From the Pastor's Pen

Dear friends,

I was talking with one of my sons yesterday who was expressing some concerns about his waning drive to get things done.  He said he seemed to need more sleep and that his enthusiasm for his work and his home projects was diminished.  He figured part of it was just pandemic.  He has been living in a single room in which he has eaten, slept and worked from home for 11 months now.  He is mostly alone although he has a house mate he rarely sees and goes to his office about every 10 days – 2 weeks where there are maybe two other people.  He said, “I just want to have a beer with my buddy from work, eat dinner with friends and hug my parents!”

I get it.  Don’t we all have a list of things we wish we could do!  We are all deeply weary of this pandemic and all the things we can’t do.  I think the weariness is magnified by the fact that it’s February.  I told my son, that I have learned over the years to just slog through February with the cold, the snow and the dark days.  Given that February has a habit of following January, this second month of the year is always the most difficult for me.  I try to not make any major decisions in February, to be generous and kind to people who irritate me, and to be patient with myself when I’m not at my best.  It’s February after all!

If you find yourself a little blue on February 15^th let me just remind you, we are halfway through!  March is only 14 days away.  And although we may yet get another inch or so of snow today, there is warmer weather due by Sunday.  And although I hesitate to make any predictions about the pandemic, there is no question but what the numbers are dropping in Elkhart County.  We entered the “yellow” risk level today.  We haven’t seen numbers this low in Elkhart County since early May.  There is hope!

The psalmist found himself feeling low so many years ago.  Then he remembered coming into the presence of God and joining together with God’s people praising God.  He wrote:

“Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my help and my God.”

The psalmist remembered his hope was in God.  Our hope is too.  We shall again praise him, our help and our God.

Peace,

Pr. Sally