Tis the season for compassion overload! In the course of the next four weeks, pastors will find themselves on the receiving end of one request after another. Do these sound familiar?
"There is an extra family that needs gifts and a tree than we planned for, what can we do, pastor?" "One of the kings in the pageant just got sick and needs a ride home, can you help out pastor?" "Pastor, you don't know me but my family and I just moved into town and we need a place to live." Pastor, I know it is your day off but Mary was just taken to the hospital with what looks like a miscarriage. She needs you." "I need your article for the January newsletter a week before Christmas this year." "The funeral home just called and they have an unchurched family who needs a pastor." "Honey, when are we going to decorate our home for Christmas?
Familiar? Yes. Part of the job description? Yes. Compassion needed and shared? Yes. We are called to offer compassion to those whom we shepherd and serve and we do it without thought to our own needs. And by the end of this Advent season most pastors are exhausted with and by compassion overload.
What if during this Advent season you applied the same kind of compassion you will share with others to yourself? Notice I didn't say instead of? Think of yourself, your soul, as being connected to all the souls you will interact with and serve this season. Keeping your soul healthy and whole - compassionately caring for it - will directly contribute to the health and well being of the souls around you.
What would it look like for you to be compassionate toward yourself? What would it feel like? How would it benefit your congregation? How would it benefit the world? For you see in deep and lasting ways when we heal ourselves, we heal the world and that is what shalom is all about.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Remember the Sabbath
Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. We've all heard and read these words from Exodus many times. We've all lamented about the state of 'Sabbath' in our communities with little guy sports, cheerleading, and shopping all being acceptable activities on Sunday mornings now. We remember a time when that wasn't so, blah, blah, blah.
And although we can point fingers at the economy, Saturday night mass, or working moms and dads as the reason for this switch, I'm going to suggest that before we look outside the church for this change, maybe it is time to look inside.
How good are we as pastors at encouraging Sabbath rest? How good are you at taking Sabbath rest? We know we have to work on Sunday so when is your Sabbath? Do you honor it and keep it holy? Or, are you too busy to take the time off allotted to you to renew your body, mind, spirit and soul? Does the business of the church take a back seat to rest? When you see your folks are weary and exhausted do you suggest a Sabbath break to recharge their spiritual batteries?
And I know you are going to argue with me that Sabbath is about worship and yes it is. It is about worship, rest, celebration, play, singing, making love, conversation and dancing. It is about total rest that allows our senses to go from high alert to high praise for all of God's blessings.
How do you encourage Sabbath rest in your people? Wayne Muller writes in his book, Sabbath, that "Sabbath is a way of being in time where we remember who we are, remember what we know, and taste the gifts of spirit and eternity." Is that how you frame Sabbath time? Or is a typical Sunday/Sabbath a time for your folks to sandwich in one hour of worship between committee meetings and church projects all the while checking their watches counting the minutes to be done so they can get on with the next thing on their list?
Without rest, without Sabbath time, without the blessing of stopping, the church will never be healthy let alone well and thriving. The body just can't go on indefinitely without a rest. Even God rested.
And although we can point fingers at the economy, Saturday night mass, or working moms and dads as the reason for this switch, I'm going to suggest that before we look outside the church for this change, maybe it is time to look inside.
How good are we as pastors at encouraging Sabbath rest? How good are you at taking Sabbath rest? We know we have to work on Sunday so when is your Sabbath? Do you honor it and keep it holy? Or, are you too busy to take the time off allotted to you to renew your body, mind, spirit and soul? Does the business of the church take a back seat to rest? When you see your folks are weary and exhausted do you suggest a Sabbath break to recharge their spiritual batteries?
And I know you are going to argue with me that Sabbath is about worship and yes it is. It is about worship, rest, celebration, play, singing, making love, conversation and dancing. It is about total rest that allows our senses to go from high alert to high praise for all of God's blessings.
How do you encourage Sabbath rest in your people? Wayne Muller writes in his book, Sabbath, that "Sabbath is a way of being in time where we remember who we are, remember what we know, and taste the gifts of spirit and eternity." Is that how you frame Sabbath time? Or is a typical Sunday/Sabbath a time for your folks to sandwich in one hour of worship between committee meetings and church projects all the while checking their watches counting the minutes to be done so they can get on with the next thing on their list?
Without rest, without Sabbath time, without the blessing of stopping, the church will never be healthy let alone well and thriving. The body just can't go on indefinitely without a rest. Even God rested.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Exposed - Part 2
Last week I wrote about how we guard our backstage selves or inner selves and don't let them on stage often. In doing so we often find ourselves being less than authentic. And this can be a spiritual drain on our souls at the same time it protects our souls. A bit of a paradox isn't it?
Parker Palmer in his book A Hidden Wholeness claims that the soul is shy. He says it only shows up when there is a safe environment for it. At first I wasn't ready to accept this statement about the shyness of the soul until he talked about a safe environment being necessary for the soul to show up. Then I remembered all those times when I protected my soul when I knew the environment wasn't safe, knew that whatever I shared about my inner self could and most definitely would be used against me and knew there were parts of my soul too precious to me to be put out there for general discussion among those who didn't understand. So, yes, Mr. Palmer, I agree with you the soul is shy.
As I thought about this I wondered if I allowed for other people's souls to be shy or did I in my role as pastor feel I needed to see that soul and to help fix it? Yes, I am saying that out loud and it makes me cringe when I think of the audacity and arrogance of my one time thinking. (At least I hope it is an outmoded way of thinking now...hmmmm). Palmer goes on to say that no soul needs us to fix it. Each soul needs to find a way to discover its true self and to grow from the inside out in the safety of unconditional love, non judgment and compassion. Sounds a bit like the safe space God provides for our souls doesn't it?
How do we contribute to that safe space, that circle of trust and love, that moment of discovery for all the souls we meet? How do we help create a place of safety and trust for the soul? When in our workout mode do we sit and rest in silence and trust?
Parker Palmer in his book A Hidden Wholeness claims that the soul is shy. He says it only shows up when there is a safe environment for it. At first I wasn't ready to accept this statement about the shyness of the soul until he talked about a safe environment being necessary for the soul to show up. Then I remembered all those times when I protected my soul when I knew the environment wasn't safe, knew that whatever I shared about my inner self could and most definitely would be used against me and knew there were parts of my soul too precious to me to be put out there for general discussion among those who didn't understand. So, yes, Mr. Palmer, I agree with you the soul is shy.
As I thought about this I wondered if I allowed for other people's souls to be shy or did I in my role as pastor feel I needed to see that soul and to help fix it? Yes, I am saying that out loud and it makes me cringe when I think of the audacity and arrogance of my one time thinking. (At least I hope it is an outmoded way of thinking now...hmmmm). Palmer goes on to say that no soul needs us to fix it. Each soul needs to find a way to discover its true self and to grow from the inside out in the safety of unconditional love, non judgment and compassion. Sounds a bit like the safe space God provides for our souls doesn't it?
How do we contribute to that safe space, that circle of trust and love, that moment of discovery for all the souls we meet? How do we help create a place of safety and trust for the soul? When in our workout mode do we sit and rest in silence and trust?
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