Thursday, April 09, 2009

On Work, Easter, Traditions and Blessings

Yeah, it's quiet.

I'm finding myself at awkward places these days that cause me to be exhausted at the end of the days. It's like being in a new world. In the old world you would just know what to do and how to behave in most any given circumstances, knowing people and places and traditions and processes. In the new world you have to think carefully through each new situation.

I mean, that surely isn't the case for everything. "Trust your strengths and gifts and calling. Trust who you are and who the people are and what you do, you're not a newbie at this stuff Friesen." But then there are times like this Easter Season when there are public opportunities to screw up, to misjudge and misinterpret, and I go into cautious review mode to make sure the work I'm doing is helpful to the Kingdom and not a distraction. That kind of constant awareness of what I am doing is exhausting.

There are also some things here at the Church in The Field that we are attempting and we just need to do them well because doing them well will lay the foundation for much good ministry down the road. So I'm working hard on those things, to see them succeed. It's important and though it's not work like moving this pile of lumber from this pile to that pile, it sure gets to be hard work.

That's me this Easter season. At least with my work.

With my family, well that's kind of a different matter.

The problem with good traditions seems to be that when you can't experience them, you get lost a bit and loose your way for a time. Until new ones can take their place. Our Easter traditions are being laid down this year because they don't fit the shrunken family, or the wide open expanses out here in The Field. The kids won't be home, well certainly except for Micah, and that will be a big shift, really our first Easter without the bulk of them being here. Extended family won't be nearby to hang with and I'll be working at the community Good Friday service as opposed to attending as a family. Yeah, just normal changes of traditions that come with life.


But the ground is warming up and you can begin to smell the birch trees as they come back to life again. The snow is going and spring is on its way, and tonight we will gather to remember Christ's last night. It's all about perspective isn't it?

So just in case I don't get back on here much this weekend, I hope your Easter is about life and hope and a future and if Jesus is in that mix someplace than I think it will be about all those things as well.


Blessings on each of you who drop by this place.

7 comments:

  1. re: the work stuff - I 'get' what you're going through, as it seems to be very similar to my new work environment. Minus the field. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. You said, "There are also some things here at the Church in The Field that we are attempting and we just need to do them well because doing them well will lay the foundation for much good ministry down the road."

    You laid down some good things here, things we want to continue because we think they are important. You did them well. I hope we can carry them on well. We miss you especially on these days. But, as you often said, "If God is in this it will go well."

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  3. We are headed to PA this weekend to visit friends- I instinctively pulled up my email today to drop you a line and see if you wanted to meet at the Bison. Wish we could.

    Blessings to you this Easter - thanks for the affect you've had on my spiritual life, even from far away. You inspire me.

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  4. Blessings on you and yours also.
    FREDA

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  5. There is something about being transplanted into a new fellowship that causes you to HAVE to find new ways of doing things, and it's a real struggle to get it right. We've certainly found that in the new church, and it's been a real struggle to get it right all the time. I think it goes beyond tradition, and is much more about knowing and being known. This is the time when they are coming to know you.

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  6. Hope you Friesens have a blessed weekend.

    We love you very much.

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  7. May God shower you and your family with His blessings as you work your way through another 'first'.
    You followed God to the field - because of that, you will be blessed. I know we already are.
    Thanks.

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