The forecast was for temperatures in the 20's last night and someone at the office asked if I liked cold weather. "Well, what I really like is seasons," I said. I love the snow in winter, the flowers in spring, the sun and gardens in summer, the crunch of falling leaves and the cooler temperatures of fall. Tonight is the first fire (in my fireplace) of the season, and I'm celebrating cooler weather! Listening to the crackle of the fire, watching the dance of the flames, and enjoying the aroma of burning oak is a fine way to spend an evening.
I'd been enjoying the fire for a bit, making a to-do list for an upcoming meeting, when I thought about my Coleman lantern. I shuffled through the leaves, crunching as many as possible for maximum crackle, to my shed to get the lantern. You never know when you might need it, of course, but I have a meeting scheduled for my house tomorrow night, and I announced last month that it would be a bonfire meeting. (I know you are secretly wishing you could have such a meeting). Since I don't have electric lights down by the bonfire spot, I need some illumination for the chili table. (Another good idea for a meeting, huh?) Of course, the wick bag (what is that thing called) is missing, and I can't get anything to come out of the propane tank so maybe it's time for flashlights after all.
I quickly abandoned the lantern project and was pondering the whole bonfire idea when I remembered that Bill the Magnificent was going to work on making a fire pit. I grabbed a flashlight and headed down by the lake to see what he'd gotten done. I could not believe my eyes!! Bill the Magnificent is making a magnificent fire ring/pit!! You may not have problems with this but I can envision the most marvelous project, only to have it fail because I can't communicate it effectively to the builder. It is in the early stages, but every indication is that Bill the Magnificent gets it, and I am incredibly grateful. It's amazing how much different the work becomes when the vision is shared, isn't it?
Thinking about vision reminds me of what Proverbs 29:18 says. "Where there is no vision, the people perish." The Hebrew word for vision here is chazown and literally means a vision or divine communication. Wow. Shared dreams and plans are really nice, but they are not the the stuff of life. It's the divine communication that is so life-giving that we perish without it. That's a sobering thought, isn't it? How often do you get still enough to actually receive a divine communication? How likely are you to obey a divine communication no matter what it says?
Tonight, I'm grateful for the seasons, the crunch of fallen leaves, the sensory delight of a blazing bonfire, and that Still Small Voice, so often barely perceptible, that is both life giving and life sustaining. I'm overwhelmed with awe and delight, as well as gratitude, that the Divine One would share a vision, and communication, with me.
And you? What will you do when the Still Small Voice whispers in your heart? It's life giving. Don't miss it
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