01.05.2025 | Monday in Christmastide

Silence and Sanctuary
 
This morning, like most mornings, I start the coffee and then head out into the garden with the little Doodle girl trotting at my heels. My day usually begins with the need to step outside. I crave a bit of fresh air and a moment to watch the birds gather at the old red feeders hanging from our Dogwood tree.
 
It amazes this old gardener how much we change as we age. If you knew me as a younger man, you would never guess that one of my greatest joys would become working in a garden. But now it is something I crave, something necessary for relaxation and renewal. When the world feels as if it is spinning off its axis in the absolute wrong direction, I still have the garden.
 
The garden has become my spiritual home. A place to get away from the noise and the anger and simply be. A place to be one with the Creator of all things. Digging in the dirt and pulling weeds make me a happy old man. My doctor agrees that just twenty minutes outside can lower stress, restore focus, and ease anxiety. I think we could all use a little more of that these days.
 
Lately, I have been burying my head in the sand and avoiding the news as much as possible. I will admit it. I am frightened by what is happening. I feel helpless and scared. The constant buzz of anxiousness can be relentless, and I am no longer able to process a steady diet of chronic stress.
 
So, the garden calls.
The coffee is ready.
The Doodle girl is always ready for a walkabout.
And a moment of prayer by walking is exactly what my soul needs.
 
As I step into the morning light, I remember the promise:
“The Lord will guide you continually and you shall be like a watered garden.”
-Isaiah 58:11
 
Let me slow down.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Reconnect with myself and with my Creator.
 
As Jimmy Buffett taught us all:
“Breathe in. Breathe out. Move on.”
 
May the quiet find you before the noise does.
May the morning light rest gently on your shoulders.
May the garden steady your spirit and remind you that you are loved.
And may the One who waters every living thing guide you, renew you,
and lead you toward peace.
 
Go in gentleness, rooted and restored.
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