A Farmer-Pastor-Handyman Teaches Me Contemplation

What would you call a man who shovels his driveway in a blizzard?
How often I am like that man!
Any season of the year, I can be caught with my proverbial shovel in hand.

This morning I'm thinking back to another man.
A farmer who was also a pastor of one church and a handyman for another.  
Keep this fact in mind.

He used to begin his mornings sitting in the dark, seated at a table in silence (or I began my mornings seeing him seated in the dark at a table in silence).  
Only a coffee mug close at hand.

The first time he startled me.  Six in the morning.  I was in the building earlier than any other staff member (I had thought).  Certainly not expecting to see the shadow of
someone in the side room!  

But soon I became accustomed to him sipping his coffee with the lights out.  Not moving until the sun came through the window.  I came early with an armload and head-full of work to get to, I had no time to sit and stare.  

Rumor among our large staff was that he was lazy.  They, too, would see him sitting while they rushed in and out of their daily blizzard of ministry activity.  Who had time for such an outlandish thing? 

One day I stopped and asked him what he did in the silent darkness of the church basement.  
He smiled and after taking a sip said, 
"I wait and let the pieces fall into place for the day." ​