A new week begins, a new way of living and being is upon us, we are all adjusting in different ways, some of us have been sending emails and messages as if our lives depended upon it, trying to get in touch with everyone, and to make sure that everyone knows we care about them, while some of us are simply being overwhelmed by the level of contact that is coming at us, not being able to respond to every enquiry, and wanting to hide from it all. I must admit that I have swung from one to the other and back again, and in the craziness of all that is I am now laughing as I have emailed myself to invite myself to a Zoom meeting! I think I will attend 🙂

Following on from my blog post yesterday, and noticing how I am feeling, which is ever-so slightly wobbly, and that is when I am attempting to hold myself together. So I have decided to put some routines into place for myself, to get up at a regular time in the morning, making sure that I exercise, doing Tai-Chi in the garden may well cause amusement to my neighbours but I can’t go for a swim which is what I would prefer. I am also trying to create a new rhythm of working, so held a meeting by conference calling this morning, and have shifted my worship preparation from a Thursday to a Wednesday, writing a pastoral letter instead of a sermon with some suggested reflections. I am doing what I can do, and not beating myself up over what I can’t do. With that in mind I have just gone through my calendar and removed all the usual fixed meetings from it, because I was becoming overwhelmed as reminders popped up for Toddler Groups, Lunch Clubs, prayer meetings and even dates for a coffee with friends. In their place I have now put in a different routine.

Add to this and knowing that I need to stay healthy if at all possible I am creating myself a proper schedule of eating and making time for relaxing and reading, and even making room to allow myself to paint. I have also decided to brush up on my guitar skills, that’ll amuse my neighbours even more than the Tai-Chi! I realise that, that may sound over the top but if you are anything like me you may find it easy to be fixated on the news, or glued to social media, I am doing what I can to get myself through for now, and am holding it lightly because tomorrow it might be that everything will change again.

It strikes me as I make room for prayer, and I begin everyday with a well established routine, of feed the cats ( or they rebel), make a cup of tea, light candles and pray, that in all of this I am seeking to move in the unforced rhythms of grace, and noting that the rhythms of my days have utterly changed, and that I will be changed by that change, so I am learning, and I hope growing as I accept Jesus invitation:

^28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

(The Message- Matthew 11: 28-30)

Stay safe people, be gentle with yourselves and with one another as we adjust, and re-adjust one day at a time.