Have you ever felt so tired that you feel like a bug smacked on a windshield, or as flat as a frog run over in the road? That's how this Friday is hitting me. Its been an emotional week, anxiety then great news about Narcie, charge conferences every night with some tensions and a lot of celebration, phone calls to pastors/churches about their connectional giving, and the usual swinging door cacophony of people who don't like something about their pastor or something else. I have had consultations all week with clergy and that has been so good. Sharing prayer, support, and visioning for the future - good stuff, but I'm beat. I used to get up in the morning and walk for a hour praying my way to strength for the day. I'm too busy/tired to do it right now.We're planning on going to see Narcie, Mike, Enoch & Evy, plus Josh and Karen this afternoon, spend the night coming back to Columbia tomorrow to go to the USC-Furman game with my brother, preach a church anniversary Sunday am followed by 3 charge conferences and a new Hispanic/Latino church start meeting. Whew! When will there be a let-up? So much for Sabbath, but we must have time to reflect and worship or we don't have anything to offer this hurting world. Every minister that I've talked to has shared their fatigue, some with tears, some with excitement tinged with fear of running out of gas. Some have been all smiles. What has made for more smiles than miles? It seems that the clergy who are taking care of themselves through exercise, time off, date nights, or some kind of Sabbath are the ones who are still smiling.
In reading lately about how many more Americans are below the poverty line right now tells me that they need the Gospel's message of hope now more than ever. If we're beat or beat-up then we aren't the voice of hope. They're going to go to the upbeat church with the upbeat music with the upbeat sermon. If we aren't full of the Holy Spirit then we won't have anything to offer. I'm afraid I resemble a Holy Spirt more than Spirit. So, I am running on empty, but ready to relax and recharge. Got to, have to, must get some nourishment from God if I'm going to be an effective witness for Christ. May God's grace win your heart this weekend and not the tyranny of the urgent. I'm going to start prayer-walking again in the morning.
In answer to your question my answer is "yes"!!! And all that about running on empty and Holy Spirt. Take care Tim and thanks for the blogging which I find inspiring. I must find time to share some reflections on my trip to Red Bank which was hugely challenging in a good way. God bless.
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