Good Morning TSJ Peeps!
I am delighted to welcome aboard new Wednesday Wisdom readers!
Today’s theme is about feeling lost.
Have you ever been lost? Truthfully, I am seriously directionally impaired, get lost a lot, and could get lost in a paper bag. On many occasions I would call Tom and somehow he always figured out where I was, even one time when I rolled the car over an embankment due to black ice – so no tracks for clues.
I am sure you have been lost too . . . lost in in a sea of “shoulds” and responsibilities . . . lost in the woods of despair and discouragement . . . lost on the ocean of grief, or lost in the fog of uncertainty and confusion. Or even worse, lost in Disney World where you are all happy one moment and then all scared the next. I have seen such lostness and felt it.
To help us find ancient and reliable wisdom and timeless truth like this week when we are feeling lost, Solomon, our wizened old sheep, quietly symbolizes our need for shepherding. He says the Shepherd knows where we are.
But we also get help from Solomon Junior (SJ) who speaks to us of the emotional ups and downs and nitty- gritty details of being alive on earth. You cannot be alive without feeling lost or at least “at a loss .”
As you can see above, SJ still has a heart pinned to him to let us know he is still misses Mr. Tom a whole lot and he is hanging out with Ms. Margie who every so often moans, “Oh no, not again…” as a wave of sadness engulfs her and tears burst forth unchecked.
The good news? That little heart keeps falling off lately, so that may be a sign that Solomon’s little talks are helping him have more faith.
Of course you can tell where this is going . . . You see, sometimes I feel lost. It has been a little over a month since our beloved Tom left for his new pastures. And while time, sleep, and tears help, the journey is still requiring lots of focused energy to move on.
SJ, Solomon, and I face each day working together toward a deeper and broader understanding of life and greater trust in the Shepherd, who never leaves us, so always finds us.
We are not really lost at all but we do not seem to realize that truth. But we do need to face the truth of how we honestly feel. Then we can heal. We can let ourselves be found. Some psychologists have said, “What is not revealed cannot be healed.”
Solomon seems to maintain a quiet sense of a bigger picture and is compassionately teaching the little/ young version of himself (SJ) and me how to find peace that is beyond human understanding even if for fleeting moments.
How do you feel lost today? Are you on overwhelm? I am. Thus today’s blog!
My Note Pad:
I decided to make a list. I grabbed an old notepad from my office and sat down to begin my list. I flipped up the top of the note pad and at the bottom edge of the top I had printed these words: “Come Lost. Leave Found” about two years ago. I had thought they would be a good by-line for The Shared Journey, and had forgotten that.
Just the words alone offered comfort.
I imagine if the Shepherd could put a sign above where I do my “Sip it and Zip it” morning routine, it would say . . .
. . . “Dear Peeps.
Come Lost. Leave Found.
Love, Your Shepherd.”
When I do manage to be still or quiet in meditation I do seem to find my way back to what really matters much more easily. I made the list and am still doing so but with a whole different attitude.
“LOVEY”
Among the many incredible gifts from wonderful TSJ peeps, friends, family, and church people I received a comfort gift that I know you would like to see. She came already named, “Lovey”and she is a lamb. SJ was not happy at first because, well his reasons were numerous including.. “it is a she...it is lavender and whoever heard of lavender sheep…is is floppy… it is not ‘one of us.’ ”
Lovey has a special job. She can be put in the microwave and held against the achy heart and warm it. SJ does not like the sound of being in a microwave so we have made peace. SJ has great work to do already. And there is enough Love and Grace to serve us all without robbing us of our own identity. Big lesson for a young one. Hmm… for me too.
Anyhow, “lovey” likes to be still and stare out the window when she is not working. That is how she feels found. Me too.
When do you feel lost? And when do you realize you are truly found?
Come, let us play hide-and-seek in the pastures with Solomon and SJ.
I see you! You are found! All is well.
Margie and The Boys
