On Our Way to “Fifty Days to Praise”

Where We Have Been

For the past 28 weeks from April through to October, I have shared my reflections on the Book of Ephesians. I needed to focus my thoughts and studying a book gave me direction. Once I began there was no going back. Ephesians demands much time and study. The more I studied, the more I found. Paul covers a lot of ground in Ephesians and as a result I discovered much. If I were to go back through it, I know I could discover more. Yet as I ponder what to do next, I am aware of several things.

Where We Are

For one, my life is in transition and perhaps I learn that in my life, transition is constant! This spring my husband retired from pastoring. Not sure which way to turn, we purchased a trailer with the anticipation of travel and parked at a Christian Retreat Centre for the summer. None too soon, as snow has already found us, we closed our trailer. For now, God has supplied for us, an apartment. Following that time, we plan to visit our daughter in Calgary over Christmas and then to head to Texas for a break from Canada’s winter. 

For another, I am cluttered in my thinking. I realize that the book I am writing about my mother consumes many of my thoughts. I want to do her justice and to do so takes time. I am reconnecting with my family in the area. I need to probe their minds for the memories they have, and to make up for the years when life was busy with children, work schedules and distance. I also realize I need more time in prayer in order to approach my days with a sound mind rather than being blown hither and yon by the multitude of negative and dreary news around me.

 Finally, there is the awareness of the upcoming advent season. I want to include it into my reflections. As a result, plans for Christmas add to all the other things in my head striving for attention.

Where Are We Going

As I consider all these things, I realize that the best thing for me over the next 10 weeks is to concentrate on praise. Thus, for the next ten weeks, I will reflect on “Fifty days of Praise.” I believe this is what my soul needs in these upcoming days and perhaps yours also as we continue to wade through the mire of a pandemic, tumultuous political unrest, and a sick and weary world. I know to look to Jesus brings what we yearn for, and praise brings Him close. My prayer is that as we learn in the next fifty days to praise, there will be a change in the atmosphere around us and we will know with a refreshed certainty that God is with us.