Worldly Witness

As I told you earlier, our Christmas dinners used to be a frenzy of eating until dessert. In Gran’s house, dessert came with a cup of tea. Kettle not boiled meant a Granny-inflicted pause before dessert. That tea kettle never seemed to be on the boil at the right time. It always took longer on special days. I used to think Gran was plain exhausted after days of prep time. Perhaps she and the kettle both ran out of steam together.

Now I realize that she purposely created those moments so we’d have to sit, catch our breath, digest our food and actually visit with the rest of the family.

With tea cups full, pies and cookies on the dinner table, we’d all relaxed.  We were ready for a long linger over dessert.

Are we contributing to the calm, peaceful joy of the season or are we adding to the worldly wildness that surrounds us?

Do we shop till we drop? Are we too busy to go to church, sing carols or hug a child for an extra long time? Let’s not speed up time that already passes too quickly.

Psalm 39:5-You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure (NIV).

Prayer: Lord when all around us are charging full speed ahead, help us bring calm to the moment with a word, a cup of tea, a whispered prayer. Amen.

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