“Be Still, and know that I am God”.  (Psalm 46:10a)

“Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to what he was saying.  But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her, then, to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things,  but few things are needed—indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42).

True confessions time:  this week I’m ‘running on empty’.  Someone remind me of this when I have my next surgery done.  Now, honestly, its none of your doing, its my own.  Somehow when they replaced my knee I lost the ability to say the word ‘no’.  Since the beginning of April, with my return-to-work, we’ve had a Pancake Breakfast, our Annual Meeting, Holy Week and a really big and fairly complicated Celebration of Life for a dearly loved member of the church.  Next week I have a Clergy Retreat, that of course, because I’m a sucker, I’m helping to plan, and lead worship.  I’ve also had a bunch of low-key attention grabbers; some Equity stuff for our Region, a talk on Disability ministries in the UCC (fortunately not me, but instead, the always brilliant Rev. Dan Hayward), and a whole lot of details for family estate settling stuff.  I was warned by many of you that estate work is never-ending, but of course, the truth of that didn’t really sink in! 

I’ve been too busy, and I’ve been cranky and out-of-sorts.  I needed a little care and nurturing, but…..I didn’t tell anyone that I needed it.  I kind of passive-aggressively told Hugh, but he’s been equally busy, and frankly has a life policy to only attend to direct communication!  I admire that quality, except when I’m trying to ask for support. 

Because I don’t ask for support well.  I also don’t do ‘down-time’ well.  I think this is an alarmingly common phenomenon; particularly in women.  We have been socialized to be the care-givers; the givers of attention and service, and have been socialized not to be care-receivers.  Downtime is seen as laziness.  Self-care is viewed as indulgent.  If we aren’t asleep, we should be working, providing, caring.  And this role is so important that we exalt busy-ness and overwork as honorable; somehow more moral, somehow better.

Add on the Protestant work ethic that we have inherited from our turn of the century saints and we have a whole church of people like me; running on empty and not really knowing how to tell people and how to change things. 

And yet, for two thousand years, our faith stories remind us that ‘the better part’ is to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to what he was saying.  The ‘better part’ is living a life that isn’t worried, distracted and working.  ‘the better part’ is to recognize that few things are needed – and in fact, only one thing is needed:

Being still.  Being Still and Knowing God. 

So, my Bethel friends, today, as soon as I publish this blog, I’m going to turn off my church phone.  I WILL check later tonight to see if I missed any important calls, and in an emergency, Kathleen knows how to get a hold of me.  I’m going to turn off my phone and go

Float in the pool at the Y.

Feed baby goats at my friend’s farm.

Have supper with my family.

And maybe even take a nap.

Because I believe that God’s best for me isn’t being burnt out.  I believe God’s best for me is to rest in God’s presence.  The better part.

Blessings today and remember you are Loved.

~Rev. Lynne