Waiting for...

For a brief moment the sun has broken through the endless days of rain and everything seems to change with the light! We have been waiting for about 29 days for these rays of sunshine.

Ron and Gwen are relaxing in the warmth and sunshine that Maui offers. They are taking a much needed rest and time to be together. In this quiet time of relaxation they are waiting for the Spirit to give them ideas and plans for this next year as it unfolds.

The Christmas decorations are down, ready to be stored away and wait until the end of this year and that promised celebration. Outside the picnic table and chairs are sparkling with the droplets of this mornings’ rain, and waiting for summer to arrive.

There is much that waits for the next season or the next time of celebration, or for the darkness to become light, the rain to become sunshine, and pain to be changed to joy. But what IS the now holding? What is the present moment gifting to us as we wait?

In various conversations over these last weeks many have expressed the struggle that comes as they wait for phone calls, appointments, changes, news…whatever it may be they are waiting for. Often this puts us into living in the “what if” in order to negate or mitigate the wrestling in this place.

This moment of sunshine, the putting away of Christmas, and the waiting for summer are all reminders that life does change. Moments are here and then gone but we remember and we carry that esperanza within.

At Linwood we wait for Ron and Gwen to return, we wait for more sunny days, for those guests that are scheduled to arrive at their appointed time. We continue to wait to see how God will unfold our projects, our mission trips, our workshops and we wait in esperanza for what will arrive with each one of you we cross paths with.

Happy New Year - 2006

The hum of Christmas has changed key and changed to the melody of a New Year. The sounds of laughter and family and friends have become the sounds of cleaning up, re-arranging, and refilling the larder. Christmas candles are being changed for a new fragrance and the aroma of cinnamon and pine will be put away until December arrives again.

New Year’s Eve at Linwood House was a slow and relaxed evening with a friend from Florida treating us to her culinary expertise. The aroma wafted out to the Great Room where we waited for the call to come and dine together.

As 2006 begins there are plans to be made, schedules to look at, and time needed to let this year begin to unfold so we can see what God’s schedule is for this Ministry.

The January “Thought” posted on our website is about having Jesus character when we meet others.
Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me – you did it to me.’

Christmas is a season where you find people giving to others in need and sharing the “Spirit of Christmas”. In reality Jesus calls us to have this aroma of giving, of sharing, of being aware of others every day. Today as I sort through paperwork in the office, as I remember all the fun and joy of the past weeks, I am reminded that the routine of living also carries its own melody and fragrance.

Consistency and change go hand in hand. Consistency in how we treat others, how we model Jesus while at the same time we change as we become more Kingdom like in daily living. Like the key change of a melody – the tune is the same but the notes are played slightly different.

As each of us move to the key change, we wish you a Happy New Year from all of us at Linwood House.