Wednesday, August 3, 2011

august.

 {Photo of Emma Stone by Kurt Iswarienko via Pinterest}

It’s about this time of year I become an absolute waste of human flesh. All I want to do is lay on top of clean white sheets with the fan on high, only interrupted by trips out to the pool. (Though if I really had my way, I’d just live at the beach for the entire summer, traveling back and forth from couch to waves all day long.) A couple of weekends ago, we had a free Saturday — the only one for weeks — and literally the only thing I had any desire to do was lay on the couch and watch Parks and Recreation. For hours. And hours.

This is what happens every August, by the way. The heat becomes unbearable, and every step I take outside results in frizzy hair, melting makeup, and sweat dripping (pouring?) down my back.

I’m reminded, again, of the gift of seasons, even the subtle ones the South experiences. How each winter, I become increasingly ready for spring, and each spring for the warmth of summer, and each summer for the new breath of fall. (Laken mentioned this very phenomenon here.) I am in awe of a Creator who, by His imagination and goodness, never tires of the cycle. He knows precisely when to turn the page, when enough is enough, and He grants us a new season, a new month, a new day. He does it all, over and over and over again.

But not me.

Without fail, there will be at least one day during the week — I’m guessing somewhere around Thursday — when I look at the clock or the calendar and say without fail, “Really? That’s it? It’s only Thursday?” I groan inwardly at the thought that each day, I get up, shower, brush my teeth, dress myself, and head to work. I come home and check the mail and walk the dog and cook dinner. And I do it all again, day after day, and by Thursday, it has become dull. I am ready for a schedule-less Saturday, for date nights and dinners out, for movies and trips to the grocery store.

Yet each season and day is given to us with joy by the Father. He gets up and does it again and again and again.

He is strong where we are so very weak.

“For grown-up people,” writes G.K. Chesterton, “are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, ‘Do it again’ to the sun; and every evening, ‘Do it again’ to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”

My Father is a Father of seasons, a God who exults in the ability to bring us days and months and seasons, over and over, world without end. And my little human heart can barely stand how awesome it is that He does it all because He loves me.

11 comments:

Denise K said...

Very interesting concept--that God is younger than we are, and never gets tired of the world and the cycle of life. Hmm.

I'm praying for Fall right along with ya. :) haha

Laken said...

What a great quote by Chesterton.

I've been thinking the same thing the past few days -- I'm craving fall but I'm not ready to break up with summer. I feel like I'm constantly reminding myself that I'm not the one in charge here and God will bring the change at exactly the perfect moment. And until then, all we can do is revel.

Marli said...

So true, Annie. Thank you for that.

Unknown said...

right there with you! all my girlfriends love august and I despise it, humidity is never a cute look :)
I used to live in Ohio so I do miss the seasons...but going to the beach in January is a pretty even trade off.

Leslie said...

i read this and nodded, and nodded. i tire of seasons repeatedly and quickly and it really is so silly. God patiently knows right when to change the scenery, just as you said. beautifully written reminder to recognize His creativity, timing, and how those are intertwined. may we learn that often and reflect it generously.

Brunella said...

From Italy
dear Annie forgive my bad english. You are for me an ispiration and I decide to delete facebook for a better virtual way: a little blog that i want dedicate to you for beautiful and spiritual ispiration that you give to me with your words.
I love seasons and Mother Nature, all the beautiful things in the world that the Creator gives to us.
August form and my son Francesco is a quiet moment, a special time to spend in the nature near home. Walking is a blessed time and cooking too :)
Thank you so very much
Brunella

Jules said...

I loved this, Annie. You are an amazing writer.

Annie said...

i've been wrestling with this myself lately. just about every week of my summer has looked exactly the same, except scheduling time with friends and going home some weekends. and i'm getting tired of the monotony and almost ready for school to begin again, because it will bring with it a new schedule and routine.

i love the g. k. chesterton quote you shared. i think it's our love of adventure that makes us so discontent with monotony, but i also think we've failed to consider that maybe we're supposed to be finding the adventures among the mundane. hmm. i'll have to keep considering that throughout today.

Unknown said...

I just posted today how I am waiting for cooler weather and fall and even as I was writing it I had the nagging feeling that I would be complaining in the Fall that winter would be here and then it would be cold.

I love how you spoke so eloquently of this constant wanting something else when God has to deal with the same thing everyday. It does make me stop for a moment and rethink my need for something else all the time and instead just appreciate what is now.

Thanks for always making me pause.

Sincerely,

Julie

P.S. I AM SO HAPPY that I found your blog!

Kelly Sauer said...

I am half-living in anticipation of Christmas right now, and ruminating over the same things you've written here.

Yesterday, as I was sitting on my couch (LOL - b/c my body is a total waste for lyme treatment right now, or maybe because it's August - I love that!), I realized that monotony doesn't get to me anymore the way it used to.

Maybe it is that I have been sick, and I've had my heart broken. Once that happened and the things I wanted to do couldn't be done and my days stopped being predictable. When your quality of life is compromised, you learn to see more, live more, and soon the days just aren't enough to hold it all.

Julianne said...

I loved this and the quote by Chesterton. What an awesome Father we have. :)