Climb on a Back that's Strong (11/06)

Haven’t logged since August. (Haven’t slowed down since August!) Labor Day brought a gathering of 20 or so neighbors up to the house. It was great getting to know everyone better. Two weeks later, 40 came up for a rehearsal bbq dinner for our youngest, and his new wife. The following weekend, a solo exhibit began at a local gallery, which started a flurry through October and November, where the studio (and offsite jobs) buzzed with activity. A niece married in mid-November, and our Thanksgiving miracle arrived, 6 pounds, 10 oz, born at home to our oldest and her proud family. The last few weeks have been prepping for a church Christmas presentation. Sets, choir direction and rehearsal for solos take time, in addition to leading worship every other weekend. Some of these activities are self-inflicted, but many that we face in any given year are not. Sometimes life is just plain busy.In all of this noise, though, I’ve found something very quieting. You can still let go. As I write, I break from work on a landscape piece depicting a recent getaway spot. The reference photos only show so much, and memory and imagination must be called upon for the rest. This is where I often get stuck. But I’ve found that if I just relax and lay down the strokes, entering the joy of it all, beauty seems to come about all on its own, bringing detail and definition that I’d not have known how to bring in my own understanding. You could say that the mind disengages somewhat. It makes me think of my prayer language. You know: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8.26-27I know that painting (or any other earthly eneavor) doesn’t approach the loftiness of prayer, but I see a strange resemblance here. It’s in the letting go. In other words, I can paint with my understanding, or let go, and paint with the Spirit as my guide. We can do what we do each day with our understanding (which we should do) and then augment it by letting go into the mystery of what the Holy One residing within would like to add to our lives. All this to say that I move about these days in a bit of a flurry, but my head is still much quieter than it’s been, as I search out the amazing wonders of letting go. If something is not working out, I simply let it go and watch as He works it out eventually. If I’m up against a deadline that cannot possibly be reached, I drop it at His feet, and behold as He makes a way once again. Trust and rest is something that you can know with your head, but to actually disengage the need to do for yourself what only God can do for you is something many of us are just now learning even after many years in His arms.There’s no busier Season than the one we’re now entering, and I, for one am ready this year to “walk thru the fire without getting burned.” We cannot stop the ride and get off. We can select wisely our activities, set priorities, and stick to them, but the ride will still get a little wild now and then. Our hope: Let God handle it. He wants to. A popular song states, “Climb on to a back that’s strong.” Yeah. Climb on and let go. I like the logic.