....it's an Adventure Part II - Transition

"For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time - to show us his grace through Christ Jesus."
~ 2 Timothy 1:9, NLT



"We do more before 6am than most people do all day."  This line from an Army commercial in the '80's was memorable to me. They showed all the work and training the armed services did before breakfast, and it was staggering the amount of physical and mental work that people were being challenged to do. The closing line announced "It's not just a job....it's an adventure." 

This commercial came to mind as I lay in bed waking this morning.  I laughed at the thought of a parallel with my illness  "I do less all day than most people do by 6am!"  LOL...

Choosing a more positive approach, I decided to go for 'I do more mental work before getting out of bed than most people do by noon.:"  It's true...all of it.  I am physically less able to do work, but in order for me to even get out of bed, it takes more effort than most people are aware of.  In the past, my brain wouldn't even get going until after I showered.  Now that is the first thing I must engage before even moving.

In congregational ministry it is commonly accepted that a pastor and congregation when first starting out together will have about an 18 month "honeymoon" phase, where it's all new and they give each other a lot of leeway and appreciation as they learn about one another.  Since many interim ministries only last roughly 18 months, there is no long honeymoon with a congregation. Honestly, I've experienced honeymoon periods with congregations usually lasting a couple of weeks, with the longest being about a month, and the shortest being a day and a half.  As you can see, in interim ministry, you hit the ground running and engage the life of the congregation quickly. 

Within interim circles, the ministry is referred to as the 'faster pastor', as it refers to the speed at which the tasks of interim ministry need to be done. Congregations and pastors in interim transitions work harder than most people realize.  They go through major changes in a relatively short time frame.  Interim time...it's an adventure....

So what could possibly link this thought about 'faster pastors'  and chronic illness?  How could this possibly make sense as most days I move "slower than molasses in January"?  Well, just as there's more than meets the eye in congregational transitions, there is MUCH more than meets the eye in people who experience chronic illnesses.  What most people look for is the externals-- how 'sick' we look, or how 'good' we look.  (Sick being used to mean illness, as opposed to how my daughter and her friends comment on things being 'sick').

What many people miss (myself included before I found myself on this journey)  is that there are a whole lot more changes that happen inside one's heart and mind as you enter the world of long-term illness.  There is a whole new range of thinking... everything from "New Normal"  to the idea that this journey holds great treasures for us spiritually as human beings to enduring the pain and loss of this time.  There is much more than meets the eye when it comes to Chronic illnesses.  It's not just sickness...it's an adventure. 

Living with and through Chronic illness is an experience that requires our best efforts,  and is often a daily challenge.  Sometimes (perhaps often at first)  that challenge can feel overwhelming, and takes everything we have to make it through a day.  At the same time, we often hear or interpret messages from society that there's something 'wrong' with us if we're having difficulties with long-term illness.  OF COURSE we're having difficulties with fighting illness for a long time...this is HARD WORK, and it's just part of the territory. 

Today I want to encourage us to try and reframe how we look at this day, and this life in which God has already saved us, and gives us Jesus to guide us, and the Holy Spirit which gives us strength in all things.  I invite us all to look at this day ahead of us as not just another day to survive, but as an adventure.  What can we learn today?  How can we grow today?  How can we show others our faith in the midst of trying circumstances?  How will we choose to face life head-on today?

If you have stories of how you "do more than other people do in a day" because of your illness, I look forward to hearing your stories.  May God bless this day of adventure for you.

Dearest Lord, we find ourselves in very challening times.  Help us to face them with courage and a sense of adventure, knowing that you are right beside us to encourage and give strength.  Amen.