Meander

How often do we use the word "meander" in a positive way.  In doing an image search for this blog, the word meander came up with these long winding roads, which is actually appropriate for the story I have to share.

I had a meeting yesterday, and because I had the time, I decided to leave aside the GPS and take back roads.  The good thing about living in this part of Ontario is that eventually, you will hit a major artery.  Instead of a half hour drive, it took me 45 minutes.  At the meeting, when it was my turn to check in, I talked about how I had meandered my way there that morning, and how freeing it felt not to have to worry about the time, or directions, and to just enjoy my podcasts.

As many of you know, I am on sabbatical.  The United Church has mandated that if a minister has been employed in a faith community for five years, they are eligible for a three month paid sabbatical.  This time is to be used to rest and renew.  We are to write our goals, present them to the congregation, and then report back to them at the end.

My goal for my first sabbatical is to "be."  I find that in my daily life, especially my work, I am consistently "doing," so I thought it was time to take some time to "be."  This consists of daily scripture reading, meditation, journalling, my weekly blog, and body work like yoga and walking.  It's a very different rhythm and it is one to which I am still trying to adjust.   These daily practices are ones that I hope to carry on into my work when I return, so that in my "doing," I can also connect to just "being."

As a minister in a church, I am constantly talking about God, studying my faith with others, teaching our faith stories, and exploring how to live my faith.  In all of this though, I find that I don't take the time to cultivate my own relationship with God.  A popular verse from the bible, Psalm 45, verse 10, is "Be still and know that I am God."  My goal is to find that stillness where I can be with God, to strengthen my relationship with this loving presence, and to hopefully feel that love and that connection with the holy in my daily life.  So if you hear me using words like meander, that's a good thing!

May you find time in your life for stillness, for relationship with God, to "be", and to just meander.