Fall Sabbath

Fall has come. The last several days have been a haze of gray cloud and rain, washing away the warmth of summer and then dispersing to give today: a crisp, bright, fall day – one of those days where the wind dances and the sun glistens and at last it feels great to pull out that jacket.

It was too good a day to waste. As my good friends Adam and Jenn pulled away, heading back to busy life in Richmond, I decided to take a Sabbath walk. I headed out the gravel drive and up Cedar Cove road, thinking and praying and singing to myself, relishing the fresh air and the bright colors, just beginning to peek out from the green trees.

I came back with every intention of finally writing a song that I’ve long had in the works. I brought out my guitar and a fresh notebook and began to play and make some notes. But just as I was working out the first line of the song, I heard the excited shouts of small voices. Noah and Asher came running around the bushes, excited for an adventure in the sailboat. Would I like to come along? A sail at sunset with the Normans was too good to pass up, so I gave up on my songwriting aspirations for the night, grabbed a jacket, and headed to the water.

We piled five into the canoe, riding low in the water as we glided out to our vessel. Anchors off and sails set, and we were on our way. I took the rudder, attempting with my novice hands to ride that fine taut balance, somewhere between a flapping sail and an exhilarating tilt in the frequent gusts. We talked about sailing and the boys and favorite things to do in Easton and Annapolis. The sky began to turn a bright orange (though we missed the sunset itself in our focus on guiding the boat through the wind). We sailed until dark, coming back to shore as the last hues of color began to retreat from the evening sky.

A day of beauty and rest, enjoying rhythms of weeks and seasons, set in place by our Creator, who “has made everything beautiful in its time.”