And she wrote a lot.
It's astounding to me that I have blogged 26 straight days. It's a record. It's sure not what I set out to do. It's probably killing my "regular
reader" numbers, because people don't generally read the same blog
every... single... day. That's not why
I'm doing it.
It's Ministry Monday, friends, and today that comes with a
reminder to feed your soul. Consistently. It's something that I haven't always been
very good at. In fact, it's something
that I have mostly not been very good
at. #Confession
Interestingly, at the beginning of many new years, I have
set out to take much better care of my physical body without thinking much
about the rest of me. This doesn't work
all that well when we recognize that people must live holistically. I actually like to use
"wholistically," even though it isn't really a word. The point is, we are connected - physically,
mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually connected. Taking care of one part of ourselves often
provides benefits for the rest of us.
Neglecting one part of ourselves?
Well, it's the same principle.
Sometimes it's all we can do to care for one piece of the puzzle, but
it's better when the whole picture comes together.
I'm spending an exorbitant amount of time focusing on my
physical body lately, but it is nothing like other eras of life. I am focusing on things like, "If I bend
over to put my shoes on, will I still be able to walk out the door?" This
has really thrown a wrench in how I originally planned to start this year. Early mornings and late nights at the
gym? Are you kidding? If I get there once a week... in the
afternoon... it's like winning a championship game! I am trying not to feel pathetic.
Interestingly, this has forced me to slow down (which I
hate), and has also allowed me to consider what things really make or break a
day (which I love). I have spent more
time consuming Scripture than I have in years, and this new rhythm is good for
my soul... at least right now. The funny
thing about rhythms is that they change over time, and that's OK. I did not expect to be living a ballad at
this point, but whatever. It won't last
forever.
Much of what I have written over the past few weeks has been
a reflection of the liturgical readings I have been using. Unfortunately, my journal is blank,
today. It's not that there wasn't
anything important upon which to reflect.
It's just that nothing struck me as particularly profound. And my planner is void of activity. That just never
happens.
And yet, there is something to be said even on a day like
today. Here it is. I think empty days might be the days on which
it is most important to remember that rhythm and consistency matter. I think this is the kind of day that would
usually end the blog streak for me. And
the biggest problem with that is that once a streak is broken, who knows how
long it might take to restart. Loss of
momentum can be devastating.
And so, let me issue a challenge to you, today, especially
to those of you who are "in the trenches", ministering to others on a
regular basis. Take a few moments to
stop, today, and make a list (I like paper, but you can do this in your head,
too) of ways in which you can begin to take care of each part of who you are on
a regular basis. Make a list of things
you can do, every day, even when there are no profound revelations or fancy
words. Consider what little steps you
might make toward being the healthiest you can be. And then start doing these things! Even on the days when progress looks
invisible.
L.
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