Midweek Message July 6, 2022

Get Curious

 

Dreaming is hard work.

Except it’s the kind of hard work that goes best when you’re relaxed, when you’re resting.

Except when you’re desperate and reaching for whatever’s possible.

I don’t understand how dreaming works.

I know that sometimes I come to the work of dreaming, and I’ve already made my conclusions. I think I know what I have to do, I think I know what the constraints are, and I think I know what my assets are, as I start the process of figuring out what’s next. That’s never much fun, and I don’t know that it counts as dreaming. It might count as planning. It’s certainly not in relationship to Vision, whatever that is.
 
But other times.

Other times I’ve just seen something stunning, and it broke me out of my despairing assumptions. I saw that amazing violinist at that concert last month, I saw that “Bike” episode of Bluey (season 1 episode 11, way better than it even needs to be), I heard my kid sing a new song, I watched someone be braver than I thought they were going to be, I woke from a dream of my own that either left me with the story of an amazing dream or left me astonished, held, and challenged by a dream that I don’t even remember.

And then I drink some water and eat some food. And get out my notebook or my notes on my phone or (often better) just whatever scrap of frozen food container is in the church compost bin. And something happens.
 
God tells us all to take sabbath. God’s gift of ingenuity and creativity can come, yes, in moments when we are utterly exhausted, and I hope we have all seen that scrappy beauty. But I can often hear Spirit better when I’ve taken my vitamins and read my comics and goofed off with my family.

Sunday after church we are going to try, again and boldly, to hear a bit about how the Spirit is calling us as a congregation. Pastor Phiwa is going to help us, and they are very gifted at this facilitation workshop. But I wonder what God will call me to, and what God will call each of you to, as we reset and renew and restore- as we get ready to dream together. On Sunday, and in the days and weeks and months to come.

Sabbath blessings to you all.

Davi