I tried for 15 minutes to respond to the comment from Tara and Blogger continued to be a pest...so this is my response, lol:
Tara: I absolutely agree. I remember a teacher saying once, "hate the sin, love the sinner" and I totally do my best to abide by that. I think what gets dangerous about our relationship to sin is that we attempt to create a heirarchy of sin; that is, ranking one sin as more sinful than other sin. Sin is anything that pulls us away from God; period. All we can do is offer all that we are to God every day of our lives and continue to strive for deeper, richer relationships with Christ. God is against sin; God loves us, though, so praise God for that!
As a pastor, I represent all three of those things that you mentioned, but I definitely think the world is at the bottom of the proverbial totem pole. God ought to be at the top and it's a challenge sometimes for us as human beings to keep Him there in all that we do.
That's what I love about the Phillipians verse: it's present tense and so our wrestling is a constant challenge. But I think wrestling with questions about our faith and our relationship with God is what keeps our faith real and our own.
I love you too :) I'm so glad you're my neighbor!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Wedding Bells
I attended a wedding yesterday for a long-time friend of mine and was so excited that I was able to go. The wedding took place in New Jersey and it just so happened that I was going to be in town anyway for a family reunion at the beach, so the timing worked out perfectly (actually, it worked out even more perfectly because a friend of the family passed away so I was able to attend the viewing as well).
The wedding was held in an episcopal church in northern NJ and I'm fascinated in the differences between our two denominations. I'm also fascinated by the similarities. It was a beautiful reminder of how regardless of polity, we're all playing for the same team.
My senses were heightened yesterday for many reasons. First of all, it's still kind of a surreal experience to be at that age where so many of my friends that are the same age as me are getting married and some of them even have kids now. Secondly, I have yet to officiate a wedding, so I'm paying close attention to wedding ceremonies to get ideas and inspiration. Thirdly, I was keenly aware of the sounds around me.
The church where this wedding was held is in an urban setting. That comes complete with all the urban sounds. Not too far out of sight is a trauma-level hospital, so at a couple points during the service we heard sirens. At another point, one of the scripture readers had to pause because a plane was flying so low overhead it made the walls shake. But then, when the priest began her homily, the world around us seemed to go silent except for the sound of the birds in the church yard. As we moved from the homily into the song "Joyful, Joyful We Adore You," it was clear to me that the Holy Spirit was in that place.
Marriage is an interesting thing and it's something that has come under such scrutiny over the last several decades, particuarly in the GLTB communities. The other day, NY legalized gay marriage. They are not the first, and I'm certain they will not be the last. A pastor friend of mine once said to me to remember that marriage is a civil institution first; then a church celebration. He didn't deny that marriage symbolizes the relationship between the church and Christ, but he also said that in legal terms, marriage is a civil institution. In order for a marriage to be legally recognized, even pastors have to follow the rules of the municipalities. I find myself agreeing with his statement to a certain extent, but I'm still torn regarding what I really believe about marriage. My church polity tells me that marriage is a religious and whole union between one man and one woman before the sight of God. But something in my heart just feels so broken when two people who love each other are forbidden to get married in a church that they love so much.
I hesitate to even write about this, and I'm really nervous doing it because I am a pastor and I do uphold the polity of the Presbyterian church and I do hope that people understand that even though pastors pledge to uphold the polity of their denominations, pastors are still human beings who are subject to the same questions of interpretation nonpastors are.
I read an article on cnn this morning (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2079861,00.html?hpt=hp_t2) that talked about whether or not marriage is really marriage if the church still won't recognize it. It made me so sad to read it (I didn't even bother to read the comments because the comments on religious articles on cnn are generally so hateful and angry I just can't read them anymore) because as a pastor, I want people to feel welcomed and loved in a church. Not rejected. To coin a phrase from Dan Kimball: I want the church to be better known for what it's for instead of always just for what we're against.
What is marriage about? Marriage is about making a pledge to unite two souls in a unqiue and special way in the eyes of God. It is about pledging fidelity and wholeness in the midst of adversity. It is about pledging the kind of love between two people that Paul admonishes us to have for each other in I Corinthians. Marriage is a symbole of the relationship that Christ has to the church as her bridegroom. Hate destroys marriage. Jealousy destroys marriage. Lack of communication destroys marriage. Divorce destroys marriage. What is it about marriage between two men or two women that destroys marriage?
Marriage is legal and religious. People who are married before the justice of the peace without religious implications present are still participating in something that cannot be legal without the religious. And those who are married in the church cannot have the religious without the legal. The legal and the reglion is bound up together, woven together in what we hope can some day become harmony.
I'm still on a journey of self-discovery to understand what I really believe about the insitution as marriage as it relates to the GLTB community. I'm also still on a journey to understand what I believe about the ordination of the GLTB community now that the language of our denomination's polity has been changed to pave the way for it. But I know this much is true for certain: God loves each of us and while there may be times He doesn't like us very much, He ALWAYS loves us. God formed each of us and knew each of us in the womb and before the womb. God took special care to mold us, piece by piece, into the beautiful men and women we are all to become. We are made new creations in Christ and we are all a work in progress because whatever we become, God is never quite finished. That's what I believe about a living, active God.
I encourage you to keep an open heart and open mind and be honest with yourself with what you believe. As you form (or hold onto) your opinions about what marriage means to you and what it means to the GLTB community, I encourage you to really read scripture, read articles, talk to people, and in essence "do your homework" so you know why you believe what you believe. Most of all, greet each other in the name of our Triune God with all the love of Christ in your hearts and treat each other with grace as God has given us grace so freely.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Becki
The wedding was held in an episcopal church in northern NJ and I'm fascinated in the differences between our two denominations. I'm also fascinated by the similarities. It was a beautiful reminder of how regardless of polity, we're all playing for the same team.
My senses were heightened yesterday for many reasons. First of all, it's still kind of a surreal experience to be at that age where so many of my friends that are the same age as me are getting married and some of them even have kids now. Secondly, I have yet to officiate a wedding, so I'm paying close attention to wedding ceremonies to get ideas and inspiration. Thirdly, I was keenly aware of the sounds around me.
The church where this wedding was held is in an urban setting. That comes complete with all the urban sounds. Not too far out of sight is a trauma-level hospital, so at a couple points during the service we heard sirens. At another point, one of the scripture readers had to pause because a plane was flying so low overhead it made the walls shake. But then, when the priest began her homily, the world around us seemed to go silent except for the sound of the birds in the church yard. As we moved from the homily into the song "Joyful, Joyful We Adore You," it was clear to me that the Holy Spirit was in that place.
Marriage is an interesting thing and it's something that has come under such scrutiny over the last several decades, particuarly in the GLTB communities. The other day, NY legalized gay marriage. They are not the first, and I'm certain they will not be the last. A pastor friend of mine once said to me to remember that marriage is a civil institution first; then a church celebration. He didn't deny that marriage symbolizes the relationship between the church and Christ, but he also said that in legal terms, marriage is a civil institution. In order for a marriage to be legally recognized, even pastors have to follow the rules of the municipalities. I find myself agreeing with his statement to a certain extent, but I'm still torn regarding what I really believe about marriage. My church polity tells me that marriage is a religious and whole union between one man and one woman before the sight of God. But something in my heart just feels so broken when two people who love each other are forbidden to get married in a church that they love so much.
I hesitate to even write about this, and I'm really nervous doing it because I am a pastor and I do uphold the polity of the Presbyterian church and I do hope that people understand that even though pastors pledge to uphold the polity of their denominations, pastors are still human beings who are subject to the same questions of interpretation nonpastors are.
I read an article on cnn this morning (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2079861,00.html?hpt=hp_t2) that talked about whether or not marriage is really marriage if the church still won't recognize it. It made me so sad to read it (I didn't even bother to read the comments because the comments on religious articles on cnn are generally so hateful and angry I just can't read them anymore) because as a pastor, I want people to feel welcomed and loved in a church. Not rejected. To coin a phrase from Dan Kimball: I want the church to be better known for what it's for instead of always just for what we're against.
What is marriage about? Marriage is about making a pledge to unite two souls in a unqiue and special way in the eyes of God. It is about pledging fidelity and wholeness in the midst of adversity. It is about pledging the kind of love between two people that Paul admonishes us to have for each other in I Corinthians. Marriage is a symbole of the relationship that Christ has to the church as her bridegroom. Hate destroys marriage. Jealousy destroys marriage. Lack of communication destroys marriage. Divorce destroys marriage. What is it about marriage between two men or two women that destroys marriage?
Marriage is legal and religious. People who are married before the justice of the peace without religious implications present are still participating in something that cannot be legal without the religious. And those who are married in the church cannot have the religious without the legal. The legal and the reglion is bound up together, woven together in what we hope can some day become harmony.
I'm still on a journey of self-discovery to understand what I really believe about the insitution as marriage as it relates to the GLTB community. I'm also still on a journey to understand what I believe about the ordination of the GLTB community now that the language of our denomination's polity has been changed to pave the way for it. But I know this much is true for certain: God loves each of us and while there may be times He doesn't like us very much, He ALWAYS loves us. God formed each of us and knew each of us in the womb and before the womb. God took special care to mold us, piece by piece, into the beautiful men and women we are all to become. We are made new creations in Christ and we are all a work in progress because whatever we become, God is never quite finished. That's what I believe about a living, active God.
I encourage you to keep an open heart and open mind and be honest with yourself with what you believe. As you form (or hold onto) your opinions about what marriage means to you and what it means to the GLTB community, I encourage you to really read scripture, read articles, talk to people, and in essence "do your homework" so you know why you believe what you believe. Most of all, greet each other in the name of our Triune God with all the love of Christ in your hearts and treat each other with grace as God has given us grace so freely.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Becki
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Carpe Diem
I really should read the "Book of Confessions" more often.
Now you're probably thinking one of three things: 1) What is the Book of Confessions? 2) Umm...you're a pastor. Why aren't you reading the BOC more often? or 3) Oh no. Here comes a polity lesson.
So let me answer all of these questions: 1) The Book of Confessions is not a book by a bunch of people who wanted to record a list of all the things they've done wrong. It's the first part of the consitution of the PC (USA) and the confessions are a series of creeds, confessions, statements, and catechisms all written at different times and places in the world and they contain the foundations of our faith. They are confessing what we believe as Christians united in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2) I'm not reading it more often because like most people, I'm busy and even though I'm reading a bunch of other stuff, I'm not always reading about polity.
3) I'm not giving you a polity lesson, so stop worrying!
This coming Sunday is Trinity Sunday. In preparation for my sermon, I picked up my Book of Confessions for inspiriation about how to approach Trinity Sunday. It's not the biggest day on our liturgical calendar by any means. It's a big deal, but we don't often make it a big deal in worship (some probably do, but I've never experienced it as a big deal in church). I don't want to just try and look at the Trinity like it's some mathematical equation that we as Christians have to solve. I turned to the Confession of 1967 and read this in the preface: "The purpose of the Confession of 1967 is to call the church to that unity in confession and mission which is required of disciples today. This Confession is not a 'system of doctrine,' nor does it include all the traditional topics of theology. For example, the Trinity and the Person of Christ are not defined, but are recognized and reaffired as forming the basis and determining the structure of the Christian faith." (emphasis mine). I think that's an important observation that the confession doesn't attempt to "explain" the Trinity, but it affirms it as part of the foundation of our faith. That was the first thing I thought, "wow, that's something good to keep in mind as I prepare my sermon."
Then, as I was reading through the confession, I read this: "Life is a gift to be received with gratitude and a task to be pursued with courage."
And there I stopped because I found that statement incredibly profound. Life is a GIFT to be received with gratitude and a TASK to be pursued with courage. How often do we find ourselves in that place where we wish we had someone else's life? We want to be that person who won the lottery. We want to be that person who was able to use "petty cash" to give their kitchen and bathroom an AWESOME makeover. We want to be the mother that is the envy of other mothers, the hostess with the mostest, and the teachers and preachers that other people in our field aspire to be like. You know you do this. I know that I do this. Maybe not all the time, but occassionally, we all do this. Sometimes it seems like human beings just weren't created with the wherewithall to be comfortable with who we are.
Looking at life as a gift is something I think most of us were tought from a young age. If you've ever seen the movie "Dead Poet's Society" with Robin Williams and a host of other awesome characters, you remember the big emphasis in that movie of the line, "Carpe Diem" : Seize the Day. I've heard over and over to look at life like a gift. I've never thought of life as a task to be pursued with courage.
Sometimes it feels like we are constantly trying to figure out who we are and what our role in the world happens to be. It takes a conscious effort to cultivate that spirit of thanksgiving that brings us to a place where we can say with confidence that we are children of God, each created with individual care and love by our Almighty Creator. In a world that teaches us to always be better, it's frightening to think that we can ever be truly happy with who we are.
But that's what this confession says to me. Maybe not so much, "Be happy with who you are" and not even so much "only do the things you love" because let's face it: sometimes we have to do things we hate. But if we look at the things we do as a part of the gift of life that God gives us, how does that change how we perceive our to-do lists? How do we actively pursue life as a task of courage?
I encourage you to think about how in your own life you perceive life as a gift to be received with gratitude and a task to be pursued with courage. In thinking about your every day tasks, what kind of courage does it take to say "I'm doing this not because I'm necessarily thrilled to be doing it, but I'm doing this because this is where God is calling me to be right now"? And how often are you doing the things that you love simply because you love to do them?
God made you and God loves you. God took special care to put your life together piece by piece and even when life is tough, God took special care to make sure that He is with you every step of the way. May you find ways to see life as a gift and may you receive it with gratitude. May you also see life as as a task to be pursued with courage and may you feel God with you giving you that courage to Carpe Diem: seize the day.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Becki
ps: back to the BOC...
Now you're probably thinking one of three things: 1) What is the Book of Confessions? 2) Umm...you're a pastor. Why aren't you reading the BOC more often? or 3) Oh no. Here comes a polity lesson.
So let me answer all of these questions: 1) The Book of Confessions is not a book by a bunch of people who wanted to record a list of all the things they've done wrong. It's the first part of the consitution of the PC (USA) and the confessions are a series of creeds, confessions, statements, and catechisms all written at different times and places in the world and they contain the foundations of our faith. They are confessing what we believe as Christians united in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2) I'm not reading it more often because like most people, I'm busy and even though I'm reading a bunch of other stuff, I'm not always reading about polity.
3) I'm not giving you a polity lesson, so stop worrying!
This coming Sunday is Trinity Sunday. In preparation for my sermon, I picked up my Book of Confessions for inspiriation about how to approach Trinity Sunday. It's not the biggest day on our liturgical calendar by any means. It's a big deal, but we don't often make it a big deal in worship (some probably do, but I've never experienced it as a big deal in church). I don't want to just try and look at the Trinity like it's some mathematical equation that we as Christians have to solve. I turned to the Confession of 1967 and read this in the preface: "The purpose of the Confession of 1967 is to call the church to that unity in confession and mission which is required of disciples today. This Confession is not a 'system of doctrine,' nor does it include all the traditional topics of theology. For example, the Trinity and the Person of Christ are not defined, but are recognized and reaffired as forming the basis and determining the structure of the Christian faith." (emphasis mine). I think that's an important observation that the confession doesn't attempt to "explain" the Trinity, but it affirms it as part of the foundation of our faith. That was the first thing I thought, "wow, that's something good to keep in mind as I prepare my sermon."
Then, as I was reading through the confession, I read this: "Life is a gift to be received with gratitude and a task to be pursued with courage."
And there I stopped because I found that statement incredibly profound. Life is a GIFT to be received with gratitude and a TASK to be pursued with courage. How often do we find ourselves in that place where we wish we had someone else's life? We want to be that person who won the lottery. We want to be that person who was able to use "petty cash" to give their kitchen and bathroom an AWESOME makeover. We want to be the mother that is the envy of other mothers, the hostess with the mostest, and the teachers and preachers that other people in our field aspire to be like. You know you do this. I know that I do this. Maybe not all the time, but occassionally, we all do this. Sometimes it seems like human beings just weren't created with the wherewithall to be comfortable with who we are.
Looking at life as a gift is something I think most of us were tought from a young age. If you've ever seen the movie "Dead Poet's Society" with Robin Williams and a host of other awesome characters, you remember the big emphasis in that movie of the line, "Carpe Diem" : Seize the Day. I've heard over and over to look at life like a gift. I've never thought of life as a task to be pursued with courage.
Sometimes it feels like we are constantly trying to figure out who we are and what our role in the world happens to be. It takes a conscious effort to cultivate that spirit of thanksgiving that brings us to a place where we can say with confidence that we are children of God, each created with individual care and love by our Almighty Creator. In a world that teaches us to always be better, it's frightening to think that we can ever be truly happy with who we are.
But that's what this confession says to me. Maybe not so much, "Be happy with who you are" and not even so much "only do the things you love" because let's face it: sometimes we have to do things we hate. But if we look at the things we do as a part of the gift of life that God gives us, how does that change how we perceive our to-do lists? How do we actively pursue life as a task of courage?
I encourage you to think about how in your own life you perceive life as a gift to be received with gratitude and a task to be pursued with courage. In thinking about your every day tasks, what kind of courage does it take to say "I'm doing this not because I'm necessarily thrilled to be doing it, but I'm doing this because this is where God is calling me to be right now"? And how often are you doing the things that you love simply because you love to do them?
God made you and God loves you. God took special care to put your life together piece by piece and even when life is tough, God took special care to make sure that He is with you every step of the way. May you find ways to see life as a gift and may you receive it with gratitude. May you also see life as as a task to be pursued with courage and may you feel God with you giving you that courage to Carpe Diem: seize the day.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Becki
ps: back to the BOC...
Friday, June 3, 2011
Summer Goals
Well, it's June. June in Illinois is a lot different from June in New Jersey. In Illinois, school is out. Kids are looking forward to May because graduation is in May. The school work ends in May. June is all summer. In New Jersey, graduations are in June. Finals are in June. School ends in June. The last week of June is summer is the first full month of summer is actually July. Of course school has ended for me in May since starting college, but I still have that mentality that summer doesn't really start until the public schools let out in June.
I don't actually like summer. I know, weird, right? I appreciated time off from school, but I'm not a fan of heat. I am a fan of swimming and I plan on doing a lot of swimming this summer.
And applying lots of sun screen. Lots and lots and lots of sunscreen.
But I have other goals this summer. I'm about a week away from my ten-month anniversary of being in this church and as I start looking two months ahead to my yearly review, I'm setting some summer goals to get me there.
1) Read more. I didn't do a whole lot of reading this past year even though I bought a ton of books. I think part of it had to do with the culture shock of not having to read. In seminary, you're given a reading list that increases the amount of paper you own exponentially. And I can't remember any week of seminary where I got every single word read that I was supposed to read. So getting out of seminary it was like, "Wait...I don't have to have anything read by this weekend!" Over the last couple of weeks, I've been trying to read more. I even bought a kindle this past week. The kindle serves two purposes: first, I can upload sermons and worship plans to it so I'm hoping to save the church a lot of paper. Second, I can put multiple books on one source and not bring a library home with me when I go on vacation. And oh won't it be awesome on the plane!
But I do want to read more. And I want to read things about topics I don't usually read about. Currently I'm working through two books. I'm reading "They Like Jesus But Not the Church" by Dan Kimball, which is a look at why emerging generations (twenty-somethings) love Jesus but cringe when you ask them what they think about the church. As a pastor who falls into that age group, it's an interesting read. The other book I'm reading is very much outside of what I consider my "reading culture norm." It's called "Acts of Faith: The story of an American Muslim, the struggle for the soul of a generation" by Eboo Patel and it's about his work striving for a culture that embraces interfaith relations. I don't have a whole lot of interaction with people outside the Christian faith. I'm in what Dan Kimball calls in his book the "Christian bubble." Which leads me to my second goal.
2) To make more friends outside of the church. It took me 10 months, but I'm starting to get to the point where I'm hungry for something outside of my apartment and outside of my church. I'm not even necessarily looking for Christian friends or "churchy" friends. I want to go to concerts and hang out with people who aren't going to ask me about things coming up at the church. I have a couple of friends from the church who treat me more like a friend and less like a pastor and I love that, but I'm hungry for more community within the community, or even in the city across the river.
3) Use my gym membership. The thing about a year-long contract at a gym is that you're stuck paying for it whether you utlitize it or not. As gas tips over the $4 range (again! ugh.) it seems like it makes sense to use what I pay for. And since the temperatures outside are not going to be very forgiving this year -- though I will be in the pool a lot! -- I plan on going to the gym a couple times a week to make up for it. Besides: I can make friends at the gym who aren't connected to my church.
4) Pray more. I've been doing a little soul searching and the fact of the matter is, I don't have much of a prayer life. I admit that freely to you as a pastor. I pray in church when we pray corporately and occassionally I'll mention a few things to God in passing, but I don't really have a disciplined spiritual life. So this summer I'm going to spend a lot of time working on my own spiritual health so I'm better equipped to guide the spiritual health of my church. It was nice to be at the retreat center and do the labyrinth, but what does spiritual health for me look like now that I'm back in my routine (albeit a summer routine)? That's the kind of self-exploration I'm doing this summer.
In January, I told you my New Year's Resolution was to live more simply. I think I've been doing that in some ways. No, I'm not taking shorter showers, but I'm being a lot more cautious about spending. I'm shopping less. I'm simplifying my schedule and taking more time out for myself. But I haven't, by any means, broken any glass ceilings. There's always room for more simplification (is that even a word?). Hopefully by working towards my four summer goals, the result is that I put more effort into working towards my ultimate New Year's goal.
What are you hoping for this summer? Do you have a reading list or a vacation list? Does it feel like you're already tired of summer because you know all you'll be doing is running around from one activity to another? Do you need to do a "faith check in" to see how, six months into the year, you're faring in your relationship with God this year?
I wish you all the best and most of all, I wish you peace.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Becki
I don't actually like summer. I know, weird, right? I appreciated time off from school, but I'm not a fan of heat. I am a fan of swimming and I plan on doing a lot of swimming this summer.
And applying lots of sun screen. Lots and lots and lots of sunscreen.
But I have other goals this summer. I'm about a week away from my ten-month anniversary of being in this church and as I start looking two months ahead to my yearly review, I'm setting some summer goals to get me there.
1) Read more. I didn't do a whole lot of reading this past year even though I bought a ton of books. I think part of it had to do with the culture shock of not having to read. In seminary, you're given a reading list that increases the amount of paper you own exponentially. And I can't remember any week of seminary where I got every single word read that I was supposed to read. So getting out of seminary it was like, "Wait...I don't have to have anything read by this weekend!" Over the last couple of weeks, I've been trying to read more. I even bought a kindle this past week. The kindle serves two purposes: first, I can upload sermons and worship plans to it so I'm hoping to save the church a lot of paper. Second, I can put multiple books on one source and not bring a library home with me when I go on vacation. And oh won't it be awesome on the plane!
But I do want to read more. And I want to read things about topics I don't usually read about. Currently I'm working through two books. I'm reading "They Like Jesus But Not the Church" by Dan Kimball, which is a look at why emerging generations (twenty-somethings) love Jesus but cringe when you ask them what they think about the church. As a pastor who falls into that age group, it's an interesting read. The other book I'm reading is very much outside of what I consider my "reading culture norm." It's called "Acts of Faith: The story of an American Muslim, the struggle for the soul of a generation" by Eboo Patel and it's about his work striving for a culture that embraces interfaith relations. I don't have a whole lot of interaction with people outside the Christian faith. I'm in what Dan Kimball calls in his book the "Christian bubble." Which leads me to my second goal.
2) To make more friends outside of the church. It took me 10 months, but I'm starting to get to the point where I'm hungry for something outside of my apartment and outside of my church. I'm not even necessarily looking for Christian friends or "churchy" friends. I want to go to concerts and hang out with people who aren't going to ask me about things coming up at the church. I have a couple of friends from the church who treat me more like a friend and less like a pastor and I love that, but I'm hungry for more community within the community, or even in the city across the river.
3) Use my gym membership. The thing about a year-long contract at a gym is that you're stuck paying for it whether you utlitize it or not. As gas tips over the $4 range (again! ugh.) it seems like it makes sense to use what I pay for. And since the temperatures outside are not going to be very forgiving this year -- though I will be in the pool a lot! -- I plan on going to the gym a couple times a week to make up for it. Besides: I can make friends at the gym who aren't connected to my church.
4) Pray more. I've been doing a little soul searching and the fact of the matter is, I don't have much of a prayer life. I admit that freely to you as a pastor. I pray in church when we pray corporately and occassionally I'll mention a few things to God in passing, but I don't really have a disciplined spiritual life. So this summer I'm going to spend a lot of time working on my own spiritual health so I'm better equipped to guide the spiritual health of my church. It was nice to be at the retreat center and do the labyrinth, but what does spiritual health for me look like now that I'm back in my routine (albeit a summer routine)? That's the kind of self-exploration I'm doing this summer.
In January, I told you my New Year's Resolution was to live more simply. I think I've been doing that in some ways. No, I'm not taking shorter showers, but I'm being a lot more cautious about spending. I'm shopping less. I'm simplifying my schedule and taking more time out for myself. But I haven't, by any means, broken any glass ceilings. There's always room for more simplification (is that even a word?). Hopefully by working towards my four summer goals, the result is that I put more effort into working towards my ultimate New Year's goal.
What are you hoping for this summer? Do you have a reading list or a vacation list? Does it feel like you're already tired of summer because you know all you'll be doing is running around from one activity to another? Do you need to do a "faith check in" to see how, six months into the year, you're faring in your relationship with God this year?
I wish you all the best and most of all, I wish you peace.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Becki
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