Still Chasing The Wind!

My mind is still on Chasing after wind this morning.  It could be because the wind is blowing swiftly over the earth here this morning.   I am caught by the thought of chasing wind.  My mind is replaying the same tapes it played when I was in my early forties. I had just started back to collage, after years of trying to live my life with all the "important things" of living.   That is filling my life with being a wife and mother, all grown up and not playing house anymore. But trying to be an adult in "real life."  That is when I first read Ecclesiastics.  I responded to Qoheleth's strange wisdom with great interest.

All my striving, all my work, what I valued most, and all my well placed priorities.  All the things that tied my shorts in a knot.  The wise old sage, Qoheleth, would have said to me: "Vanities of vanities! And a chasing after the wind!"

Qoheleth had for years searched for the true meaning of living this human life.  He hoped to discover, in his work, wealth, and pleasure, somehthing that would satisfy his longing for lasting peace, purpose and true wisdom.  At every turn he found nothing to hold on to.  

When I first read Eccleaistes, as a young mother, I couldn't help but begin to reflect on all that was, "vanities of vanities and a chasing after the wind" in my life. 

The most interesting thought, I remember having during that time, was the question: I wonder if my life looks like I am "chasing after wind?"  I wondered about that A LOT!  Well into my first few years of seminary, as a matter of fact. 

Chasing wind is just an impossible task!  

It made me think about all the things that I worried about, or strived to be, that are basically humanly impossible to achieve. 

This adventure of wind chasing became very grounding to me.  And in many ways quite settling.  It caused me to stop and think.  To think about the things that once seemed so extremely important.  Things that I had spent so much time and energy on.

In all my thinking!  Chasing wind was a constant, circular, conversation in my mind.  Finally it brought me back to home base.  I began to ask some helpful questions. Questions about where best to focus my energy.  How I wanted to spend time and why.

The wise old sage, that I first thought to be pretty crazy, wrote something that made total sense to me. Most of us are familiar with his tiny litany on the seasons of life. 
   

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 

3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 

4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 

5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 

6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 

8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

In those eight verses he lists all life's offerings.  He didn't miss much!  There is no life that doesn't have to go through all the times and seasons.  That is how we learn and grow!

And I truly believe that God moves us from on point to another.

Qoheleth's search for wisdom and meaning so long ago.  Is much like each of ours today.  However he realize, centuries ago, something we have neglected to realize.

Because the things we think will bring us the most satisfaction!  Like owning things!  Buying the latest toy! Having the best paying job!  Or, like the Farmer, in yesterday parable, having the dream come true of abundance of possessions.
Never quite make the mark to pure peace and meaning    None of it truly matters, not really!  None of it ever quite does the trick over the long haul. 
Never quite satisfies our longing for the real meaning of life!  Never makes us wiser or more effective!

The lesson is so simple in my small mind!  We would all be wise to stop!  Stop trying to be someone we are not!  Stop buying into all the cultural crap!   Stop needing to always know best, or better, than the other guy.  Or have our own way!  Or any other thing that cause us to lose honest perspective. 

In other words, we would be wise to stop chasing the wind!

What I have had to learn is to place God between myself and everything else.  Seeing others and situations and problem and worries -- everything -- with God as my filter.  

Now, you ask, does it always work?  Of course not!  But I do keep trying to  focus on how God asks me to speak and act and think. I have learn well to pray when I find myself waffling, or questioning, or even in a tough conversation with someone.

And, my life has become more manageable and peace-fill.  It has become much more simple!  And through it all I have found the gift of joy.  Deep down joy!  

It is that joy, by the grace of God, that tell others of my love for God and for them.

I do believe that when Christ/God is between us and others, we are able to be, and do, all we need to be and do. 

And by the way, that is enough!  All we need! 



2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. …12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind….18 I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me; 19 and who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, 21 because sometimes a man who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by a man who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 What has a man from all the toil and strain with which he toils beneath the sun? 23 For all his days are full of pain, and his work is a vexation; even in the night his mind does not rest. This also is vanity.  (Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14 & 2:18-23)