Inertia is the resistance an object has to a change in its state of motion. (Wikipedia)
It's difficult to stop.
I have been doing youth work in Chicago for 3 years full-time now. In the past 3 years, I have rarely stopped. Sure I had a weekend off every now and again, and I took vacation once a year, but I never really stopped. Hy heart, mind, and soul have been in a state of ministry to others for these three years.
2 weeks ago, I stopped. At the end of May, I finished my work with Breakthrough Urban Ministries, and began the 4 week training with International Teams Urban and Ethnic ministries. During this time Ashley and I are living outside of the city, in Elgin, and are going to class for 8 hours a day. I am still working of course, there are many things to do, but I have stopped. Leaving a ministry can feel a little like relationship whiplash. Although I have been saying goodbye for 6 months, nothing quite prepares one to leave those he/she loves dearly.
However, now that I have stopped, I am beginning to do some self-care: Walks in the park, reconnection with friends and family, disc-golf, soup from the Olive Garden, and prayerfully preparing for the next years of ministry. It's been great, hard, but great. My last post about culture shock was part of it. I am enjoying learning to stop, listen, and let God renovate me, refreshing my heart piece by piece. I am thankful for the chance to stop, and for the struggles that come from inertia.
Anyone else have trouble stopping, anyone else have whiplash, anyone else have a time of refreshing recently?
2 comments:
I have always tried to take times to stop and recharge. Over memorial day weekend, our family took a nice four day weekend. It was so refreshing.
I played games with my kids, went fishing and canoeing with the kids, took walks with my kids. I mowed the grass for several hours which is a wonderfully refreshing time of contemplation for me. I watched the NBA playoffs. Usually, I don't have much time to enjoy this luxary. I slept in. I went to the park.
For me, it is nice to have no agenda and no responsibility to people. Just time to be me and be with my family. It was a refreshing set of days.
Of course, life picks up quick. Phone calls, hospital visits, pre-marital counseling, speaking at a chapel service, and lots of relationship based time. I love it, but sometimes I just need that time away.
Your comment about having trouble "stopping" struck me. I just returned from a much-needed vacation, a week away from "life" as I know it. And yet, even while I was away, I would often find my mind wandering to different kids I know, or things I need to do at work, or conversations I would like to have. Sometimes being "away" doesn't always make us "stop"...
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