Reality Check:
You just received a call from your parish coordinator
of youth ministry. She has this great retreat in three months and wants
to know if you would be on the planning team. It would mean two meetings
a month and then a weekend retreat. You are already on the core leadership
team, two sports at school, you do volunteer work at a near by nursing
home. You have a full-load of classes and you work 20 hours a week. You
don’t know how you’re going to keep up? So you say:
a. Wow, that would be so cool! Of course.
b. Can I have a week to think and pray about it?
c. No, I have too much on my plate already.
d. I would have to drop something I am already doing to consider
this. Is this more important then something else I’m doing at Church
already?
Analysis:
Sometimes we get so busy doing, that we don’t have time just to
be. The instant "yes" of choice (a) is going to leave you stressed
and possibly burn you out. You may end up unable to do the retreat and
a few other things that may be more important.
Your
next three answers all have merit but why?
Choice (d) recognizes your limits. It also allows your CYM to consider
all the things she is asking of you and where she may best use your gifts
and wonderful faith. There are others that may be able to pick up something
you’re doing now or could take on the retreat team.
(C) also recognizes your limits but doesn’t take into account the
other possibilities in (d)
Maybe your answer in (b) can help -- taking time to think and pray. Sometimes
we get so busy we don’t have time to do that. And why encourage others
to go on a retreat in order to pray when you aren’t taking time to
pray yourself?
Keeping holy the Sabbath isn’t just about being inactive on a particular
day. It’s recognizing that our source of strength and direction is
our God and we need to take time to be with Him. In recognizing that He
is our source of being we honor God as our Creator, Lord and friend. Hopefully
we do that each day. We also need to do it with others so God can speak
to us through them. Sometimes, seeing how others are walking with God
can help us figure out what we need to do. None of us is the same or have
the same calling but we are all called, all gifted, and all in need of
each other and God. We need the Church and we need to pray regularly with
others.
Slow down. Rest. Do a few things well instead of many things poorly. There
are others who can help. Let them. Make sure you are refreshed so that
you can enjoy the ministries to which you are called. Remember keep holy
the Sabbath. Peace!
– Love in Jesus,
Pat Rinker
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