Sweater weather already has arrived in most of the Global North; it soon will be sweater weather here in Southern California. Kate's cozy knit illustration is exactly what I love about dressing for winter. As much fun as bright sundresses and retro preppy shorts can be (can you tell I'm trying to stay stuck in Y2K?), even when it's not business attire, even when it's for everyday errands or casual classroom wear, even when you haven't been shopping on High Street or finding high end thrift store surprises, cool weather clothes feel and look more classy, better quality.
If I wondered what to say about comfortable, did that intro just decide for me? Maybe not.
As adults with a degree of agency – a concept that's become popular recently – speaking for myself, of course, many of us still spend too much time caught up in longings to feel more comfortable about ourselves, our abilities, our decisions. Today's sunshine didn't last long enough and in addition, it's almost fall back time. I finished the project on time, the client seemed happy, but I could have included certain details. After lunch I found out the restaurant on the other corner had a better special just for today. Those minutiae keep leading to discomfort and discontent and I keep forgetting where I might find real comfort, a.k.a. The Bigger Picture.
I'm comfortably at home at the beach and in the city. The weekly Sunday assembly partly – or better – gets who I am. They like my art, enjoy my musical offerings, appreciate my theology. All that leads to some level of comfort.
Last Sunday after worship, our seminarian met with a few of us as part of the preparation for his first ever sermon that I understand will happen on Advent 2. The scripture he chose was Acts 17:22-28—the apostle Paul addressing the Athenians at the Areopagus.
He beautifully explained about God with us, God among us, God within us. Paul's audience heard:
24"The God who made the world and everything in it…27…is not far from each one of us. 28For 'in him we live and move and have our being,' as even some of your own poets have said, for we, too, are God's offsetting."Isn't that a keystone passage when we seek to become comfortable? It works almost every time!
I've finally learned to accept myself, which is a pretty great comfort.
ReplyDeleteYes - I find fall more cozy and comforting too. 🤗
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