Blue Jeans= Relax!

This past Wednesday during our first Midweek Advent Service of the season I led worship in blue jeans. Levis to be exact. It's not about the blue jeans, really, its about being relaxed I think.

Just the day before I went to Physical Therapy for the first time in my life, though in college I spent every day in the Athletic Training room. The presenting problem? I threw my sacroiliac out AGAIN! I truly think that this happens when I get so frenzied, so busy, so stressed with all the balls I have in the air that something in my body says, "No more! Slow down or I WILL slow you down." Then I hobble around in excruciating pain for six days, icing, resting, taking the requisite pain relievers, only to start up again when I am mobile. So here I was lying on the PT's exam table as she is trying to get a reflex from my foot or ankle (I don't know what she was doing!) and she kept saying, "Relax. Relax. Relax!" Apparently I wouldn't give her what she wanted which was a relaxed foot. Then she said, "You need to learn to relax." To which I quipped, "Yes, I've been told that." We both chuckled.

So in act of relaxation (not defiance mind you) I wore a sweater and blue jeans to worship for the very first time in over 10 years! 15 if you count seminary. Know what I think? I think everyone else was a bit more relaxed as well. We had a lovely service of compline, we breathed deeply and exhaled out all of the stress together, and it was a beautiful quiet, peace-filled evening of worship.

So what do you think? What means relaxation to you? Is it a particular way of dressing? Is it music? Is it ___________? And further, do you think that worship ought to be more relaxed, or at least occasionally? Or does that bother you?

Have a very relaxing Friday, even if you are working, and a blessed first Sunday of Advent!

acl

Getting Back in the Practice

Over the summer I fell out of my normal routine of working out at least an hour every day. The reason was that I hurt my back and after about five trips to chiropractor it began to heal and stay in alignment. I lost all of the conditioning I had built up and it was pretty significant. The old adage, "use it or lose it" is so true, especially when it comes to being in shape physically. I recently read where if an athlete takes more than a two week break from training then they are basically starting all over again. Back to square one in their conditioning. Two weeks isn't very long in my book; sometimes two weeks flies by so quickly that it seems like a single day. So anyway, I've been back to my routine for about two weeks now and every P90X workout brings on newly sore muscles. Those muscles that were in tune to the workout are now being challenged to spring back into shape. It's tough. . . the older I get, the harder it gets but I feel so much better when I commit myself to working out everyday.

Yesterday I was feeling a bit tired, mentally, physically and spiritually fatigued. I was at a meeting out of town with two colleagues, one of which had to leave to go lead a noon worship service of Holy Communion. We decided to stay and worship because we knew we needed the break, the refreshment, the renewed connection with Christ. It was a quiet worship, only a dozen or so in attendance, but it was so peace-full. There was time to sit and talk to God. There was time to sit and listen. (And I didn't have to be in charge; I didn't have to make everyone feel at home; I didn't have to make sure everything was where it needed to be; I didn't have to think, I had the joy of just "being.") It was wonderful to get to practice just "being" for a time yesterday. So often the rush and pace of life prevents me from settling down and practicing what I know will truly bring renewal and refreshment. I make time to work out. . . to be in that sort of practice. . . I sometimes forget to make time for the other kind of practice.

How about you? Do you devote time to just "being" with God? Do you allow yourself the luxury, no the discipline, no the necessity of spending precious moments with our Savior? What gets in the way of such practice, because we know it's vital to our survival?! Will our spiritual muscles get flabby if we fail to put them into practice? From my own experience I would say, "yes."

Here's what works for me, and feel free to comment on what works for you so that all the readers of STS can benefit from your experience: I walk my dog, Martin Luther, just about every day. We go for one hour which is about 3.5 miles. This is the time I devote to Christ. I ask him to be with me by saying these words that indicate my assent to his presence, "Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy." I focus on breathing in the Spirit and exhaling the toxic stuff of my thoughts, fears and anxieties. It is my prayer practice. It works for me very well. It pulls me back to my grounding in Jesus and allows my day to go smoother, more grace-full. It changes me each morning into the person Christ would like me to be- okay so it's not a full change, I'm still simul justis et peccator, but you get the idea.

So seriously, what works for you? How are you doing on your practice? What keeps you from practicing?

May God bless your work and play, prayer and solitude, family time and rest. Amen.

A Letter to Rose: #2 Saints

This is the second letter in an ongoing series of letters to my niece who is also my goddaughter. She is the first child in my family that I had the joy of baptizing (I say "I" but I really mean that I got to pour the water and say the words and God did the real work since I can't do anything even remotely close to resembling what God does in baptism).

November 5, 2012

Dear Rose,

Yesterday was All Saints Sunday in church. That’s a day when we remember all of the faithful people who have died in the past year. We light a candle and read their names and we talk about the promise of Christ’s resurrection. It is always very moving for people, especially if they have had a loved one die recently. 

There are a few people in your family, Rose, that you will never meet because they had their resurrection time before it was your time to be born. They are still your people though! Most importantly your paternal grandmother, your daddy’s mama. None of us ever had the privilege of meeting her because she died when before your mommy and daddy met. Also, your paternal grandfather, your daddy’s dad who died not long ago, but again before you were born. (Maybe you crossed paths in heaven before you came to us??) Ask your daddy about them when you get older. Have him tell you stories about who they were and what they were like because it is a window into who your dad is and who you are too. 

Then there are the people on your mommy’s side, those I know because I am married to your mommy’s brother. There was your great-grandmother Anna Stull who your cousin is named after. Oh how they loved her! She was funny and sweet and smart. That’s grandpa Little’s mother. Grandma Little’s mother was great-grandma Marian Hoskins. She used to give your cousins stuffed animals that she won at bingo. Ask your mama about them because they are your people too and they will show you part of who you are. 

You are very lucky, little one, to have your Grandma and Grandpa Little. You have a special relationship with Grandma Little because your first name is part of her name (just like with your middle name was your daddy’s mama’s name). It is so neat to be named after someone; my middle name was my grandma’s first name. But I’m telling you from experience that your grandma and grandpa are the best! They love you so much and you give them such joy. So here’s my advice little girl, when you get old enough to read this letter ask them questions about their lives. Ask them questions about growing up, how hard it was, what they liked to do, where they met (back in junior high!!) and what it was like to be parents to your mommy. You will find out a lot about who you are when you talk to them and hear their stories. 

The saints in our lives (and you are a saint young lady by virtue of your baptism) give us so much. They love us, they encourage us to be faithful followers of Christ, they look out for us and help us grow in faith, love and service to the world. Hearing their stories strengthens us for the journey of faith and reminds us where we have come from and who we are. You are surrounded by wonderful people, Rose, so take advantage of their experiences as you grow into who God has created you to be.

I love you sweetheart,

Aunt Amy