From LeeAnne Beres, Earth Ministry's Executive Director
Praise be to God, the sun was out this weekend and the glory of creation was marvelous to behold. It’s amazing to me how much I need the tangible reminder of our Creator’s presence in the majesty of the mountains, the fragile beauty of a newly-bloomed flower, and the power of crashing surf – all of which I reveled in on my series of daily walks in the sunshine in the past few days.
I’m two weeks into my Lenten practice of giving up busyness, and while I still struggle, I’ve had moments of grace which remind me of why I’m doing this in the first place. In the last week, I’ve kept up my commitment to walking every day: in Lincoln Park and around Green Lake with dear friends, along the Seattle waterfront with my husband, and home from church by myself. I’m enjoying this time outside, and in the words of the 1990’s band Poi Dog Pondering, “you get to know things better when they go by slow”.
Slowing down gives me time to enter into conversation with God, which I find myself doing more often now that I’m being more intentional about it. These conversations take some of the weight of daily life off my shoulders, and give me a sense of grounding that stays with me long after the walk is over.
Slowing down in the morning also helps me slow down throughout the day. A new practice I’ve taken on is not speeding – yes, you heard me right. I have a chronic lead foot since I’m habitually rushing from place to place, and the lackadaisical drivers here in Washington who go ten miles under the speed limit in the left lane generally drive me nuts. (Don’t tell the SPD or they’ll set up a speed trap between my home and Earth Ministry!).
This past week I’ve made a point of taking a deep breath and going with the flow. I’ve found that I don’t get as frustrated, and even though it does make me a few minutes later, I don’t arrive at my destination as wound up as before. So as I continue to struggle with the unending calendar of meetings, events, and speaking engagements at Earth Ministry, at least I can control the speed of which I move through life…and be open to those moments of grace when they come.
I’m two weeks into my Lenten practice of giving up busyness, and while I still struggle, I’ve had moments of grace which remind me of why I’m doing this in the first place. In the last week, I’ve kept up my commitment to walking every day: in Lincoln Park and around Green Lake with dear friends, along the Seattle waterfront with my husband, and home from church by myself. I’m enjoying this time outside, and in the words of the 1990’s band Poi Dog Pondering, “you get to know things better when they go by slow”.
Slowing down gives me time to enter into conversation with God, which I find myself doing more often now that I’m being more intentional about it. These conversations take some of the weight of daily life off my shoulders, and give me a sense of grounding that stays with me long after the walk is over.
Slowing down in the morning also helps me slow down throughout the day. A new practice I’ve taken on is not speeding – yes, you heard me right. I have a chronic lead foot since I’m habitually rushing from place to place, and the lackadaisical drivers here in Washington who go ten miles under the speed limit in the left lane generally drive me nuts. (Don’t tell the SPD or they’ll set up a speed trap between my home and Earth Ministry!).
This past week I’ve made a point of taking a deep breath and going with the flow. I’ve found that I don’t get as frustrated, and even though it does make me a few minutes later, I don’t arrive at my destination as wound up as before. So as I continue to struggle with the unending calendar of meetings, events, and speaking engagements at Earth Ministry, at least I can control the speed of which I move through life…and be open to those moments of grace when they come.
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