Psalm 103 (NRSV)
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
My mom has been retired for about 21 years now. For many years, she worked as an elementary school teacher, good work she loved and counted as joy! When she retired, I remember asking her what she was looking forward to the most—and I will never forget her answer. She said she was looking forward to noticing the seasons as they changed. She went on to say that during all those years she taught school, she often left the house before the sun was up and came home to get dinner ready, grade papers and go over her lesson plans for the next day. Seasons would come and go with little recognition that anything had changed. She looked forward to sitting on her expansive back porch overlooking a wooded area behind the house and noticing every little change as one season gave way to the other.
It occurs to me that I have NOTICED things over these past 6 months that I have not paid attention to, or perhaps have not adequately appreciated in a long time. One of the things I have NOTICED during the days of Corona-altered living is the full moons that have come and gone. Last night marked our 6th full moon since mid-March. Apparently, it is a “corn” moon, named such when the September full moon is not the one closest to the first day of autumn. Whatever the name, it was a beautiful sight last night, peeking through my big oak trees! Sometimes pre-Covid, I would get irritated by the light of the full moon easing around my curtains and making my room look like the light of day streaming in. I might even get out of bed to make sure I hadn’t left an outside light on somewhere. I am not a naturally good sleeper and sometimes I can get anxious if something makes me wakeful and then lack of sleep becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. But without keeping a regular office schedule with an early wakeup alarm looming, I nod at the full moon and smile, appreciating that I have gotten to see one more! In October, we will have an uncommon occurrence of two full moons: the “harvest” moon on October 1st and then another full moon on October 31st, Halloween! This won’t happen again until 2039! We ought to take some time to NOTICE this.
God has given us so many things worth NOTICING! Each sunset is a gift unlike any other that will come our way. Clear nights give us views of constellations that ought to leave our jaw hanging a bit. Budding flowers open slowly and careful observation of the process can give us a happy anticipation of what is to come. What have you noticed lately that reminds you of God’s “benefits,” of God’s “steadfast love and mercy”? If there is anything worth learning from the Corona-days, it is certainly that there is much joy in slowing down and NOTICING things. May we hold these lessons close as we return to a more ordinary rhythm of life!
Oh Lord, give me eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart open to greater understanding—every day! In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
A special note: I’ll be having a bit of surgery next Thursday, September 10th, which is “my” day to provide you with some devotional thoughts. This is nothing too serious and nothing to worry about, but I would love your prayers. You may not hear from me for a couple of weeks, but you will be close to my heart as I recuperate at home and “NOTICE” what I hope to be some early signs that a new season is close at hand!
Blessings,
Laura
