o thou the central orb

I am of the firm belief that most businesses can close for the week between Christmas and New Year's. I like my job and I would like to believe that it is important, but there is nothing so anti-climactic as logging in to Outlook so soon after Christmas.

The glow of Christmas tree lights cannot be replaced by the computer screen glow—let's agree on that.

I know that no matter when I go back to work—after New Year's or just after Christmas—it will have a dull shine when compared to time off.

True shine is staying up past 10pm watching a movie and sleeping in until 7am—more than 7 hours of sleep and reading as much as you want after everyone else has gone to bed.

Yes, this week between Christmas and New Year's has a dull shine, like taffeta in a rich burgundy color: when the light hits it just right, the color deepens, but most of the time, it has a flat look to it.

I have things to look forward to {that's the light hitting the taffeta just right}: a movie, good runs, writing thank you cards because yes, that is something I enjoy.

But mostly, this week feels like it's trying too hard to be normal. It also doesn't help that my gym is still piping Christmas music into the locker room and yet I saw a display for Valentine's Day at the grocery store; we are in a seasonally confused time.

I am going to counteract the dull shine of this week—when I'm in the office and it seems that no one else is—with a song.

I do hope you've learned by now that if I don't like the way something is going, I try to change it, either with a song or with a good quote or with comfy food. Distracting yourself just a little is an excellent way to trick your mind into accepting what's going on. This is not self-delusion, by the way; it's self-maintenance.

Today's distraction comes from "O Thou the Central Orb"—my choir sang it at our Christmas concert.

I get such a rush of nerdy word love from its words: Gilding. Darksome. Erewhile.

Words like that make me want to rush onto a moor with Jane Eyre, preferably with a storm swirling on the horizon.

But what I'm holding on to in this song during this dull shine week is its images of light breaking through: Radiance bright. Rays divine. Eternal day. Bright beams.

Let there be light. And it was good.


O Thou the Central Orb

O thou the central orb of righteous love
Pure beam of the most High
Eternal light of this our wintry world
Thy radiance bright
awakes new joy in faith
Hope soars above

Come, quickly come and let Thy glory shine
gilding our darksome heaven with rays divine

Thy saints with holy lustre
'round Thee move
as stars about Thy throne
set in the height of God's ordaining counsel
as Thy sight gives measur'd grace to each—
Thy power to prove

Let Thy bright beams disperse the gloom of sin
Our nature all shall feel
eternal day in fellowship with Thee,
transforming clay
to souls erewhile unclean, now pure within
Amen.