Ideas You Can Use

Late in 2019, I was introduced to “1000 Hours Outside“. This is the encouragement to increase the amount of time spent outside to lessen the amount of time spent in front of screens/inside. It was created to encourage taking children outside more and evolved to include adults too. I jumped into this idea with both feet on January 1st. I began to track my time outside. I printed the countdown sheet where I could cross off every hour until I reached my goal of 1000 hours. You will not be shocked to know that I did not make big progress toward my goal in the cold, wet days of January.
And for those of you who love math, 1000 hours averages about 2 hours and 45 minutes a day. This has been a long year, so you may not remember that January 2020 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland was not a month that inspired me to sit outside or hike outside or be outside.

My excitement for this project turned to disappointment and discouragement. And, I quit. I took my countdown worksheet and I crumpled it up because I was so defeated. I recycled it.
That isn’t the end of the story. This idea of getting outside more-of intentially choosing to be outside-stayed with me. As 2020 unfolded in ways none of us dreamed possible, I had more opportunities to be outside. We are now being encouraged to eat outside and be outside more and more.
What could be seen as a massive failure-I have no idea how many hours I spent outside this year because I stopped counting in January-could instead be seen as taking someone else’s idea and making it work for me. Because this idea has stayed with me, I find myself feeling pulled to be outside more to sit and watch the clouds, or walk through my neighborhood or the local park, or even to do yardwork not because I love yard work and instead because I love how good it looks when the work is done.

I hope my failed attempt to keep track of how many hours I spent outside this year inspires you to look at something in your life that could be considered a failure or an unfinished project or something you never started because it would never end and you make it work for you. Do it in your own way. Try it. Let the ideas of others in and use them in ways that work for you.

God of All Creation,
We can be too hard on ourselves for those things we call failures. Help us to reframe our ideas as opportunities. Use our creativity to create new paths instead of obstacles. Push us outside of our comfort zones to places where we might change and grow. When we do go outside, open us to experience the wonder of creation. We give thanks to you, God, for being part of your creation and being your beloved children. Amen.

Holy Week has long been one of my favorite weeks of the year. As a pastor, I loved gathering at the table with the congregation on this Holy Thursday. I was reluctant to write a prayer for today as this day will not include gathering around the communion tables at our churches. And then I realized I need this prayer because things are different. I need a reminder that Jesus will be there at all our tables dining with us no matter where we are. So wherever this Maundy Thursday finds you know that you are not alone because Jesus is with you and we are all together in spirit as we join in this sacrament at our own tables.

Loving God, Eveything feels different today. We aren’t in our churches or Fellowship Hall gathered around the communion table ready to hear the familiar words and taste the bread and drink from the cup. We miss that time to gather. We miss that sacred time to be together. We miss being called to come to your table.

And yet, maybe this unique Thursday is another opportunity to meet Jesus. We can meet him at our tables for one or two or three or twelve. We can meet him in our homes with whatever food and drinks makes up tonight’s communion.

So we ask your blessing on this food and drink that it may be for us the body and the blood of Jesus. We ask your blessing on us that we may be Jesus for each of us and for those in need.

We come to our tables asking for forgiveness for those who we have wronged. We come to our tables with hearts heavy for those we will not see tonight-send your healing to all who are ill. Send your spirit of peace for all who are weary. Send your love to all who are lonely. Come, Holy Spirit, come and be with us tonight.

In remembrance of you and your love for us, Jesus, we gather around our tables tonight praying for the time when we can gather together again. Hear our prayer, Gracious God. Hear our prayer. Amen.

Before this Lenten Season started, I planned to write a prayer each week of Lent and then special prayers for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Things in the USA are so odd that it seems wrong to write these words and pretend that we can or will celebrate as we usually do. And yet, we know that Easter will come without a full church and lilies and children searching for eggs and choirs singing their long practiced anthems and sunrise services and all the other traditions that make Easter so special. Easter will come as it came the first time…quietly and without fanfare. It is hard to prepare ourselves for that when that doesn’t sound like the Easters we have known. I am thinking of all who are currently serving churches. They are helping their congregations to do church in new ways and trying new things to meet the needs of those they serve. Keep them all in your prayers.

So where are you finding hope in these uncertain times? I’ll share with you what I am doing and also admit that it doesn’t always work. I have moments of fear and dread for those I love, for the work I love that I am doing in a new way, and for people around the world that I do not know and God has called me to love them anyway.

-Put down my phone. Shut off the tv news. The amount of information to which we have access is amazing and overwhelming. I am working on staying informed by checking the news in the morning and in the evening. I enjoy seeing what friends and family are doing on Facebook and also find it upsetting with all the news that is shared there, so sometimes I use my phone as a phone and call someone. Limit the information you view in a way that works for you.

-Spread Hope and Joy. I love getting mail, so I decided last week to start sending mail more regularly. Each day I am writing a card/note and sending it to someone. This daily ritual is bringing me hope and joy as I think of this special someone while writing to them. My hope is that receiving actual mail will bring joy to the receivers as well.

-Keep on Living. My husband said this to me last night when I was having a difficult moment. Then we spent the next half hour deciding where to hang some paintings and pictures in our home. We have lived here since Thanksgiving and have not hung anything on the walls yet. Doing something normal like this eased the worry and helped me to keep on living. (Also, please note we talked about where to hang things and nothing has yet been hung up, so this is not a call for perfection!).

Whatever you are doing in this time, it is enough. Be kind to yourself and each other.

Loving God, We are living in strange and frightening times. We know we are not the first people to live in times like these. Calm our fears. Send us your peace. Inspire us to do good however that is possible. Nothing seems normal, God, and we need you to assure us that you are here and we are loved. Hear us when we call out to you. Amen.