with these words:

Take from our souls the strain and stress
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of your peace


I discovered today that those lyrics are rooted in a poem called The Brewing of Soma by Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier. Funny; I felt deeply the power of the words as we rehearsed Finding out that this contemporary tune is wrapped in verse written over 120 years ago elongates the experience. I had no idea - but somehow, I knew.  There was power there far beyond the simple harmony and melody line.

Somehow, my soul knew.

I am seeing more, these days. Simple things. A long line of truth that I intuitively understand. Something that speaks internally.

This is working. I am blessed.

Hallelujah.
Simple things. Eggs.

5 comments:

annie said...

You've been on a roll with the writing lately! I am enjoying it!

Brandee Shafer said...

I will bake 4 dozen cookies for your deal, but only if you come over and pick them up, and only if you stay for awhile and break cookies with me. I can make you coffee, too. I think I know how to use the machine. Maybe. <3

Anonymous said...

Love this, now if we really want to get centered we could start making bread. Something our past generations did that we seem to overlook. Nothing like home-made bread to make people feel better.

Pilgrim Soul said...

I'm sooooooo glad to read this post. I know that you're going to experience all sort of peace AND abundance from this cultivation of peace and presence!

Tammy said...

Glad you're getting time away from piano, but we miss you!!