The Smell of New Erasers

Looks like a rainy Monday morning.

That's okay, because after the abundance of this past weekend I'm all good with settling in all snug to work quietly inside.

And with so many conversations, so much crunched into the past two days, it's good to be back by the water to unpack and process.

It won't be an entirely quiet week though. Contrary to my concern that working and living up here for the fall would somehow make me "disconnected," I am "connecting" via meetings and conversations every single day this week. Such is the benefit (and responsibility) of technology.

And such is the nature of swinging back into fall's start up of life and ministry. With 'back to school' comes all the other rituals of seasonal new beginnings, and it's not just the changing colours or crisper mornings that signal a time of refocus. It's a collective sense of what I might call 'the smell of new erasers' that means we're ready for the ways our lives productively move forward within the framework of structure and routine between September and June, weather we're in school or not.

Sort of like how making your bed in the morning helps provide a more successful mindset throughout the day (Google Navy Seal Admiral William McRaven's inspirational speech), fall's 'reset' sets us up for the season.

I suppose I thought that, being away from the city, I might miss out on that 'new fall beginnings' feeling. Happily, such is not the case. There's still reports from grandchildren as to how the first days of school have gone. There's still an annual Garage Sale to organize. There's still the 'firsts' of gatherings and meetings, and kick off celebrations, and seasonal goal setting and mapping out of plans.

Yup. No problem. I'm feeling fall big time. Smelling all 'earaser-y' here.

Sadly, because I love doing this, all my fall décor is packed nicely away in storage, I'm not too worried though, because, hey, there's no lack of pine cones and acorns and (soon) coloured leaves right outside the door to be creative with. We've decided against getting a pumpkin for the deck, though, because....bears.

And yes, I realize, and very much hope that, in a few days some summer weather will be back for a visit. I have zero problem with that, and will be enjoying as much outside work on the deck as I can squeeze out of the next few weeks.

But in other ways, the fall feeling is upon us, and I'm ready.

To all those still adjusting to new routines, strength and patience to you as you pack those lunches and get everyone out the door this morning. May you be graced with little moments of delight in the small things, and may you be present enough in those moments to let them fuel your soul.

To anyone feeling disconnected, may there be moments of meaningful exchange, enough to remind you of how beautiful and important you are.

To everyone stepping out into new adventures this fall, may you be inspired and invigorated by all that possibility!

Monday, here we come!

What I Love About Labour Day

It's the Labour Day Holiday Monday and we are here, home in the city, and I am really very fine with that.

There are a number of reasons Ken and I normally opt out of staying at the cottage over this weekend, noise and traffic being just two of them.  But if I think about it, the best part of this weekend for me every year is the chance it gives me to get my house in order.

By 'house', I don't just mean our physical home, but that's part of it.  It's more or less that sense that a new season of work is about to begin, and here's the chance to put everything in place - on the calendar, on my desk and workspace, on the bookshelves and files, in the closets (especially the sock drawer), in the kitchen, out on the porch - and basically anywhere where I will be working and living and moving.  If it's in place and in order now, not only am I better set up for success in anything that's on the books, but I am also better able to handle all the unexpected and incidentals that will no doubt and almost immediately require some time and attention.

While I am a summer girl through and through, I love September for this.

It's like a bit of a reset for the season ahead, that time between summers when 'regular life' and 'regular schedules' set the tone and rhythm of all the good work we get to do.

So all weekend that's been my unhurried, non-anxious focus.  And today I get to just finish it all up, straighten out all the last little things, and then get ready for a very casual meal together with friends at the end of the day.

"Unhurried and non-anxious" has been a lovely theme for me over the summer months.  While there was significant loss, I also had the time and space to grieve and rest and think and write and kayak and gather blueberries.  And be Gramma.  And it was healing and revealing.

A word, a concept, a theme that's repeatedly come up in the journaling and prayer times is "Enough."

This seems to me to be related to a few layers of nuance.  

One, it is a descriptor of my inner self right now.  Here at the beginning of a new season, I am replenished, restored, rested,  I do not have a sense of neediness in my spirit.  What I have is 'enough' and then some.  I am over the top grateful for this, as I can't recall feeling this content for a very very long time.  Past journals (which I brought with me to reflect on over the summer) confirm this.

But the other nuance, and this is more related to Labour Day and my approach to work, has more to do with the lovely responsibilities I have been given at this point in my life, my life's work, and a sense that loving and serving our children in Thailand is more than 'enough' for me to be doing right now.  I experience what the psalmist expresses in probably the most well known of the psalms, chapter 23: "My cup overflows."  

Beyond that, there is more to unpack from all of this.  To protect my "Enough" there will need to be some "nos", and some good discernment to go with.  And my tendency to overwork for all the wrong reasons is still part of my wiring.  But in my own spiritual formation, as I regularly submit all the ways I do not reflect the Jesus I say I follow to the Spirit's work in me, there is a movement on this, I think.  I hope.  

Today I am thinking of all the teachers, students, parents getting ready for a new season of school.

I am thinking of all the pastors and ministry leaders getting ready for a new season of serving.

I am thinking of everyone whose summer was anything but restful, and are heading into the next few weeks feeling anything but ready, and I am praying for you.  I've had those seasons too.  They're brutal and pressing and shows us what we're made of and how sufficient our God is.  

Strength and peace to you to all.