An Hour Lost...

    Tomorrow morning at 2:00 AM we “lose an hour” of time.  Well I guess we don’t really lose an hour of time, but in order to keep the calendars, computers...the stuff of life...in order, we turn the clocks forward and all 60 of the 2-3 am minutes vanish.  The result is that the world’s clocks remain aligned with the world’s rotation around the sun, the days go back to being darker for a few weeks, the light shines a bit longer before night falls, and we lose an hour of sleep.  The adage reminds us that we “Spring forward, and Fall back,” but when it comes to the springing forward, the tendency is for us to want to fall right back into bed.  Whenever we go into or come out of Daylight Saving Time, I reflect upon the whole concept of time, including how I use it.      
     We are given a finite number of seconds in a minute, minutes in an hour, hours in a day, days in a year, and years in a lifetime, and like many things to which we can become acclimated, we simply expect the next bit of time to be ours.  But we know that that is not true.  We never know the day or hour when our time on earth will be done.  To reflect upon such things can become depressing... depending upon how choose to deal with it.
    It is always interesting how folks respond to discussions about death and dying, just as it is interesting to see how we respond to times of stress and change.  In these, and all situations, the ways in which these stressors affect us are directly correlated to how we choose to respond.  That is, if we choose to dwell on them and allow them to weigh us down, we risk falling into a downward spiral of emotions, thoughts, and actions.  If we choose to simply ignore them, we can delude ourselves into acting as if it will just go away.  However, if we choose to acknowledge the stress, reflect upon it, and realize that it can be a way in which God is speaking to us and teaching us how to live life more fully, we emerge as those who recognize and receive the kind of life Jesus offers us. 
    There are many, many factors that guide our responses.  Our response to each stressor can be different just because of the nature of the stress.  We approach each situation we go into differently, and that affects our choice.  Even our own health and well-being plays into how we approach such situations.  But again, what is important is how we allow those situations and stressors to affect us.
    As a pastor I am privileged to journey within and beside the lives of folks who are dealing with the realities of life.  Many are joyful and many are difficult, but what amazes me about the human spirit, is that there is an innate magnetism that connects the human spirit with the Holy Spirit.  What I have learned is that, those who are healthiest emotionally and spiritually, are those who see to connect themselves with the Holy Spirit, for when they do, they are able to place the stressors of life in proper perspective.
    To give an example, I have journeyed with many a parishioner who have suffered from devastating and lethal diseases.  Such situations are each unique, and they are each hard, but I will say that some are easier than others.  In fact, some are even a blessing to be a part of, even though the situation is dire. 
    Those that are blessings are those where the family and/or the parishioner is able to connect with God and allow God to bring the comfort, healing, and peace that is needed.  They are the ones where the sick one is ministering to those around them.  They are the ones where one can see clearly that God is at the center of how they approach their dis-ease, and when God is at the center, everything changes.  There is hope.  There is joy.  There is love.

    In the sixteenth chapter of John’s Gospel Jesus is preparing his disciples for his upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection, and part of this discourse centers around naming that they will weep and mourn, while the world will rejoice.  But then he says that their grieving will become joy.  He says, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” [John 16: 22]
    Jesus is telling them not to remain in their grief, but to look for God at work bringing hope, joy, and resurrection.  But in order to receive God’s gift, they will need to choose how they will approach what is to come.  For most of them, it was not until they were on the other side of the resurrection that they understood.  It wasn’t until they went through the struggle and saw where God had led them through, that they realized God’s invitation to approach every situation by turning and trusting in the Spirit.

    We are in the middle of the season of Lent, a time of introspection and examination.  It is a time of living more deeply and learning to go through the struggles.  Often Lent unearths the hard stuff, and it certainly reveals the difficult aspects of the faith, such as Christ’s suffering and death and the truth of our sin, but that’s the point.  Lent is a time to go to the depths by Christ’s example, looking to God, trusting in the Spirit, and placing all our chips on the truth of the Resurrection.
    In just a few hours, we will “lose an hour of time,” but the result of that “loss” is that we enter a new period where the days are longer, the light is brighter, and the season of Spring brings new life.  In “losing the hour” (yes, even the hour of sleep), we go through a change and emerge on the other side, renewed, refreshed, and ready for the season ahead.
    May this Daylight “Saving” Time be a time equal to Lent...a time when we might just be saved and renewed for all time.

What is the Spirit beckoning you to go through so you might lose it and be renewed?

Reconciliation...

   We’ve entered the season of Lent.  It is a time of reflection, self-examination, and up until this week, I’d never really thought about it being a season of “reconciliation.”
    I know, that may sound odd coming from a pastor whose favorite season is Lent, who loves the introspection, asking of questions, and unearthing all the spiritual debris that backs up in my soul and heart the rest of the year, but if I’m honest with myself, I tend not to really think about reconciliation as a focus of the season.  And yet, it most certainly is.
    The word “reconciliation” has come to mind because part of my daily discipline is to open my browser and go to: www.d365.org .  During the season of Lent the name changes to “Journey to the Cross,” but it is the same poignant message, written by ordinary folks, bumbling through life and faith as we are.  The theme this week is “Reconciliation.”  The front page of the site gives a title each week.  This week it reads, “For Reconciliation,” and each day the focus has been on what reconciliation is and how it is lived out.

    As I’ve thought about the whole concept, I have found myself reflecting upon what it means to examine oneself and what the purpose is.  Part of it has to do with preparing ourselves to receive the amazing grace of the cross and resurrection.  Part of it has to do with getting outside ourselves and our normal routine, so that we might see from a different perspective, where and how God is working in and around our lives.  But at it’s core, the preparing and the “change of scenery” is that which moves us to see and acknowledge where we fall short, where change needs to take place...and where God is in the midst of it. 
    It is through this process that reconciliation takes place.  The question is, with whom is that reconciliation made?  The answer is different for each of us.
    Through the process of Lenten discipline and devotion, some discover the need for them to be reconciled with those whom they have hurt or who have hurt them.  The lenten catharsis of laying oneself bare and being stripped to the core reveals the scars and open wounds inflicted by human to human interaction.  Reconciliation is the salve.
    Others find this season revealing the need to be reconciled on a more global basis.  That is, some chosen disciplines lead us to realize how much we consume, whether it be food, gasoline, or other resources, and through having our eyes opened to our greed, we realize that we need to be reconciled with God’s gift to us in Creation.
    But one of the most poignant and important places where lent reveals the need for reconciliation is in our relationship with ourselves.  Through the risk of asking God to reveal who we really are, as opposed to who we think we are, we can find ourselves led to places to which we don’t want to go emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  In opening up we can come to realizations about ourselves that are painful or difficult to accept, and we resist.  But if we are willing to go into the places that we resist, we discover the gift of reconciliation.  We realize that the hardest things are often the life-changing things of life.

    In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (fifth chapter), he shares some thoughts about the ministry of reconciliation.  Part of his message to them is to be reconciled with one another, but then he shifts his point and speaks about Christ’s reconciliation with the world.  Because of Christ’s sacrifice and work while on earth, because of his death and resurrection, Paul says that we are reconciled, made whole, brought back into right relationship, with the world and God.  “Therefore,” he says, “regard no one from a worldly point of view...for if anyone is in Christ he/she is a new creation...God reconciled us to himself through Christ...Be reconciled to God.”
    This season of Lent is a time to honestly reflect on where we are in life, in our faith, in our relationship, and with ourselves.  It’s a time to be reconciled and made new through the risk of stepping out in faith and seeking God’s truth.

    Part of what I shared on Ash Wednesday is the Lent is a time when we take the time to examine and remember who we are and whose we are.  If we take it seriously, we can’t help but learn, grow, and be changed.  If we venture forth into this unknown, God will make a way for wholeness, true life, and reconciliation to be ours.


What does reconciliation mean to you?  Where might God be inviting you to be reconciled?  Who might you call on to help along the journey, just in case the truth seems to difficult?

14 day guarantee...

     For months now my 7 year old daughter has been saving up to purchase a fish.  Maybe it was in response to the deaths of our zebra finch and dog, but she has been fixated on getting another pet.  This time a fish, and so, she has been doing odd jobs around the house so we can add the funds. 
    This past Saturday she was ready to head to the pet store and seal the deal, but before we headed out she and I sat down and sorted the three pounds of money in the jar.  She had collected five ones, one 5, and the rest was made up of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies for a total of $27.43.  We bagged each denomination of coins, placed them back in the container and headed to the pet store.
    Clutching her stash she was like a kid in a candy shop, only this was no candy shop.  It was instead the place where she hoped to bring home a source of fascination and fun.  Something to watch over, care for, and enjoy observing.  After all, one can’t pet a fish.
    We started by choosing the environment.  What kind of bowl should we get?  No need for a bubbler, since she her heart was set on a Betta.  Of course, she picked the biggest, most  attractive bowl she could find – a 1.75 gallon Brandy Snifter – which was also the most expensive.
    Though the rocks, objects, and plants would be important, we had to match them with the color of the fish, so we turned toward the object of my child’s affection.  Unfortunately it was slim pickin’s.  Only 3 were left, but she found one that, though small, had fins that were her favorite color – orange, so of course we picked up that one before someone else grabbed it.  Once that was chosen we turned toward the decorations aisle, where she picked out some colorful rocks for the base, a ceramic turtle as a companion, and of course, an orange plant (synthetic). We were ready to go, and boy was Anna excited!  With my wife’s and my arms full of supplies and her arm’s full of money, we headed to check out. 
    The 16 year old girl behind the counter was not too please to see us however, when we plopped the money jar up on the counter.  Come to think of it, neither was the guy behind us who had a cart full of dog supplies.  With a lack of youthful enthusiasm, the girl behind the counter turned to a fellow clerk and said, “They have it all marked out in baggies.  Do I have to count it all?”  The reply, “Yep.”
    With my wife to the side, somewhat embarrassed and amazed that we’d go through this, rather than simply pay for it and take the change home, Anna, the check out girl, and I sorted and stacked the coins.  I gave in to my wife and took the pennies home, but the quarters, nickels, and dimes were each quarantined to their specific areas on the counter, and Anna soaked the whole experience in.
    This was money that she had saved up.  She had worked hard collecting that which would purchase this fish and the supplies.  For me it brought back memories of similar times when I had used my earnings to buy a unicycle.  It brought to the surface a sense of accomplishment and pride that I had felt, but was now blessed to experience through my exuberant daughter.
    After paying $38.25, (yes, we kicked in a bit.  After all, the brandy snifter is pretty awesome!) We walked out, parents holding the supplies and Anna holding her prize.  We walked out smiling and ready to take care of this new pet.  Before we stepped out of the store, however, the girl who had helped us with the purchase said, “Just so you know, there is a 14 day guarantee on the fish and a 60 day guarantee on any of these supplies.  If something happens, we will either replace it or give your money back.”    “Thanks,” we said, and headed toward the car.  Little did we think that we might have to take them up on that offer.
    My wife and I were a little concerned when we finally got “B,” as my daughter named it, all situated and the fish didn’t eat anything.  We tried the pellets, purchased some flake food, and even got some dried bloodworms which are supposed to be a Betta delicacy, but to no avail.  The fish was not eating.
    Tuesday my wife came home from work and texted me, “I don’t think “B” is going to make it.”  I called, and she said that the fish was half floating and barely moving.  About ten minutes later my daughter came home from school, and I received another text that the fish had died.
    I picked up the phone to give a little pastoral care to my daughter, and I asked how she was doing.  In a quiet but clear voice she said to me, “I’m okay I guess.  When I came home ‘B’ gave one twitch of his tail and died.”  I could tell that she was processing this confusing loss, for on the one hand it was a creature that had died and she was responsible for caring for it, and yet she had not really grown attached to it.
    Over the past few nights we’ve been talking about the experience, and one of the more moving aspects of this was that during her prayers she asked God to take care of “B.”  But even more touching was that afterward she turned to my wife and, referencing one of the dear saints of this church who recently passed, said, “Mom, Ms. Nonie is taking care of ‘B,’ and I know they are alright.”
    The downside of the 14 day guarantee is that we had no flushing of the body or words to lay him/her to rest but instead had to cash it in.  The upside was that we walked into a store full of beautiful, bright, healthy fish.  Within fifteen minutes she had chosen her a new beta, only this one is a bright orange/red male.  And so far everything is going well, and “Frank” seems happy in his new environment.

        I’ve thought a lot about the whole concept of a 14 day guarantee, which in a way is a bit odd. After all these are living beings that are being exchanged.  At the same time, however, these are also delicate creatures and the risk of damage or sickness is relatively high.  Connect that with our capitalistic society, and it makes sense.
    Theologically, however there are no 14 day guarantees.  There are few guarantees in life, but there is one thing we’ve been assured by God, that in Christ we are given a gift beyond 14 days...a gift of eternal life.  And though we don’t exchange anything, Christ exchanged everything to give us that gift. 

    In making the transition from “B” to “Frank,” we’ve been able to speak with my daughter about the realities of life and death, and part of those discussions are about how we can’t just exchange our lives for a different one.  Instead, we are invited live life to the fullest, and part of what I am sharing with my daughter is that we can live in this way because of the life Christ exchanged for us, a life that is full, eternal, and not only brings joy but shares joy with all of God’s children.

How are you living your life?  Wishing for an exchange or living into every day?

God Provides...

    Mondays are my days.  It’s my day off, and I religiously take that time to regroup, rejuvenate, and simply let go of all the stuff I have to deal with on a day to day basis.  Last year I stepped up my running and decided to start running marathons, and when I did I realized that training takes a lot of time because one has to put in a lot of miles.  As such Monday is not only my day off, but it has become the day when I go out and run my long mileage – 12, 16, 20 miles – just my podcasts, the beauty of nature, and my thoughts all to myself.  I LOVE my Mondays.
    This week my training schedule called me to run a shorter distance, so I decided to run the Blue Ridge Parkway, which though it has some significant elevation changes, is beautiful.  This past Monday was a dreary day.  The forecast called for rain and/or freezing rain later in the morning, and  fog warnings were issued for the morning.  As I made it toward the overlook where I’d park, I realized that that was indeed the case.
    The fog on Parkway was not too bad at lower elevations, but the higher I ran the more socked in it was.  At the highest elevations visibility was about 5 car lengths ahead, which is why I was running with a headlamp and bright clothing (for that one car that passed me during the hour and a half I was on the parkway).
    It is fascinating and fun to run in the fog, because when doing so it’s like running in a tunnel.  It’s as if one is inside one of those hamster/gerbil tunnels, cocooned and enveloped in an environment which hides the reality around.  One can hear cars below, animals scurrying, and trees creaking, but see little to nothing.  And yet the isolation was not deafening or stifling, rather for me it was freeing.  Just God, me, and nature in communion together.  However, the fog was not what had the most impact on me during this run.  Instead it was what that fog became.
    As I reached the higher elevations, the moisture from the fog turned from simply wetting the roads and mountain down, to freezing into ice.  Only this was no ordinary ice.  Instead of hanging down from branches and signs, when the wind blew, the wind's power was stronger than gravity on the tiny molecules of fog, thus forming sideways icicles. 
    These icicles were not formed by dripping, instead, they were tiny needles of ice, much like a needle used to repair clothing, and the needles were side by side, connected at the body.  These needles were melded together and formed arching formations similar to a fin running down the back of a fish or lizard, all of them sticking out to the side, just as the wind formed them.
    Amazingly these formations took hold on everything except the road itself.  The pine needles were extended with ice needles, ice sculptures jutted out from branches and signs, and on the individual weeds and grass along the side of the road, the same.  Running through a tunnel of fog, I was surrounded by beauty I’d never experienced before, and I soaked in as much as I could.
    One of the things that I am aware is vital when running is to remain hydrated, for if one gets behind on water intake, then one can get into trouble physically and mentally.  This was a shorter run, so I didn’t take water with me on the run but left it in the car for my return, however when I reached the point where I needed to turn around I could feel the need for water begin to hit.
    Though it wasn’t an overwhelming urge it was there, and so I did the most logical thing at the time, I went to a tree and simply broke off the ice from the branches.  It was sweet and clean, and it was the perfect consistency to simply melt in my mouth.  The needles dissolved as the medicine that I needed at the time, and I looked around realizing that I had an endless supply of what I needed.  It was a beautiful thing.

    In the 22nd chapter of Genesis there is a difficult story – Abraham taking his son, Isaac, up the mountain to sacrifice him.  This old man being faithful to what he believed was God’s call, taking his only son to a place where a sacrifice would be expected.  I can’t imagine, and you probably can’t either.  And though I won’t get into the inexhaustible amount of theology that is wrapped up into this story, there is one point that is central, and that is that God will provide.
    In the 7th and 8th verses Isaac asks his father where the lamb was, and Abraham responds out of faith, “God will provide.”  And the author says, “the two of them went on together.”  They go upon into that mountain, maybe with a little bit of tunnel vision, trusting that God would provide, and God did.

    As I think about my experience Monday, I realize what a powerful reminder this was for me of God’s grace.  God provided the time, at the right time, in the right way, to see and experience communion.  God provided the space and the setting in which I experienced the grandeur and majesty of God’s world.  God provided the essential element of water in a most unlikely place, and when I received that gift it was the best I’d ever had.
    Where are you in your life?  Are you needing a God that provides?  God is providing.  Are you feeling lost and in a fog, living in a tunnel, or maybe even frozen by the winds of life?  God provides a way out.  Are you running away from something, someone, or even yourself?  Look beside you, and you’ll see the great Provider.  There may even be some mountains and treacherous roads ahead, and yet God provides.
    God provides.  Thanks be to God.


Where do you need to experience God’s provision?  Pray and look around.  The signs and assurances are there.

Love Beyond Expectation

    Today is the day of Epiphany, the day in the Church when we remember and celebrate the coming of the Magi to the stable with gifts for the infant King.  It is also marks the end of Christmas and beginning of the season of Light.  This is also a day when many, if they have not already, will take down their Christmas decorations.
    When my wife and I were married, she had a tradition of putting up the Christmas decorations Thanksgiving weekend and taking them down around New Year’s.  My family would get a “live” tree, so we didn’t put our stuff up until almost Christmas Eve, but we’d leave ours up until January 6th.  We combined our traditions, and we put everything up Thanksgiving weekend, but we keep it up until after January 6th.
    As I reflect upon this day and the task before my family, I wonder how many of us will pack Christmas away (or already have).  These Magi, considered Gentile outsiders, came and brought gifts, and the message from God was that even those outside the normal realm of religious influence would be invited to be part of the Kingdom of God.  There is not putting away anything in their gift-giving, nor in God’s message, rather the very opposite is true – there is a bursting forth, a breaking open, and a tearing down of any barriers or boxes that humans can try to place around God.
    The message of Christmas, that God would send the Son, is a marvel, but for God to reveal a bigger picture, that all would be invited, is even more astounding.  And the gift received, both the Son and the invitation, is all about love.  It is about God loving so much that God wanted it all...wanted us all.  It is a love beyond expectation and limits...a love that we can so easily close ourselves off to, simply because we can’t imagine the vastness of such mercy and grace.

    Evidence of such love is peppered throughout the Bible, most especially in the New Testament.  Matthew recounts Jesus saying, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest....”(Matthew 11:28).  John quotes Jesus as saying, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but...the Light has come into the world...so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” (John 3: 17, 19, 21) And John wrote in his first letter (1 John 4: 9), “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”
    God didn’t have to do this, and yet God did.  God reached out to make a way for all to be a part of God’s Kingdom and receive the fullness of God’s gift.  And the result is that no one can, or should ever, put away such a gift, for once it is given and received, it resides in our hearts and souls, and if we allow it, God will bless us and others through the gift.

    I have been reading a devotional book entitled, Watch for the Light: readings for Advent and Christmas,” and the reading for Epiphany is simple but profound – a poem from the opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors” by Gian Carlo Menotti: 

Love Alone

The Child we seek
doesn't need our gold.
On love, on love alone
he will build his kingdom.
His pierced hand will hold no scepter,
his haloed head will wear no crown;
his might will not be built
on your toil.
Swifter than lightning
he will soon walk among us.
He will bring us new life
and receive our death,
and the keys to his city
belong to the poor.

    For me this poem captures the amazing love of God that moves beyond our expectation.  As I put away the Christmas decorations and begin the process of moving into Epiphany, my hope and prayer is that neither you nor I will put away the messages of Christmas nor Epiphany, but instead let it burst for as love for all.


How might God be calling you to take the gift you've received this Christmas and share it with the world?

Jesus is Always in the Picture

    Last night when I came in from work I was greeted by the usual enthusiasm of my seven year old daughter, only in addition to the joyful cry of “Daddy!  You’re home!”  She added to the sentence, “...and I want to show you the picture I drew.  It’s a picture of what Christmas means to me!” 

    She pulled the picture out from behind her back and proceeded to explain the various elements of the picture.  First she pointed to the most obvious, the man in the red suit and hat, then she named  each person in the family, colorfully illustrated with wonderfully creative hair.  She pointed to a present and explained that Christmas is a time to share gifts, and then she pointed to a heart, which she told me was a reminder that Christmas is about love.  Finally, she pointed to something that I at first didn’t see, and as she did she said, “And this is the baby Jesus.  You can’t have Christmas without the baby Jesus.”  It seems like an obvious statement that we can’t have Christmas without Jesus.  After all, it IS Jesus birthday, and Jesus really IS the reason for the season, and yet how easy it is for Jesus to get lost in the shuffle of the season.
   This past Sunday began the season of Advent.  Part of the reason we celebrate this season is to remind us that Jesus is the focus of Christmas, and from the very beginning the early Church mothers and fathers understood how easy it is for Jesus to not be the focus.  Thus, a season of preparation, reflection, and prayer was instituted by the Church so that, like the nine months of preparation in anticipation of any child’s entry into the world, we too prepare.  We get ready for THIS child to come again into our hearts.
    “You can’t have Christmas without the baby Jesus,” my daughter said, and as I’ve thought about that statement my mind has expanded the concept.  I started thinking about other things that can’t be without Jesus, like grace, salvation, or even Christian worship.  I got a little less theological and thought about how we couldn’t experience true Joy without Jesus, and at least from my experience, we can’t experience the fullness of life that God intends for us.  As I thought about the context of the statement and I was reminded that Jesus is always in the picture.
    We United Methodists have this understanding of God’s love which is centered around “grace.” This understanding is based in a belief that God loves everyone and God’s grace is available for everyone.  The technical/theological term for this is “prevenient grace,” and it implies that God’s love is always there.  God goes before us, holds us up, and pushes us to live into that same love.  In a nutshell it means that Jesus, God’s gift of love, is always in the picture.

    St. Matthew ended his Gospel with something called The Great Commission (Matthew 28: 16-20), and it gives instructions, even a command, for the disciples to go out and tell Christ’s story to the world.  It is referenced as a key part of evangelism as well as our call as Christians, and rightly so, but it ends with an interesting phrase.  Matthew ends the whole book with this interesting phrase...”I am with you, even to the end of the age.”    It’s easy to read these verses as a rallying cry to get folks out of their comfort zones and into the streets, sharing the love and Word of Christ, and miss the power of such a phrase.  “I am with you, even to the end of the age.”  Some translations even say, “I am with you ALWAYS, even to the end of the age.”
    God, with US always, or to be more relevant to the season, “Immanuel, God with us,” IS with us always, even to the end of the age.   As shared by the presentation by my daughter, Jesus is always in the picture.

    The term “Advent” is translated, “coming,” and it describes this time in the Church year when we prepare for Christ’s coming at Christmas.  And yes, it may feel and sound a bit odd to prepare for someone to come who has already come, died, rose, again, and whom we expect to come again, one whom we know is still with us every day, and yet we celebrate this season as a way to remember who Christ is and to be reminded of the power of Christmas.  We go through Advent so that Advent might go through us and remind us of the gift given.
    And as we do, we discover (or discover again) that Christ really is always in the picture.  That Christ shows up in places that where we might not always see Him clearly or neatly, and yet when we see Him it makes all the difference.
    It’s sort of likes seeing a picture and there is something drawn that is easily missed.  Though easily missed, it is the most important element, and one might not see it if it weren’t for someone...a child...to point it out and say, “and this is Jesus.  You can't have _______________ without Jesus.”

Where do you see Christ in the picture of your life?
Where have you missed seeing Christ in the picture?
How might Advent be a time for you to look for Christ in everything?

Breathe...

    It’s been over a month since I’ve taken the time to write a blog entry, and I have missed it!  The reason behind this is that I filled my schedule up so much that I didn’t feel like I had the time, almost to where I didn’t feel like I could breathe.
    My guess is that you too have been through seasons in your life when you feel the same way.  I would also venture to say that if you are reading this, you are either out of such a season or using this as a break from the chaos.  Either way, it is so easy for us to fill our lives with so much that we can feel overwhelmed and over taxed.
    It happens in our work life, in our family time, and even in our time with God, and the scary part is that the urge to do more, be more, and keep going is perpetuated by the society around us...and that little voice inside that pushes us to take on just one more thing.  And yet, to do can be at our own detriment.
    Don’t get me wrong, this season I’ve come through (and we are all about to go through) was one where the things I did were all for great things.  Activities around the church benefited many, the Emmaus walk that I helped with had a huge impact on many men including myself, and the marathon I ran was the fulfillment of a long-term goal I’d set for myself.  Family activities were a blessing for me, and even the time on the road in between activity was used as time to reflect, but there is something about stopping all the “doing” and simply “being” that brings focus, renewed energy, and wholeness.

    I mentioned that I completed a marathon.  This was last weekend, and it was my first official marathon.  I trained, and for most of the way ran, by myself, and for me that time on the road is a time to “be.”  It is a time to reflect on where I am in life and what I’m doing, and I need that time.  In fact, it’s probably what kept me sane over these busy recent days.  It helped me to catch my breath.
    Breathing is an integral part of running.  After all, if one doesn’t breathe correctly they can have issues.  They can get cramps in their sides, and even pass out if they are not processing air effectively.  More common and important however, is the fact that the way one breathes affects their performance.
    Beginning runners often breathe in through their nose then exhale through their mouth, but when one does this they do not maximize their breath.  That is, they do not get a full breath, and on the exhale they may or may not be able to completely expel the carbon dioxide from the body.  One really needs to inhale and exhale from their nose and mouth.
    One thing worth noting is that the amount of oxygen needed for the body, thus amount of breaths one take in minute will increase or decrease depending on how much oxygen the body needs.  Thus, the more energy one exerts, the more oxygen they need, thus the more quickly their breathing, for just as food and liquid are fuel for the body, so is oxygen.
    Ultimately, however, when one gets used to running and trains for awhile, they begin to get “in shape,” and when they get in shape their heart, lungs, and muscles begin to work together.  A coordination of the three work together to create a cadence of breathing in, then out...2 steps in, 2 steps out..., and as that cadence is set the runner relaxes.  They give themselves over to the activity, and they simply go.  And at some point in the training of every runner there is a moment when the activity is less about “doing” and almost completely a way of “being.”

    At the beginning of the Bible God creates everything, and on the last day, the 7th day, God names something which we know as “Sabbath.”  Sabbath is a day of rest.  A day to spend time with God and family.  Ultimately, it is a day to simply “be.”
    Now I know that very few of us actually take a Sabbath day each week as commanded, myself included, but as always God did know what God was doing when God commanded us to take Sabbath.  God knew that we need time to simply let go and be.  That the constant working, constant running, constant doing will run us down.
    If you’ve ever been diagnosed with hypertension or high cholesterol, you know that a common cause for these diseases is stress and never taking time to simply “be” because there is too much to “do.”  Some wonder why heart issues are so prevalent in our society, but God knew a long time ago, if we but listen.

    I wonder, how well are you breathing?  Where are you deliberately taking “Sabbath” time, even if it’s just 30 minutes during the day, to stop doing and simply “being”?  How close to burn out are you?  Statistically, at least a few are feeling a little “crispy.”
    What is hopeful and wonderful to me is that when we begin to ask such questions and become aware of how busy we are, we can begin to take note of our breathing.  We can note whether we’re “inhaling through our noses and exhaling through our mouths” through compartmentalizing our lives in order to cope.  That is, we breath in running the kids to practices and rehearsals, then think breathing out is heading to the gym to fit in a quick work out.
    When we step out of our schedules and genuinely look at how much time we take for ourselves, we are able to assess whether the pace is so fast that we cannot breathe, and adjust accordingly.  In fact, if we do it enough, we might even be able to pull back enough to establish a healthy cadence in life, where we take everything in stride and can breathe deeply.
    But ultimately, when we do these things, we discover, and/or are reminded, of what God knew and taught from the very beginning.  That we need to breathe, not just air, but life.  And the way to do that is to step back, take note, then receive the grace of God that is lavished upon us all the time.  A grace that is easily missed when we never stop.

Look at your schedule or think back on the last three months.  Where has the time gone?  The ways we spend our time reflect our priorities.
Look at your checkbooks.  Where has the money gone?  Money and time are integrally connected, and in the same way, how we spend our money reflects our priorities.
Take some time to pray about how God might help you to “breathe” better.  Then set your mind on a goal...then do it.