Mid-week News 1-16-13

Dear Family of faith, Have you ever had so much to do that you couldn’t do anything? I have been feeling that way this week—overwhelmed! Some days I have more than twelve hours of church work to do. I have begun to discover that when I have more to do than seems possible in a day, it often helps to do nothing for a while. I know that this goes against all common sense and certainly it can, in those who are driven people, increase the anxiety level as the number of hours left to finish work decreases. On the other hand, sometimes what I really need when I feel overwhelmed is not more time as much as a morale booster. When life gets rough, we need some encouragement, some delight to give us the courage to get “back to the grindstone” and accomplish what needs to be done. So next time you have more to do than is ‘humanly possible,’ consider taking a break. Go for a walk; sit in the sun; work a puzzle, get yourself a Starbucks latte, do something to bring you a moment of joy so that you can get back to being who you need to be to do what needs to be done. Last night I was online trying to buy airline tickets for a trip later in the year. I worked through choosing the flights and then went through choosing all the seats; then I got stuck. I couldn’t find out how to get back to continue the process, so I lost about half an hour’s worth of work. After calling the airline to get some instruction, I started all over again (not a happy camper!). But to my surprise, and for whatever reason I don’t know, but when I selected exactly the same flights again, the price for the ticket had dropped $300! Needless to say, I wasn’t too put out by the whole experience! I think it was God’s way of telling me that He can turn my failures into blessings. Think about that next time you find yourself in a funk over some mistake you’ve made. Instead of berating yourself (and others), think about what might come of it. Too often we make life too hard for ourselves; God wants to make it easier. God comes, not to hurt us, but to help us; not to curse us, but to bless us. That ought to keep you smiling for at least a week! I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. You are my family away from family. What a day to celebrate God’s faithfulness in the past year, and a day to celebrate you whom God has called and chosen to be a light to our world! With affection, Pastor Carlan