earlier this month, I was trying to write, and I published a post focused on and played with the re-create-, the create and recreate, creation and recreation, how I mirror and reflect the creativity of the creator in how I create and recreate, how I honor the work of God through my play, and how my work honors the joy of God. It is not very good, and it’s still something I’m working on, because I think it’s something that I’ll be unfolding frequently and deeply for the next, I don’t know, lifetime.
but two re- words I managed to not include were two I really need: refresh, and remember.
we as a people have short memories. I have a short memory. I forget and ignore old lessons. sometimes in my work with counseling teens, I catch a glimpse of parents and teens feeling like they’ve been having this same argument over and over, and the tenn feels frustrated and stuck, and the parent feels frustrated and stuck, and the same words get said again and again.
I catch a glimpse of my own teen years, and my 20s, and my 30s so far too: I cannot for the life of be convinced that whatever lesson I learned last week is absolutely applicable to the current situation. because when I was working on being patient with a co-worker, it had nothing to do with being patient while driving. And when I was engaging in a communication exercise with a client, I definitely didn’t need to apply that to my communication with my husband. And learning about life in a sermon with my priest definitely does not need to be utilized in my interactions with my neighbors.
like a glitchy website, sometimes what we need is to refresh our perspective. I need to take a step back and remember who I am and where I came from.
we have been attending more liturgical churches for nearly 5 years now, and it has really given me the opportunity to better remember the work of God in my own life, and to refresh my perspective on His work. I am grateful for my 32 years spent in churches of several denominations, for my education and my training. But the last 5 years have taken hold of my heart in a deep and life changing way.
the Anglican church we attend now utilizes the Book of Common Prayer, which has a number of what is called collects, short general prayers that can be said daily, weekly, or on specific occasions. and one of my favorites reads like this:
32. For the Good Use of Leisure
O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of
refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our
leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our
spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
time of refreshment and peace, that we may be opened to goodness. I need that reminder. we live such fast paced lives — work, family, home, ministry, kids, pets, and I sometimes feel like even our rest is competitive and fast paced. so as we continue on our way tonight, I hope we take some time to refresh our memories of why we do what we do.
perhaps the greater 