The Psalm of Homeostasis

Just as flowers turn their faces to the sunshine, I believe that our senses are sharpened to those things our souls long to seek.

 

Musicians seek harmony. Religionists seek righteousness. Spiritualists seek enlightenment. 

 

My sons are musicians, from their toes to their souls. As with all God-given gifts, their musicality was manifested early in life. In utero, in fact, for Lucas;  he used to hiccup in rhythm to the radio. And Jacob...I remember taking him to the doctor when he was in grade school. As we sat quietly in the waiting room, he began humming in perfect unison to the almost indiscernible sound of the central air unit. He looked over at me, smiled and said “Key of E”.

As a young boy, my husband's grieving soul was in desperate need of an anchor. After burying his father, he found himself adrift and alone, trying to come to terms with his grief, afraid to close his eyes and sleep. One night, in exhausted desperation, he begged God to give him a sign that his Dad was okay.  Dickie's grief turned to amazement as the lamp on his nightstand flickered off and on. Coincidence?  Nah. Power surge? Absolutely...from the very source of all power. On that loneliest of  nights, in the flickering light, a soul to soul connection was made. A young boy learned to trust Jesus--literally and lastingly--and became a man whose life is focused on strengthening that sustaining connection. 

Me? I can't remember a time when my imagination was not filled with the wonder of Glory. I've always felt as strongly connected to the spiritual world as I do to Terra firma. In fact, my  worldly tethers  are so tenuous that I often find my head perched precariously in the clouds...a lofty position that might not be appealing to everybody, but one that works very well for me.

In all kinds of strangely wonderful, divine and substantial ways, my soul always finds what it is seeking.

Words. They come to me out of the blue.  Sometimes as half-formed concepts or phrases, sometimes as a single unit of thought. It usually happens to me right before I wake up.  Seemingly random thoughts bump about the edges of my consciousness like brightly colored balloons skipping across the Panhandle sky. Other times, they come to me when I'm alone in the car.  Not like, just sitting by myself, parked in the garage--though that would be more convenient.  [Why is  it that the best ideas or the most profound thoughts only come when you are busy doing other things...like trying to sleep, or singing a symphony in the shower, or attempting to steer through wind gusts of 60 mph?]

I have occasionally tried to ignore them. But inevitably, there are one or two that refuse to float away, demanding that I grab hold and pay attention. These are the thoughts and/or words that make their way onto yellow sticky notes or the back of a grocery receipt. Nebulous thoughts hastily jotted down and shuffled around until sense can be made, understanding can be found.

So...you think I'm crazy? You may be right.

 

 

But before those nice young men in their clean white coats come to take me away, consider this:  it just may be a lunatic you're looking for.  

 

Wacky though it may seem, experience has taught me to pay attention. To give weight to these subconscious utterings. To patiently seek understanding. To connect the dots and determine just what life is trying to teach me. And by 'life', I mean God.

The word of the week?  HOMEOSTASIS

 

[ho·me·o·sta·sis (h m - -st s s). n. 

 

1. The maintenance of metabolic equilibrium within an animal by a tendency to compensate for disrupting changes. 

2.  The maintenance of equilibrium within a social group, person, etc.]

 

Along with being an airhead, I also happen to be a bit of a science nerd. [Bipolar, I know.]  I have studied homeostasis and have an in-depth understanding of the word in a biological sense. When a body (organism) is in homeostasis, all systems and functions are in balance. Temperature is 98.6, blood pressure is normal, toes are polished, etc.

“So...” (I asked myself), “What does this mean on a spiritual level? Where do I need to attain homeostasis within my life?”

For the past few years, I have been on a quest for peace. Just like that sunshine-seeking flower, my soul seeks peace. I believe the most profound way I can demonstrate faith and honor God is to not merely accept His perfect gift of peace, but to believe in it. To live it. To close my eyes at night, wake up to a rumpled reflection in the morning mirror and know that---indeed---it is well with my soul.

Peace...it is a formidable soul goal.

Yet, even in a world that delights in bombarding us with negativity and strife, a world where friends are hurting, loved ones are dying, fools are plentiful and judgment is swift, God not only offers me peace...He leads me to it.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

I anticipated waking up all crabby this morning, deprived of an hour of sleep from the 'spring forward' time change. Instead I woke up feeling...peaceful.

 

Just after awakening, I remembered dreaming of a small girl's hands resting inside the aged, wrinkled hands of her Grandmother's. It was an image I had seen recently on Facebook...a beautiful photograph that had tugged at my heartstrings and found its way into my dreams.

 

 

As I sat my cup of hot tea on the table, a bit of it sloshed onto my yellow sticky note--the note on which I had scrawled 'Homeostasis' a few days ago... 

 

And just like that, the dots were connected. His meaning became clear.

The years rolled away and I remembered holding hands with my sweet grandmother Flodie, repeating the prayer she had taught me as a little girl.  The favorite prayer of a faithful Flodie which epitomizes the Gift of Peace...

 

 

The Lord is my shepherd,

I shall not want;

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside still waters;

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil;

for You are with me.

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord.

Forever.

Psalms 23
 

Homeostasis restored.