According to an old song, “June is busting out all over!”
It’s a Jubilee year for Queen Elizabeth and all of Great Britain is celebrating.
Jubilee celebrations have been around for centuries.
But celebrating 70 years with a Jubilee is not common.
Who even lasts 70 years at their job or in their marriage much less as sovereign over a country?
With all the young deaths we hear about, reaching the age of 70 seems to be a milestone.
In fact, I am currently grieving the life of a dear friend who was full of Joy every day as she dove into the many challenges of motherhood and life in general.
She led several prayer groups and did not skip a beat through Covid when they met in the driveway, in the snow.
She and her hubby did not blink twice when they dined outside in the middle of winter and dressed in warm gear.
It was something they wanted to experience together.
A few weeks ago my friend’s body was suddenly slammed with ‘inoperable sarcoma’ and she was gone in days, well before she turned 70.
Yet, she celebrated each day with a smile.
Her last days she thanked the nurses, thought of others, prayed for dozens and was fully attentive to her husband and children as she spent her last hours with them.
My friend understood ‘jubilee’, a sense of celebration, for too many reasons to count.
She celebrated every milestone that was presented to her by family and friends.
She could spend just a few moments with someone and make a memory they might share for years.
She thought she had decades ahead of her yet she celebrated life as if tomorrow were her last day.
I learned so much from her during the few moments we had together over the years.
It was not what she said that was so profound but how she saw life in general.
Embrace the day.
Smell the roses.
Use your mind, will and emotions as God ordained . . . each of us to give of ourself to another, even for a moment.
Share your story.
Learn God’s purpose through a challenge.
Help another through the same challenges we may overcome. Talk to God and them be quiet . . . and listen.
My friend listened. Really listened.
And then she prayed specifically according to requested needs. . . daily.
This was never a chore for but a joy.
She saw prayer as that eternal connection that God created us to have with one another and with God.
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Those who knew her will celebrate her life in a couple of weeks.
Some will be with the family in spirit if they live too far away.
Yet, streams of people will come and share wondrous stories that connected each person to this dear soul.
Jubilee invites us to stop our daily routine, celebrate the moment and make a memory.
Since the time of Jacob in the old testament, Jubilee has been in our vocabulary.
“Joba” is the Hebrew word for Ram’s Horn.
Often the Ram’s Horn was blown to call God’s people together for a specific event or celebration.
Jubilee, from the word “Joba”, was celebrated after 7cycles of 7 years, usually during the 50th year, in the same way Pentecost, ingathering of the harvest, was celebrated 50 days after Passover every year.
The exile of the Jews from Israel suspended Jubilee for centuries until Christians began celebrating a time of grace-filled pardons after a rather lengthy interval of time.
A jubilee was declared after 100 years during the leadership of Pope Boniface in the 1300s.
It was reduced to 50 years which still seemed too long. Jubilee every 25 years became the norm for a long period of time.
Jubilee can happen any time we wish but it’s the length of time between celebrations that makes a Jubilee so special. That said, why not set a goal that may take a very long time to accomplish!
Plan a celebration as you near the completion date, which may take longer than intended.
List one goal that may be impossible to achieve in a short time but with planning, hard work, determination and patience it can be completed eventually.
Run a marathon
Climb a mountain
Walk or ride a bicycle across a state or a country
Write a book
Become certified in gardening, or plumbing or computer technology or . . .
Spend a year in a foreign country employed as a . . .
Become a leader in an area in which you have loved to Volunteer (this may take several years or just a few months.)
None of these options is easy.
Each may be a long range goal.
It’s more than a ‘bucket list.’
It’s a life change.
It may take years to find the time or to become prepared or to complete the project.
Keep a journal of your daily, weekly or monthly progress to complete your journey.
Add names of each friend or acquaintance who enables you to meet each sub-goal.
Perhaps a few minutes conversation with someone you only meet once might propel your imagination, your determination or bring you closer to your destination.
However, start now. . . at least with a plan.
We never know when we might hear the word, “inoperable” and have just a few days to live.
In the mean time, celebrate each day as if you were already on the final portion of your dream journey.
Start now but do not be in a hurry.
Remember, it is often the journey that is to be celebrated, not the destination or completion of your dream.
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When you feel your dream is complete or at a very good stopping point, throw a celebration party and invite everyone you have listed in your journal.
Your heart knows who to recognize.
For those unable to personally attend, write a note or send a picture.
Set up a Zoom link where others can join you at a specifically selected date and time with words of affirmation.
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Jubilee helps us keep those special memories close to the heart.
Celebrate each day and enjoy that special moment of accomplishment with Jubilee.
