Life is a Gift, Use it Well

Summer is just about over, schools are back in session and church life is in full swing.  Routine is quickly setting in. Although many of us enjoy the ease of summer, the slower pace and the opportunity to get out of town, there is just something about being back in a routine that many of us thrive on.

A routine is the way in which we thoughtfully set out to live each day. 

As we are filling up our schedules for this fall, or being careful to not fill our calendars too full, may we be mindful of the way in which we prioritize our commitments, recognizing that our schedules set the direction of our lives. 

You may say that you are too busy to have a well thought-out schedule, that your routine is a given.  Many families rush from home, to work, to daycare, to sporting events, barely able take a deep breath.  On the other hand, some of us may have slowed down too much and are looking for a new purpose.   No matter what stage of life we may be, we know that God did not create us to live frantically from sun up to sun down nor to retreat into endless stagnation.  It is important that we seize opportunities to live fully, giving of ourselves yet knowing when to retreat, taking time to nourish our souls.

How can we order our lives to have balance with a deeper sense of purpose and meaning? 

Episcopal Day School’s guiding theme for the new school year is, “See clearly, love dearly, follow nearly,” setting the focus of the students and staff for their lives together in God.  It is a wonderful prayer for all of our lives, from preschooler, to the eldest among us. 

When we put God first by seeking His will, honoring Him with a thankful heart, and setting our priorities around living a life of faith, we are able to live as we were created to live, with purpose, gratitude and joy.  Even when our routines are interrupted, we can rest in the assurance of God’s perfect will, as Julian of Norwich so eloquently notes, ...in God, “All will be well and all manner of things shall be exceedingly well.”

It has been said that the most important thing in your life is not what you do; it’s who you become. 

May we seek a better way to live, the way God uniquely designed for each one of us to “be” and find a deep sense of His purpose for our lives in each and every day. 

I pray that we will focus everyday on God’s care and keeping; to see Him clearly, to love Him dearly, and to follow Him more nearly.

For life is a gift, use it well. 

Lynn +