Thursday, April 25, 2013

K.I.S.,S.


(Backyard visitor wants to stay South for the summer.)



Life is complicated now.

I woke up and hit the ground running with anxiety.

Which situation needs addressing first?
Which phone call is most urgent?
Which plans need rearranging?
Should I do A or B or C?

I’ve had too much coffee.

I feel so confused.

Unfortunately, this is a state in which many of us have a home address.

Instead of “Hi, my name is Kim and I’m from Georgia,” I could say “Hi, I’m from the state of Confusion.” Or “Hi. I’m from the lovely state of Anxiety.” Or “Hey. I’m from Discombobulation.”

Where do you come from?

The world swirls ever faster and more violently, it seems. Yet I long to inhabit a state of Peace. A state of Simplicity. A state of Trust. A state of Joy.

But there are so many choices and options. So many issues. So much stimulation. So many distractions.

Mainly, there are so many Situations.

I am weary of dealing with situations, aren’t you?

And that is the problem.  That’s what makes everything complicated. I am “trying to deal.” Doing instead of being again. Spinning wheels instead of stillness. Noise instead of quiet. Complexity rather than simplicity.

‘Tis a gift to be simple…

I force myself to sit down. Close eyes. Be still.

Trust me, it’s not easy.

Squirmy kid in the time-out chair at first. Gradually, deep breathing quiets. Birds sing spring joy outside the window. Listen. Slow. Receive. Hear.

Finally, a dialogue:

But everything’s so complicated. (Sniff, sniff, nose-blow.)
It doesn’t need to be.
How can it not be?
Keep it simple.

It used to be so simple. I think back to carefree childhood days. Dressed in starchy petticoats and patent leather mary janes, hair curled on socks overnight. Sunday School. A little pink paperback book.

We would be tested later, to make sure we were serious about “joining the church.” I’m not sure I had a clue what that actually meant at the time.

More than 50 years later, these words come back to me:

What is the chief end of man?

To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.*

That’s it???

Two things, that encompass all.

Two things to do…


glorify

and

enjoy.


That’s so simple.


Or is it?


***************


What state do you live in most of the time?

If I can manage to “keep it simple” for a while, I’d like to explore what those two verbs mean in days ahead.


           (*Westminster Confession)
***************

           NEWSFLASH! Granny's getting hip!

           Follow me on Instagram at kimberlytarnold.

           (I don't begin to know how to tell you to do this if you don't know already.)

           Photo at the top was my first offering. It gets cuter after that. 


           Sometimes I feel like a goose, too. (But with its head cut off.)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

What you're going through can't be easy, but I believe that you genuinely want to follow Him, even if you're not always quite sure how that works out in terms of all the phone calls, or there is simply too much for one person to realistically accomplish at once, and that counts for a whole lot. You really do care about being a good person. There's nothing stupid about you. I believe He sees you trying, and that's what He wants above all, that we keep following.

God bless you and your family. Em

Anonymous said...

Margery, come back!

Anonymous said...

... you have nothing more to say?

Anonymous said...

I miss your writing...but, even more, your spirit and heart.

Trish said...

miss you

annie m said...

Sorely missing you and caring for you with God's love...and mine too! annie

Trish said...

missing your blog very much.

Trish said...

missing your blog very much.