Holy (hell) Week

I picked up that title from someone on facebook. The busiest times for pastors are the month before Christmas and the month before Easter... but I suspect that Holy Week tops any other time of the year for busy-ness and to-do lists and sermons to preach. Anyway, I'm living through my first Holy Week as a pastor, and so far it's not so bad... but we'll have services every day/night from now until Sunday... which will be no small feat - especially since I need to give a sermon or reflection at at least 3 of those services.

So, I have sermons to craft and "things" to do (before a week of vacation next week) and people to visit and letters to write and calls to respond to... all of the everyday business of the church. I am sitting in my office with the sun shining brightly through the window, and the flowering bush -- I'd share what kind it is if I had any idea -- reaching out its radient yellow flowers to me, and the grass luscious green in the park, and children's laughter floating toward my ears... and for a moment I wish I were a child again, allowed to experience spring with laughter and freedom instead of to-do lists and obligations. But then I recognize this springtime, this sunshine, this laughter are all rays of God's grace. God isn't suggesting to me that I cannot enjoy spring with laughter and freedom. In fact, I suspect if I found the source of that laughter, God would be among those children laughing too! Jesus wouldn't be spending his time writing his sermons behind a desk, but basking in the sunlight with his friends. I worry that when we focus too much on our jobs, our tasks, our obligations, we forget that God's grace extends to us everywhere and in every place. We miss God's grace. And in the process, we miss also God's very presence in our world, in our lives.

And I think, that's what Holy Week is all about ... remembering God's presence and grace in our world and in our lives...

So I've decided that I'm not going to spend the day indoors, behind my desk. Maybe God created cell phones so we could make our phone calls from a tree we've climbed. Maybe God created laptops so we could craft sermons in the park. Maybe God created me to bring sunshine to those people I visit, to walk outside with them or open their blinds. Maybe God created the whole world so that we might remember God's grace and God's presence in every moment of our lives.

I might stick around and finish this post with something clever, but the playground outside is calling. I hope you find God's grace and presence today too... I'll meet you and God at the swings!