Change as Rest

The times they are a changing – sorry about that; I felt the need to insert a little Dylan into your day. But they are. Even if it keeps snowing – the seasons have changed.

In the church world, it is now post Easter. Which is the most exciting time in the church world because almost nothing happens! Exciting? You bet! Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter – all of these are high holy days with lots and lots happening. We run through the life of Jesus, metaphorically, in a few scant months and throw ourselves into our faith. There are feasts and fasting, studies and practices... it is work.

I suppose it may be a chicken and egg sort of argument, how our society got on to this rhythmic movement through the year – maybe the church invented it and the civic world took it over, maybe church just adapted the way most people lived their lives... but it is not just in church circles that the times are changing – it is a universal Canadian phenomenon.

This week most University campuses will begin exams – or finish classes. And by the end of the month everyone will go home and find a summer job – perhaps a summer romance – perhaps move back in with their parents and realize how much things have changed....

And what about retired people who now have to open cottages, plant gardens, clean up lawns...

Life has a rhythm and we here in Canada certainly fall prey to it more than some other people – because we have the two main seasons – one where it is too cold to be outside without intention, and one where it is too warm to want to be inside since we spent the last 6 months there.

And life changes because of it. Things slow down, people change focus, and we really do try to make the most of everything around us.

Or at least – that is what I always thought, and what I always hoped. I have lived in a few different ways in the past year, even worked the most minimum wage job you can get – three months in a call centre. Because I had to. Because I chose to walk away from active ministry for a while and get a change of perspective after 20 years in the church.

But again, this is what I am saying, there is a rhythm - a different time and place for everything.

Long long ago some court prophet wrote a poem about it which crept into the religious texts of the day – for everything there is a season, and a time for everything under heaven – a time to live, a time to die, a time for sunshine and a time for snow, a time for ice cream and a time for tea.....

And it is wisdom, deep deep wisdom straight from the soul. A change is as good as a rest goes the current slogan, which it is most certainly not, but there is wisdom there too. We all need the changes that a different season, a different place, a different perspective grant us. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results – so take advantage of whatever changes are coming with this seasonal shift from cold to hot and do something different!

You see, that is the thing, faith is not about some pie in the sky different way of living, it is about seeing the world around you for what it is and living with intention. So embrace the changes, be open to the spirit, and live with intention!

Brett Anningson Brett Anningson is the chaplain at University of New Brunswick and is passionate about progressive Christianity and relating faith to modern culture.

Spring Dawn

Faith Today - Moncton Times and Transcript - April 21 2012

Whatever your views on climate change, this spring sure seems different.

I can’t remember ever being out mid-April in the 25 degree sunshine in the Maritimes. I can’t remember the picnic parks opening up long before the Victoria Day weekend. I have even considered swimming… but when I put my feet in the water that idea quickly changes.

It may seem like it was ancient history, but it was not so long ago that people with a religious bent prayed, sacrificed, danced, and otherwise implored the gods to change the weather. Most of us have probably even tried this ourselves, praying to god for sunshine when we want to go to the beach, or rain when we want to get out of something. How about a snowstorm on exam day? I was guilty of that once or twice.

I am not if anyone remembers the movie Bruce almighty, where there is this one man who is given the power of God to teach him a lesson. He tries to change the weather, or make the moon brighter, and in the meantime nearly wipes out the other side of the planet because he has thrown off all the tides and oceans.

There is a balance that is impossibly complex to figure out. In fact, some scientists claim that if a butterfly flaps their wings on the other side of the world it changes the air currents way over here.

Which I guess is what has always troubled me about the whole prayer scenario. If I pray for sunshine and the farmer really needs rain, do I win if I am more faithful? I’m a minister, do my prayers count double? They don’t seem to on those beach days when it rains.

This may seem trivial, but what about when we start praying for a child to survive a night of sickness? What if we pray to survive a natural disaster?

It seems to me just a little arrogant to think that my needs trump the needs of the rest of the planet; even if it is life and death.

Also, realizing the complexity of all things, how can I personally decide when my needs are more valuable than the needs of other people?

So perhaps I am more inclined to be like the people who say, “It is in God’s hands” and trust in that. This is what Jesus supposedly did in the garden of Gethsemane when he said, “If there is any way to get out of this crucifixion thing, God, I would be good with that; but whatever needs to happen…”

Well, actually, I am little further along the line of thinking that what really matters is what happens after the fact.

It seems pretty clear that life is random. Weather patterns come and go; people who are good have accidents and bad people stumble across riches. I do not think that any of these things are changed because of prayer.

What does change is me. Prayer is an after the fact thing in which I connect to the divine spirit and get the strength to face the reality of my life.  So, it rains, and I have to learn to accept it and move on. I get sick and I have to learn to accept it and live whatever time remains well.

I think of God as the creative and positive spirit of the universe that flows through each one of us, to connect to it is to be able to see the world differently.

So in essence it does not matter if it is 25 degrees in April or not, what matters is how I feel about it. Do I accept it for the gift that it is and have a picnic, or do I complain about how unnatural it is and live bitterly?

The choice, ultimately, is up to me. Way back in the story of the people of Israel finding the promised land God is rumoured to have said to them, “I put before you life and death, blessing and curse; choose…”

How are you going to choose to live your life.