Travel Light

And what do all the great words come to in the end, but that? I love you -- I am at rest with you -- I have come home.  - Dorothy Sayers

It seems to me lately that our days are fluid, shifting winds in God's hands. Our life passes like a breath before his eternal, unchanging nature. Everywhere I see change, more change than I ever dreamed possible in mid-life. Meanwhile, Chris and I are at home as we go forward, as we change, because wherever we are is home. God is in the center, joining us together, making us a home. Coming to each new place is coming home, because God waits for us there.

Here's another lesson I learned this week: healthy boundaries are crucial for upward change.

By God's design, we cannot do everything and keep everything. This is wisdom and goodness. Choosing is part of growing. A life of choices is a life of growth and blessing in the growth. When we limit ourselves to a finite number of activities, we conserve energy for making upward change happen. This requires humility and an open hand. Instead of grasping, we must release things and opportunities, in order to move toward deeper goals. There will always be a life we didn't live; but if we choose well, our selection of one life over another is a meaningful part of our story. 

In our earthly existence, we have been given a stewardship. Upward change requires energy, effort, time, and discipline. Whatever we spend cannot be spent again. This is our agony and our glory -- the glory of created beings under the sovereign rule of an infinite Creator. In upward change, we must lift ourselves up a mountain of growth, along with all our gear. Hikers and mountain climbers are notoriously rigorous about the weight in their packs. Everyone stumbles along the way, aches from strenuous labor, and wonders if they will finish. Everyone realizes in the end that what brought them to the top was not a matter of gear, but a matter of the heart.

At the same time, no one makes it all the way with a heavy pack.  

The last five years have proved this rule: when struggling to move upward, remove something which is non-essential.  

Travel light in order to travel far.

Wave

We're in the middle of another heat wave. There has been a short break of two days since the last one. That last heat wave gave us 14 days of high temperatures at 99 or above, with dew points in the low 70s. As you might imagine, I have been staying inside where it's cool. Basically, I study Greek and Hebrew and occasionally I watch the heat waving from the pavement. Sometimes I wave back.


In spite of the heat, we ventured out this morning. We drove to McLeod's Farms which is an hour north of us. McLeod's has been a family business for exactly 100 years. They are located right off Hwy 1--an easy, old-fashioned drive from the north or the south. This is our favorite source for tree-ripened peaches. When we move, I will give up this luxury. The best peaches in the whole world are white-flesh varieties which have been left on the tree until the last minute, then picked by hand. They are too tender to ship. But even the other, sturdier varieties are less satisfying when shipped, since they must be picked earlier, before they are fully ripe.

Although I no longer pick the peaches myself (as I did in my childhood), I can poke my nose into the half-bushel box from McLeod's and pretend I'm standing in an orchard for a few minutes. This summer, Sundays are reserved for activities like this which let us relish the South for a few more weeks.

The heat is awful, no doubt. But there are many positive things about our southern life that we will miss.

Stock Up

Moving is an interesting time. With a few years between moves, I forget many of the unique aspects of those months when we pack up and relocate ourselves and our possessions. One of the weird lessons I have learned through several moves is that I will injure myself in odd ways. So I need to stock up on first-aid supplies before I pack the first box. Unfortunately, I forgot my lesson, and now I am relearning it.

After packing 30 boxes, I have experienced my first odd injury of this move. I can't quite figure out what I did to my second finger on my right hand. It's red, swollen, and painful on one side. It's almost like a hangnail but not quite. I'm soaking it in warm water and Dreft, an old standby that seems to help nearly every injury.

I'm still reading and studying and doing most of my normal activities. But I'm not typing much. So this post is short!

Remember, if you're moving, stock up on first-aid supplies before you pack your first box. You'll be glad you did.

Rest

In all of our striving and working, it is important to have times of rest. I hope you find this modern hymn by Keith and Kristyn Getty refreshing, as I have. To listen, just click on the link below:

Still, My Soul Be Still

Worship is an important part of my life. I usually begin my day with worship, and I view my work as an act of worship. In my daily ritual, I have discovered that worship takes me to a place of rest within my soul. Now, I am convinced that I could not even do my work without that place of stillness, where I remember who God is and who I am, as his creature and his redeemed child.

Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations!
I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46:10 ESV

Work

"So what are you doing? Are you doing anything? Do you have any down time?" Lately, people ask me these questions often. So I thought you might like to hear about my work routine.

I must study. In late August, I will take timed, comprehensive exams in Greek and Hebrew.  As a side benefit, these test preparations will sharpen my biblical languages for doctoral proficiency. All my coursework will be done with ancient biblical texts. Eventually, I will also study French, German, and Aramaic, for use in research, so I need to master Greek and Hebrew now.

Language skills are not all I need. I should read a variety of academic books to prepare for my program. In addition, my advisor has already engaged me in a search for a dissertation topic. Although this was a surprise, I have no doubts that he is guiding me wisely, including this early work on a topic. He has been a professor for decades, and he has successfully guided many students through many dissertations. In my planning, I include this dissertation work as part of my language study hours. But I am not doing it every week.

We're also moving. I need to pack a few boxes every day. I need to do other tasks for relocation, like finding a new apartment. There are people to consider, as well. Friends want to visit with me before we leave. Sometimes, they need my help. And I need to rest a little, so that I'm fully refreshed before my next educational adventure.

My current work schedule is a product of my own experiments and advice from friends and family. Here's how I'm working for 5-6 days a week:

•  I arise with the morning light for private worship, reading, and a relaxed coffee time.  
• Next, I dress and eat a healthy breakfast. Many days, I also start supper. For our meals, I let machines do most of the work. I use a crock pot, rice cooker, bread maker, and microwave. 
•  I start work at 8:00 with my study of Hebrew. I call this, "going to the office." I have a sweet little study corner in our apartment in front of a large window overlooking an empty field and some trees. That's my "office." When I am at my office, I work. That's why I'm there. I don't do other stuff. I don't check my email or phone. I work off-line. 
•  After 4 hours, I take a lunch break. I've stopped trying to fill my break time with useful activities, because I've realized that I need a respite. Hebrew study is demanding. I may look at Twitter over lunch, but the healthiest option is step away from my desk.
• After lunch, I go "back to the office." I study Greek for 4 hours.
• At 4:00 I take a nap if I'm tired. I'm awake before 5:00, savoring my last cup of coffee, which is mostly decaf. This is my "slow time."   
• On some afternoons, I visit with friends. To make time for social visits, I shorten or defer part of my language studies, or I begin studying earlier in the morning. 
• I finish making supper while listening to jazz piano. As the supper cooks, I answer email and phone calls or texts. I check Twitter. I choose my evening tasks and a reward.
• Chris and I talk about our day over a home-cooked, nutritious meal between 6:00-7:00. Supper doesn't last long, maybe 20-30 minutes.  
• After supper, I do some chores and packing. I try to finish by 8:00. Then I enjoy my reward. Last night, we watched an episode of Endeavor with some pineapple bread and peach tea. 
• Between 9:30 and 10:30, I follow a bedtime routine and fall asleep. Before drifting off, I read a fun book or write in a journal. I get a total of 7-9 hours of sleep in each 24-hour period. 

My language work is challenging and time-consuming. I have finally accepted this fact and simplified everything else in my life. Each day I need to review vocabulary, verb forms, and grammar and syntax rules. I also need to translate from the text, a task which requires my highest concentration. Then I need to check my translation and learn from my mistakes.

As you might imagine, there are other events which interrupt or shift my learning activities. These are part of normal life. Even so, a basic work pattern sets up a target, and aiming at that target helps me get more done. 

My schedule still needs refining.There are other habits for which I need to set a time. 

• When should I read my preparatory books? So far, I have read 4 books, as my first activity, making notes as I read. But this early reading can delay my start time for Hebrew. 
• What is the best time for exercise? I need 30-60 minutes a day. 
• I need to set aside a half-day for weekly chores. Where should I put it? 

Chime in with your thoughts. Friends and family have helped me develop my new routine. 

The photo shows a rock cairn we encountered on a trail in North Carolina. "Cairn" is a Scottish Gaelic word for a pile of stones arranged by human hands. Throughout the world, since ancient times, cairns have marked trails to identify locations and to direct travelers.