By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Genesis 2:2-3
This past Thursday, I made a decision. I needed time off. I was grouchy and feeling overwhelmed, even wishing that the next couple of weeks were over – not a good sign. Life’s too short to be wishing any of it away. While I am not doing this work alone by any means, I felt weight from our annual gathering this coming week, the Riverton Undoing Racism workshop the following week, a dozen AmeriCorps members arriving in Riverton in early November that I am coordinating, financial literacy classes later on, getting information for the QuadW Missional Internship website announcing the Wind River Reservation to be a new site for the summer of 2018, and advising a couple of other groups going through transitions. All are good, yet a lot.
So Thursday I contacted a friend and went for a four-mile walk followed by dinner out and a long conversation that evening and then packed my bags to go out of town leaving Friday morning. I had lunch with a friend I had not seen in a long time and Friday evening I went with friends to a fun benefit over which I had absolutely no responsibility. I stay overnight. Before heading home, I picked up three shrubs, a rose bush and a tree to add to my yard.
On my drive Friday, an I-80 electronic sign that sometimes warns of high winds or such, said, “Slow down. Enjoy Wyoming.” I took the message personally, as I was still in what I call “the rush mode.” I believe that busy-ness sometimes translates into a form of idolatry with busy equated to success. Yet, all great spiritual leaders, even God, took time to stop working. Rest is holy time. Good health and healing necessitates rest. So I heeded the sign and slowed down and enjoyed Wyoming.
I hope each of you had a restful weekend. Planning for the week ahead, please join us Thursday evening at 7 pm for a diverse interfaith worship at the First United Methodist Church at 108 E. 18th Street, Cheyenne. Friday and Saturday morning, activities continue for “Finding Common Ground” – Friday at the same location and Saturday at Faith United Methodist Church in Cheyenne. While the registration closed this past Friday, Judy ordered three extra dinners for those who did not get around to registering in time. For more details, check our website at www.wyochurches.org.
Some spaces are still open at the Riverton Undoing Racism workshop October 25-27 and free for residents of Fremont County. For more information and to register, go to either our website or Click here to register.
I heard that the Highlands United Presbyterian Church in Cheyenne has collected a big load of blankets to take to the Wind River Reservation for families this winter.
Fear not. Be bold. Do justice.
Blessings,
Chesie Lee
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