Friday Five: JOY!

Well, an0ther one of “those” weeks…appointments most of every day, more paperwork than hours in the day, overheated discussions on an email group, an extra sermon to write (well, half, anyway), etc. I’m leading worship at Landlord Church this week—generally I can use the same sermon for both congregations, and I think that I can do that again. I’ll add a paragraph or have an alternate ending, perhaps—much as I did when I was serving two churches in the United Methodist Church. So a sermon and a half. At any rate, a busy tim!

The result is no postings this week!

To make up for it, here’s a Friday Five, courtesy of the RevGalBlogPals and Songbird.

Tell us about five people, places, or things that have brought surprising, healing joy into your life.

1. Meditation. I’ve begun taking that half hour I used to spend watching the morning TV news and meditating/praying instead. The increased focus and centered start to my day are giving me better momentum and a fresher start, instead of seeing all the bad news, or the irrelevant clips about fashion and home decorating. It’s been healing as I contemplated some issues that have come up in the congregation and others that have surfaced in my life—a clearer understanding of what they mean and what they really are.

2. A renewed friendship. Back at that denominational conference in November, I renewed a friendship that had, well, drooped, for lack of a better word—we just had not kept in touch. But working together at the conference, we remembered why we were friends in the first place, and what we liked so much about ach other. This person is one of the warmest, kindest, most generous individuals I know, and simply being in the same room with this person brings me joy. I’m looking forward to continuing the process at the conference this summer (unfortunately, we don’t live very close together).

3. Musical exploration. For a long time, I stayed with artists and music I knew, It was safe. Then—and I can’t even remember what sparked it—I began venturing into other kinds of music, other singers, composers, and genres—and guess what? I found I loved some of it—and it offered me a musical language for what I was feeling. Some of those artists, composers include John Rutter, kd lang, Faure, John Mark, Melissa Etheridge, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and Marsha Stevens. Not everything that all of them have done, but enough to give me a sense of joy in the possibilities, a path to healing, and sometimes just a lot of fun.

4. The return of spring. This winter was emotionally difficult for me—I was very ready for spring. We’ve been teased here in River City with warm weather though most of March, then a bunch of cold weather and snow. It’s looking (see says cautiously) like we might actually have spring now. I need it badly this year—and I’m welcoming every crocus, daffodil, tulip and dandelion with joy!

5. A sense of the future. The congregation has a great deal to look forward to in the next weeks and months, as do I personally. It is energizing and exciting—not to mention healing after the difficult months just past.

Thanks for this one, Songbird—I needed to slow down and be grateful for the healing and joy!