Creation Chaos

"God is with us, God is in control, even if we might feel out of control. Trust in God; God is speaking to us through searching scientists, discerning doctors, nurturing nurses, and healing hearts and hands." Those were my closing words with last week's blog, and as I read them over I felt a measure of reassurance at the reminder. What we all are collectively experiencing is hard, and that fact that it is collective shared trauma doesn't necessarily help, since we all process the world we live in differently. It is easy to become angry or upset or disappointed with another person for making different choices than you deem safe or necessary. 

I have seen a joke recently that the most useless item is a 2020 planning calendar, but that is not entirely true. Our calendars have in some ways taken on shared status with almost-sacred texts: those writings that are not necessarily cannon, but certainly called upon for witness. In the midst of looking ahead questions, I was reminded of an upcoming date - June 4th which is the two year anniversary of my own ordination. The day after I was ordained was the scheduled presbytery meeting, the third for the calendar year. I was recognized at the meeting and many attendees had been at my ordination the night before, but the memory that sticks in my mind from that meeting was something else. At the same meeting where I was welcomed, officially, as a voting member, another pastor, just older than I, had requested to be released from her ordination vows. Mourning the loss of her husband after his death and caring for two active, young children, were taking their toll on her mental health. It was a sobering counterpoint to the joyous celebration meeting participants had engaged in just moments before. I did not know this woman, but I looked around the room and recognized that the body of folks I was officially joining were all losing a colleague. It was a good reminder to me, right at the beginning of my ordained ministry, that we all process grief and tiredness, and life in general, good or bad, very differently, and compassion, even without understanding, is what we are called to do for one another.

We live in a highly divided world, but I believe we want to be good. Not entirely in line with Calvinist total depravity, but that's a theology discussion for another time. God is good, and God is in control, so be kind, look upon another with compassion, and when someone makes a choice you would not, grieve as appropriate, yes, but also look to see what good they are trying to lift up in this world.

I love you all
Stay Safe and Healthy
Wash Your Hands
Peace be with you
~Rev. Andrea Joy Holroyd

Another thought exercise: Opening Up After Covid-19 Closures-It Wont Be What You Are Hoping For