01.09.2023 | Ordinary Monday

It's the first week of Ordinary Time.  The time of in-between.  Christmastide is over and is not yet time to prepare for the Easter season.  It's Ordinary time.  The time when the work continues.  Time to get things going.  The time of in-between.

I love the time of in-between.  It's the time to get the work done.  Set the schedules and get the supplies ready.  The old gardener loves to make plans and get those plans going.  I'm a fixer.  I'm the person who wants to get it done.  Let's fix it!  It's great until it's not so great.  The truth is, there are many things that we cannot fix no matter how hard we try.  We've learned those lessons the hard way over these past years.  We want so badly to fix the illness or prevent the heartbreak of loss.  I struggle with not being able to control things.  It's hard to give up that control.  Yet, as we have learned through difficult times, you often do not have an alternative.  You have to give it up to a higher power.  Give up the control.  Acknowledging that you can't always fix it.  Accepting that, sometimes, it can't be fixed. Difficult lessons for an old gardener.

Which is why I love the time of in-between.  The Ordinary time.  Time to get down to work. Make the plans and execute them. I'm learning that I don't have control and I can't fix everything.  I still make plans, knowing they don't always work.  I still try things and accept the failures.  I'm learning that I don't have control. It's difficult for an old gardener like me.  That is what Ordinary time is all about.  Time to learn and grow in-between the seasons. Learning and growing in Ordinary time.  Amen!
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