December 12

Day 273: As It Should Be

It's about now when it starts. While some industries, retail in particular, are seeing their hours and workloads increase, others are grinding down to almost a halt.

College students are entering finals week. And then they're done, at least for a while. Holiday office parties are earlier and earlier each year it seems, and this year's digital holiday parties are both early and lame. Online graduation ceremonies are no better.

Nobody wants to "start a new project" in the middle of December. It might be a gravitational pull to go winter dormant. Or more likely, we cannot get the vital data or information we need, because we cannot get to the vital people who have said vital data and information.

Already, we're finding ourselves saying, "See you after the first of the year." In my pastor world, this is how we signed off of all phone and Zoom calls this past week. Without exception. Meaning, "Don't bug me until January!" (Oh, and "Merry Christmas, by the way!")

This unusual year, instead of sprinting with enthusiasm toward the holidays, it feels more like the final miles of a marathon. Sometimes the only motivation for a marathon runner is knowing that once across the finish line, he/she doesn't have to keep running. At least for a while.

I get reflective in late December. Like every late December. Somber's not quite the right word. Reflective is really more like it. I tend to review the prior year, the wins, the losses, the gains, the losses, the growth in me, the growth still needed in me. And perhaps how my priorities have been altered, and false values have been challenged.

There are seasons for reasons. No living creature is designed to maintain a steady pace throughout every season of the year. Trees drop leaves, and then grow leaves. Antlers get dropped, and then grow back. Some (smart) animals hibernate. Even athletes (at least, in theory) have an offseason.

So this time of year, late December, I'm not of a mind to be hard-charging. Probably because I'm not capable at the moment. I'm more of a mind to be reflective. The Lord knows I don't learn well when I'm moving too fast. I am not good at being kinetic and thoughtful at the same time.

Psalm 107:29-30 says, "He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven."

It may be, at least for me, that my 'desired haven' is not a place, or an achievement, or a level reached. It's not some perceived level of calm. For me, especially this year, my desired haven is Jesus, Himself.

At the end of this wacky, frustrating year, and while you and I certainly want some sort of relief from it all, it is more likely that we're all in the same continuing education class.

We're being taught that calm waters do not last, no more than seasons sustain beyond their assigned borders. Our desired quiet havens rarely continue quiet or safe over time.

Unless our quiet haven is Jesus, Himself.

And after all my late December reflecting, I hope that will be my conclusion. As it should be.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church Juneau