
As we go through the Season of Advent it often reminds me about the rhythm of life. In the medieval world there was no obsession with clocks and time but there was a broad interest in the rhythms of life. This is of course, very ancient since for most of human history people depended on the seasons that brought rain, harvest, planting, etc.
But since most of us have gotten away from the church calendar, because it is "traditional" and evangelicals (unrightly in my mind) tend to shun everything "traditional" and since most of us are no longer farmers, what dictates our rhythm of life?
When I was growing up, my family's yearly rhythm was dictated by my sister and my sports seasons. We were always working towards the late fall when basketball and volleyball season was starting, then we were able to relax in the late spring, then gear up for summer basketball and volleyball.
And so many things were affected by that: what we did as a family during those times, where we had to be and what we had to do. I think many families can relate to this.
For others, maybe it is the professional sports season: you spend the year getting ready for football season or you love all sports and so your outfits and nightly schedule depends on which sports season you are in.
For me in my adult life, it has always been school. I still talk in "semesters" and things lead up to or lead away from the beginnings and ends of semesters.
What are others? Think about your own rhythms and seasons and what they are centered on.
That was part 1. But part 2 is this: which of these rhythms and seasons are healthy and which are unhealthy? And do any of your rhythms center on the calendar of the Christian faith?
I repent of my anti-traditionalism and say: bring on Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and other significant days in the Christian calendar. I hope that I can eventually start rhythm-ing my life around these rather than my own selfish goals, dreams, ambitions, and agendas. How can I creatively use these events in the life of the Church to re-arrange my life in significant ways and teach my kids to do the same? That is my task for this holiday season...or maybe it'll be a New Year's Resolution.