Grace for Today

Daily Devotion - March 19

I will try to send a brief message to my congregation each day while we are pausing gathering in person.
- Kara

A dozen of us met today for Church Coffee Hour on Zoom.  

We checked in on how we are doing, and prayed for each other and some people were were particularly concerned for today.

We also shared some helpful ways we've been coping, such as:

• Being present by narrating the moment, eg, "I am sitting in this chair. My feet are in the floor. I am holding a cup of coffee. I can hear birds outside my window. I can feel my heartbeat."
• Some hand and body tricks they taught to teachers yesterday,

1. make two fists and stack them. Set them on the table in front of you, lay your forehead on the stacked fists and feel the pressure in your forehead.
2. Press your fingers from one hand against your fingers from the other in a tented shape. Press your palms together.

• Walking, walking, walking. Many of us agreed on this. Get outside!
• Yoga is helping.
• We talked about good books we were reading. Three of us recommended Where the Crawdads Sing.

Then, I had a helpful conversation with my sister. She heard someone say this could be time when you lose ground, or time when you gain ground.  I'm not sure I agree with the premise that we are in a race or whatever, but I do love the idea of how sabbath invites us to view time as a gift, and use it without guilt.

What if during this time we decided to:

• Catch up on sleep.  Nap. Go to bed early. Sleep in. Most of us are chronically sleep-deprived.  What if we decided not to be sleep-deprived anymore?
• Do that project you've been putting off because you didn't have time. Use up the art supplies you're storing up. Finish that afghan. Purge the storage room. Write that book.
• Write letters and send cards.  Reach out to the people you've lost touch with.

Finally, gentleness with ourselves is in order.  

This is so weird, you guys. It just is. 
Our brains are resetting and readjusting and trying to find footing and that is exhausting.  
But we are held in God's grace.  

I told my sister I would quote her when she said to me:

"We have grace for what’s actually happening.  Never for what might happen.”

We have grace for today. 
We are held by God right now.


CONNECTING RITUAL:

Perhaps in the morning, when we wake up tomorrow, whatever time that is in each of our homes, we might all say this prayer, and so join our souls:

I Cannot Do This Alone

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you;
I cannot do this alone.

In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.

In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me….
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before people.

Lord whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.
Amen

Prayer by Deitrich Bonhoeffer