Well, we are ten days into the winter season in our area and just about to start a new year. The events of the past week in our household have been quite the adventure. As we look back at the week and the months prior, we see a pattern of order and disorder, good and bad times, and a variety of blessings presented in simple and complex ways. What we see is life itself. What we feel in retrospect is grateful to have survived it. What we know from having gone through the experiences is we have built a lot of character along the way.
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. –Helen Keller
Theme of the Week: Let It Be
Our theme of the week came through a rather hard lesson and some disappointment. An unexpected issue with my vision left us unable to do holiday traditions, and honestly a bit sad. However, as we contemplated the facts and circumstances, we realized that we had to accept what was the truth and allow it to work its way through so that we could move on.
Now, this is not to say that we did not try to change things. We tried and got trumped by what we call Plan G (God’s plan). Our seemed lack of success versus God’s plan was viewed as more of a challenge to align with Him instead of give up entirely. You see, when one realizes the weakness that leads to the failure, one gains strength and wisdom. In exercising this strength and wisdom, one finds a way around or through the issues at hand.
Sometimes, we need to study the situation, allowing time to unfold not only the events, but also understanding, compassion, and contemplation. If we understand, we can find compassion, and it is through compassion that we learn contemplation of all views of the matter at hand. All the views present the issue in its entirety, not just a few points to get all worked up about.
Our canine friend Sadie, who passed away on June 15th this year, was great at studying. Though she may not have liked what she saw or learned, she allowed it to play out. She was patient when it came to the important things in life, which allowed her to be compassionate. Once she saw the entire picture, then she acted, but not until she had contemplated every aspect of the matter.
As I was going through the vision issue this week, I thought a lot about Sadie and the many good examples she provided. These thoughts allowed me time to process some lingering grief over her passing, and though I could not see physically, I was allowed the grace to realize the larger picture of my situation. This in turn led me to probe or study facts. The act of studying led to discovery of feelings I did not know I had. This discovery took me to a different level of compassion, leading me forward to contemplation and reflection.
“It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgement.” –Marcus Tullius Cicero
Lesson of the Week: Only Then Shall You See
Our lesson of the week (and actually the year) came to us through experience. Only after going through each day do we come to the clearer picture or focus. This lesson is one that requires some patience, determination, and a bit of faith. Often, what appears on the surface is only part of the whole. Only through the work of digging deeper does one find the heart of the matter and therefore the truth within.
The weather this past week offers an illustrative example of this lesson. The skies were full of clouds and rain most of the days. If the rain had been snow, we would have been buried up to our knees in white fluffy flakes. If the skies would have been clearer, we could have seen the stars, planets, and moon moving to the cadence of their respective formations. However, we mostly saw just gray shades of the many clouds moving through the area.
After several days of cloudy skies, we finally saw a sunrise, clearing blue skies, and the sunset. It was on this day that we noticed the days growing longer with more daylight and the shift in the sunrise from the far southeastern side of our property towards due east. This shift is very subtle, but we have enough trees and other markers to allow for measuring the change. Similarly, the sunset in the southwest moved more towards due west.
We look forward to this shift each year, for we know when it occurs that we have passed the shortest day and are now moving towards the longer days of spring. However, we must go through the shortest day to get to the longest day of summer. Only in going through the cycle of the seasons and the weather do we come to the here and now with the knowledge of the past to help us see the gift of the present.
“Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers.” –Rainer Maria Rilke
Song of the Week: News Release
Our song of the week is a favorite Christmas song that I only came to know about ten years ago. The song is actually a hymn whose words are simple. For our household, it not necessarily the words that speak to us, but rather the way the music unfolds, as if actually releasing the lyrics without the words.
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Refrain:
Go tell it on the mountain,
over the hills, and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light. [Refrain]
The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Savior’s birth. [Refrain]
Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation
that blessed Christmas morn. [Refrain]
Question of the Week: Must One See?
Our question of the week stems from my vision issue, which set us to some deep thought and inner contemplation as the dogs and I rested on the couch one day. We were lying there listening to the seemingly unending rain and wondered if one must see in order to observe. After a lot of contemplation, we came to the conclusion that no, it is not necessary to physically see something in order to observe. We can still observe through actions and inner reflections, and though this type of observation may lack clarity in the short term, the long term effect is one of true vision and not just sight.
“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” –John F. Kennedy
Words of the Week: Remember These
Our words of the week from the Daily Word devotional include faith, comfort, release, world peace, ease, and order. Faith is the unseen light that guides the soul within to comfort. Once comfort is met, one is able to release the old and move forward to an inner world peace. This does not come with ease, but does lead to the realization that sometimes one must allow the order of nature to lead, which turns the battle within around.
“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” –Francis Bacon
May the year that was lead us to embrace the knowledge accrued in time. May the tides that turn and the waters that flow in the current of life continue on the journey to the shores of peace.
The Year That Was
Sunrise to sunset
Through this life and back again
Around the paths woven
Of what has been chosen
By God’s grace to be
In the next dawn’s breeze,
Ever leading the soul
Of the mind needing to unfold
So that the fear that come
Be lost in the year that was.
Morning dove on the wire
Before the love of the light’s fire
Casting shadows over the dew
While tapping the shoulder of truth
As the clover comes to life
Over and over beneath the skies
Rolling onward beneath the heaven’s watch
Over the ponds and the crops
To cheer the seedling young
Past the year that was.
Ever changing mystery
In the rearranging of what comes to be
Ever present gift of time
Sent to bend and stretch the mind
So as to open the eyes within
Through the experience given
Of work, rest, and play
From the chords beset by the sun’s rays
Held dear in the Lord’s love
In and through the year that was.
-Lisa A. Wisniewski
A Note of Thanks
Our thanks this week goes out to the year that was 2021. During the year, we were able to collect what we call some vital statistics in our household. Some numbers that stand out from the rest include:
5, the number of months Lena has lived with us
6, the number of years since Leo was born
13, the number of years Sadie graced my life (still love you Sweet Pea!)
50, the number of blog posts written in 2021
118, number of poems we wrote in 2021
350, number of days I went biking in 2021
1868.7, number of miles I ran in 2021
Though many may remember 2021 as being not so great, we will recall it as a year of great growth physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Thanks to all our viewers for hanging in there with us.
-Lisa, Leo, and Lena
Natural Deltas 