God's love and kindness will shine upon us like the sun that rises in the sky. On us who live in the dark shadow of death this light will shine to guide us into a life of peace. - Luke 1:78-79 (CEV)
(Images in today's blog found on-line - not mine)There's always the temptation, especially when I wake up on a Monday morning with an impossibly busy week ahead, to throw myself into work headlong, generate a list, and begin checking off items with my "production" mentality cranked up to high gear.
I've been fighting the urge since 6:00 this morning! It's been a bit of a struggle but so far, I'm doing Okay.
Instead, I've chosen to focus on what's important. The morning devotion; the relaxed walk; the coffee and newspaper with Rebekah; an unhurried breakfast together. And so now - and when I finish writing this post I'll be pretty much good-to-go - I can approach what needs to be accomplished with my body, mind and spirit all tuned in and ready to contribute to a great day.
It's that idea of "Initial Trajectory" again. This is one of my favorite phrases, and the concept is useful every day and with every single project. We used the phrase in advertising the BIG NEW ITEM that has my attention this morning: My first-ever on-line class begins today (or possibly already has begun, because I made some of today's assignments and announcements available to participants yesterday afternoon).
- Here's the first part of the blurb in the "catalog": "Rocket scientists know that "initial trajectory" is critical to the success of any launch; just a few degrees off and we can miss the destination by hundreds of miles. Too many of us miss the meaning of Christmas by a similar margin. But there's hope – actually, there's hope, peace, love and joy..."
Here's what I'm looking to accomplish over the 14 days we'll spend (virtually) "together" - and it's the same intention I pray we all bring to this new day and this new week:
- I pray that there's not any wasted time - because we already run into too much of that...
- I pray that the things we discuss will open hearts to the possibility of Grace - because, as Eagles front man Don Henley wrote in "The Heart of the Matter" - we live in "such a graceless age"...
- I pray that the scriptures we read will bring each one of us closer to the heart of God - because the heart of God is our true home...
- I pray that the manner in which we approach each new day will involve an openness to the Spirit - because we tend (routinely) to let ourselves be guided by the priorities of this culture - values and ideals that are contrary to God's heart...
- I pray that each one of us identify ourselves as a pilgrim, committed to making progress in our spiritual journey - because so much of the time we go nowhere, or slip backwards, and there is so much that God wants us to journey into...
This is my Initial Trajectory for today, for this week, for my new class - and I pray it's a the kind of intention that will be adopted by each one who reads these words. How we head out of the gate - off the launch pad - makes all the difference in terms of the destination. And I don't want to miss any of the wonder God has in mind for me.Love and blessings - DEREK
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.
- Luke 1:76-79 (NIV)
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