Walk in the Woods
Abstract: Learn to Walk
It’s one of the hallmarks of being human,
the ability to walk,
and yet a skill very few remember,
once learned.
Before we learn to speak, add, or subtract,
and years before we are burdened with knowledge,
or the tyranny of opinion,
the first lesson we learn is how to rise from our failure (even more so for those without the use of their legs.)
It’s one of the hallmarks of being human,
the ability to walk,
and yet a skill very few remember,
once learned.
It’s a cold irony too,
the most important of human wisdom,
used and forgotten so quickly,
to be learned once more at another time- if at all.
But, let my words serve your ears,
if you exist,
if you hope,
you have the ability to rise too.
You did it once before,
and more than that,
You can rise again,
each one of us a born champion.
Daily Journal: #90 Learning to Keep Sabbath
I think I need a sabbath just to a have a day to remind myself it’s not about what I do. I’m allowed to relax and have a day to myself. It feels ironic, but good.
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My Irreverent View of Tradition
Admittedly, I don’t have a high value for observing Jewish holidays and traditions. I don’t see the point. (And to each their own, it just isn’t for me.) Jesus didn’t seem concerned with Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur or Passover. Paul, being a Jew’s Jew, didn’t promote the observance of Jewish law or traditions. So it would seem the New Testament lacks a certain reverence for them.
I’ve always chuckled at Messianic Christians. (Messianic Christians are Christians who incorporate Jews dietary laws, traditions, and other practices into their Christianity.) Like…why? Bacon is delicious, and seder is depressing. It’s as though they dismissed the Jesus who came to set us free from rigid rule-keeping and mindless tradition. However, as already stated, to each their own. Anyone who will read this blog will easily poke holes in what I say and do. Being on the outside of a thing is easy. I hope each dedicated Messianic has powerful encounters with Jesus. That’s what matters most.
So, What’s Up with Sabbath?
Three months ago, my friend Alex told me about his efforts to observe a sabbath each week- a whole day dedicated to rest and relaxation. He doesn’t have a strict set of rules. For instance, he cooks for himself and will do small tasks like fill his tank with gas if need be. Aside from these minimal tasks, he has managed to do almost nothing but enjoy the passing of a day, maybe going for a walk with his dog or swimming in the river.
As he spoke, I felt a need to listen. I stopped observing a true day off as a way to rebel against church, and now I worked nearly everyday. In fact…I feel guilty and lazy if I don’t do something productive everyday. And in case you haven’t read anything else I’ve written this year, I am learning to love myself which includes learning to relax, to let go of expectation.
It took me three month, but I finally got around to “observing a sabbath.” Last week, I did ok. Today? Not so good. I tried to do nothing, maybe watch some football. Then by 5 PM I felt anxiety creeping into my heart. You made a commitment to get that project done. I literally began to tell myself, “You didn’t do anything wrong Nik,” as tears leaked down my face.
I really want to be able to relax and enjoy life. More importantly, I do not want to define myself by how productive I am. It’s a trap. I spent much of my life trying to prove my worth to others and myself. It’s an endless negative feedback loop, forever discontent. I either have value or I don’t. The Lord loves me because I exist and I am his creation. That’s enough.
I think I need a sabbath just to a have a day to remind myself it’s not about what I do. I’m allowed to relax and have a day to myself. It feels ironic, but good.
Lord, thank you for being good to me. Thank you for answering my anxiety. You are my shelter and my counselor, my friend and my Savior.
Amen.
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A: My Morning Walks Are Not Routine
I walk early each morning because I expect in faith to be met by Jesus. His arrival is no less spectacular, even though it is expected.
No one encountering God can call it boring. And is never routine.
Routine, a fixed action, is nothing special. It is the slow drone of the flat but necessary functions of life.
To the outside judge, my predawn rise probably looks routine.
I shut off my alarm, make my bed, and dress for the weather. Not yet fully awake, I grab my water bottle and lace my dusty yellow sneakers.
Six or seven minutes later, I walk down a well worn path to a trail lined with oaks and the occasional Foothill Pine.
I require no headphones and desire no human companion on these morning walks, although I do enjoy the kindness of those I encounter.
Seems rather ordinary I suppose, to the outsider. Boring even. It is the downfall of the judge, never living, never knowing the fullness of life is in the doing.
What looks dull and unremarkable is anything but.
While I desire no human interaction, I am not alone. He is with me. And we talk. A lot.
In this space I find gratitude, peace, and the ability to move into the stillness of the unknown.
Further down the path, my mind becomes quiet. I listen to the robins tweet and squirrels shout warnings to one another as I pass.
I practice being present, and in it I am able to enjoy the subtle yet constant change of the natural world around me:
The death and resurrection of wild flowers.
The constant preparation of the squirrels for winter.
And the daily change of the time and path of the sun.
No. There is nothing routine in this dedication. Wonder is present in the daily progression of the seasons, and each season offers a new joy.
My body also bares the fruit of my labor, my legs slimmer, my waist thinner, and my mind clearer. Most especially, my heart is full of His glory.
I walk early each morning because I expect in faith to be met by Jesus. His arrival is no less spectacular, even though it is expected.
No one encountering God can call it boring. And is never routine.