Today’s blog post is written by Pastor Jen.
I want to tell you today about the nicest phone call I’ve received in a long time.
It happened today, when a church member and friend called me about an event we were planning to attend together tonight. We had made tentative arrangements to drive together, and I thought she would be calling to either confirm or change them – but I didn’t expect what she said.
“You should just stay home tonight.”
I laughed, not really understanding, and asked her why.
“I came home,” she said, “and sat in my chair and fell asleep, and woke up without knowing what day it was or what time. And I figure if I’m that tired, then you pastors must be exhausted. So you shouldn’t even go out tonight.”
Friends, I say this with all seriousness: what grace.
I preached a sermon yesterday all about Advent, and the practice of waiting. Of being attentive to where God might be showing up in our world, and of keeping about God’s work even when we don’t see or feel God near us.
But the truth is that this season is perhaps the worst time to practice that kind of waiting. (Funny how that happens.) We are so busy, running between commitments on our calendars, rushing through long to-do lists, that we are perhaps less likely now than at any other time in the year to be paying attention like that. To be waiting.
Who has time to wait in Advent??
I recognize the hypocrisy of all of this, and I’m as guilty as the next person. So imagine my surprise and delight when this friend said: stay home.
The truth is, I’m going tonight anyway. I made a commitment to someone else to be there.
But her words gave me permission that I needed to slow down at other times today. To cancel a call, and take an hour to rest. To let a few other things slide. To make sure I took time to stretch my body and drink some extra water. To pray and to reflect on where God might be showing up in my corner of the world today.
I hope that you have someone saying those words to you as well. But if not – here they are: take time to wait. To pay attention. To listen and look for God. To be kinder and gentler to yourself this season.
Permission granted.
yours,
Pastor Jen
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