Redeeming Time

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
`                                                                                                        ~Ecclesiastes 3: 1

For all of us who dreamed of extra time to clean out those drawers, organize the garage, rid our closets of tagged or unworn clothing, organize our spice cabinets and/or finally read that book we ordered months ago off Amazon, it appears the world has handed it to us. Not that any of us imagined the gift packaged this way.  If you have a pulse at all, I know like me, you are trying to make sense of this whole thing.  What does this time for the history books ultimately mean?

If I may say so, there are certain religious persuasions who are convinced they have the decoder ring!  For them, these auspicious times are nothing short of “End Times,” people!  And they are surprised that we don’t see it too? With my more conservative Christian upbringing, I’ll admit it has crossed my mind—only to make a quick exit.  Praise be.  I guess we could point to other situations and times of gravitas in world history when folks believed, like Chicken Little, that the sky was surely falling.  Yet here we still are.  Nevertheless, these are pensive times.  As I have visited with some of you by phone, on-line and engaged in my own pastoral reflection, these are some of the questions that have emerged:

• What does it mean to drive a loved-one to the hospital for an essential surgery and be unable to accompany them at check-in much less be at their beside when they awake?
• What does it mean to deliver a baby in a room full of strangers, sans family (the way we women used to do it not so terribly long ago)
• And how about donning masks and gloves in the Safeway like we’re extras in a Sci-Fi movie? What’s that all about—hoarding Charmin and Bounty rolls not notwithstanding?
• How can I appropriately/legally bury my Mother?
• Can I ever sit in a stadium or concert again and feel safe?
• As for pastoral query, did I say that not one of the professors in my late 80’s early 90’s seminary tenure prepared me for facilitating on-line worship, much less virtual Holy Communion and Zoom meetings??  I want my money back!

Like you, I want to ascribe meaning to all of this.  Because somehow if we can name things, we can mange them.  Or at the very least, calm ourselves.  I get it.  As we listen to the pundits speaking daily from our favorite news sources or read our go-to publications, their spins only add to this riddle in which we find ourselves.  Stop it already!  Just turn off the banter and take a long, relaxing bubble bath!  Lean back and soak in some meaningful prayer time…Listen to music.  Get out your paintbrush.  Play Twister with the family (is that epic game even still around?)  Downward dog.  Breathe.

As for last days theology, consider Matthew in 24: 36: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” That makes sense to me.  Leave it to someone a with a higher pay grade! I figure if God is overseeing the big things, that leaves plenty of opportunities for you and me to exercise loving our neighbor as ourselves and redeeming the abundance of time at hand.  God will take care of the rest.  It’s beyond our control anyway.  It always was (whether we acknowledged it or not). Ahem.

As for redeeming times, these ideas may have merit.  See what you think.

1.  Get out our stationary box and pen thoughtful hand-written notes to those we’ve been meaning to e-mail, write or call for eons.  Tell them how much we value their relationship. While we’re at it, we could send kudos to healthcare workers. Bless them for their courage and sacrifice.  Pray that we might have a measure of that for ourselves!
2.  Dust off our gratitude journals (or start/make one).  We may find things on our lists that, before Covid-19, would not have made the cut!
3.  Try out some new recipes or make an old favorite. Tupperware or Pyrex it up and leave it on the doorstep of your neighbor with a note: “A random act of kindness from one of your next-door friends!”  Then ring the doorbell and run for the hills.  On second thought, maybe that act of love needs to wait until we are less concerned about virus transmission?  Put a pin in it for after Covid-19? Or maybe leave it on the doorstep of a church member who trusts that their anonymous churchman meal train is virus-free?
4.  Research and settle on a local social justice or public health agency to which we’d like to lend a hand when this whole trauma is over.  And resolve to go for it.  We’ll always find excuses not to do so when/IF things return to normal.  Just do it!
5. Pick up the phone, already.  Stop the texting and e-mailing.  Or get on FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangout and spend some time with those folks that make your life beautiful. And thank them for making it so.
6. Sew up some masks and gowns.  Please make certain to choose requested fabric.
7. Start a bucket list (or add to yours) of new things you want to do (or check off) now that this new lease on life is before you.  Dream big. Hitch your wagon to a star!
8. Add your own ideas here….and talk to others about theirs!

As I took my walk this morning, I breathed in the fresh air as if for the first time from the womb. I waved to the passerby with her Golden on the opposite side of the street. A common gesture, but it felt so cathartic. And as I arrived back in the parsonage yard and counted the number of still blossoming daffodils, after having cut some 45 of them already for vases. I am just sure they were more robust this year than any before! Right?  I send up a little prayer before reuniting with my anxious Tuxedo cat in the parsonage entryway.  He’s enjoying having the servants at home more these days!

Then my mind turned to you as my “flock.”  I wonder how you are doing, what you are doing and how well you are doing?  I mean, how is it with your soul?  John Wesley, the founder of our denomination had a great interest in the whole person:  body, mind and spirit. These are the kinds of questions he loved to ask.  His greatest invention for the health, morality and contribution to the common church and societal good at the time was the Wesley Class Meeting.  I think it might be a wonderful way for us to redeem this time both virtually and eventually in person.  I’d like to begin conversations about establishing such groups. If you want to know more or if you just want to hang out and see some of your BFF’s, why not join me tonight in my Zoom Virtual Pastoral Conversation, Connection and Anything You Need it to Be Gathering.  Folks outside the Lake Oswego UMC congregation are welcome here too. Click on the link here:

Join Zoom Meeting:  TUESDAY, March 31, 7 p.m

https://zoom.us/j/289270380

Meeting ID: 289 270 380

One tap mobile

+14086380968,289270380# US (San Jose)

If you find a “Class Meeting” is not for you, then consider in these times and beyond it, what you might do to make a difference in the lives of others, your workplace, your family or your community. And how life as you know it can mean so much more, if you/I only determine to make it so.

There’s plenty of time to redeem, folks. Let’s make it count!

In Faith Believing,

Pastor Michelle