Thursday, September 15, 2016

Crossing the Charles River



"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow."
-Mary Jean Irion

Being in a 9-month graduate program is like experiencing freshman and senior year at the same time. It's my first year and it's my last year. It's my first fall and my last fall. It is almost as if I came with a set notion that I will leave soon. While this mindset has allowed me to really reflect before making every decision (where I will live, what church I will commit to, what courses I will take, etc.), I am also realizing that it has almost convinced me that I am in control of everything. That there is ONE right path, and I must choose the right one because my entire future is at stake. I've been feeling very  s t u c k  while grappling with these decisions, and I almost envy the Charles River, which I pass on a frequent basis. 

I love that it just flows. There are ripples and not all are the same. It invites the city to admire it, enjoy it, bask in it. Honestly, it's not really that special (actually quite dirty if you ask me), but what makes it beautiful is its surroundings. How the sun's last rays dance across its surface, how the city lights cast its glittering lights across it. It just is. 

Lord, you called me here. You uprooted me from a deep, loving community in Dallas and gently placed me here all the way out here in Cambridge. So during this season, help me to be present. So present. I do not want to lose what you have for me today because I am already eagerly chasing after tomorrow. 

So here's a humble reminder that tomorrow is not guaranteed.
But the Lord's goodness and faithfulness I can rely on. 
And a gentle reminder that He is with me now.