Discerning
I am sure you think I have fallen into an abyss. Well, I have, the abyss of work. I am slowly climbing back out, for the time being. I would like to report that work has not been fun of late, and it has been rather stressful. I have seen lots of interesting cases over the last several weeks, but none to really talk about.
Fall is my very favorite season of the year. I feel like I almost missed it because of all this work, but I have tried my best to walk around the neighborhood and really try to breathe in this wonderful cool air. I realize that spring is the season when most people embrace change, but for me "change" in life always occurs during fall. So, what is changing? Well, I am actively discerning life.
Have you ever "discerned"? Don't get me wrong, we are all constantly discerning God's desire for our life. But how many of us take the time to name our discernment. To actually pray and meditate, looking for the clues in our lives to what God is calling us to do. Honestly, I have been in the midst of this discernment for a while now, and I probably have been spending my writing energy on my private discernment rather than this public blog.
The thing about discerning is that you never know where it will lead. On one hand that is very exciting, but on the other hand that is scary. It is so easy to let other people's ideas of what your life should look like, suddenly begin to shape your future. I wonder what my life, as well as many of my friends' lives, would look like if we had all been given a discernment committee when we went to college. Seriously, what if, upon entering college, or graduating high school, we were all assigned a group of people who helped evaluate yourself and your life ambitions.
Truth be told, I think it would have been another meeting that we were all required to attend. I think I have already mentioned that I chose to become a History major because I could make good grades and maintain my social life, I am sure my parents cringe at this thought. Honestly, I can't even recall how I came to be on a path to law school. However, I am grateful for the path which has led me to the place I am in today.
The truth is we all entered college with this huge weight to carry, the weight of "being successful." I often wonder to myself, what is success. I know lots of people who will tell you that making a lot of money is being successful. I received a letter from a woman today who served a total of ten years in prison, not counting her time in rehab. She was letting us know that she has been doing really well and has been sober for a long time now. She even sent pictures. I think her definition of success would be quite different than the weight so many of us carry around.
I guess my point is, discernment for me is less about figuring out what I can do to become "successful" and more about figuring out what it is God is calling me to be and do in this life - the one life we are given. I challenge you, during this wonderful time of year, to do the same.
Fall is my very favorite season of the year. I feel like I almost missed it because of all this work, but I have tried my best to walk around the neighborhood and really try to breathe in this wonderful cool air. I realize that spring is the season when most people embrace change, but for me "change" in life always occurs during fall. So, what is changing? Well, I am actively discerning life.
Have you ever "discerned"? Don't get me wrong, we are all constantly discerning God's desire for our life. But how many of us take the time to name our discernment. To actually pray and meditate, looking for the clues in our lives to what God is calling us to do. Honestly, I have been in the midst of this discernment for a while now, and I probably have been spending my writing energy on my private discernment rather than this public blog.
The thing about discerning is that you never know where it will lead. On one hand that is very exciting, but on the other hand that is scary. It is so easy to let other people's ideas of what your life should look like, suddenly begin to shape your future. I wonder what my life, as well as many of my friends' lives, would look like if we had all been given a discernment committee when we went to college. Seriously, what if, upon entering college, or graduating high school, we were all assigned a group of people who helped evaluate yourself and your life ambitions.
Truth be told, I think it would have been another meeting that we were all required to attend. I think I have already mentioned that I chose to become a History major because I could make good grades and maintain my social life, I am sure my parents cringe at this thought. Honestly, I can't even recall how I came to be on a path to law school. However, I am grateful for the path which has led me to the place I am in today.
The truth is we all entered college with this huge weight to carry, the weight of "being successful." I often wonder to myself, what is success. I know lots of people who will tell you that making a lot of money is being successful. I received a letter from a woman today who served a total of ten years in prison, not counting her time in rehab. She was letting us know that she has been doing really well and has been sober for a long time now. She even sent pictures. I think her definition of success would be quite different than the weight so many of us carry around.
I guess my point is, discernment for me is less about figuring out what I can do to become "successful" and more about figuring out what it is God is calling me to be and do in this life - the one life we are given. I challenge you, during this wonderful time of year, to do the same.
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