A note from Pastor Travis 2/8/24

Sandra and I walk 3 miles every morning. That is, we did until mid-December. We got busy. The weather got lousy. I got lazy. The walking stopped. 

We decided that it was time to start walking again about two weeks ago. We laced up our tennis shoes and headed out the door. However, the walk felt different. My legs were stiff, and I noticed that I was breathing hard less than a mile into the walk. My heart rate got into my cardo zone much sooner than it had before. I could not believe that I had gotten that much out of shape in less than two months, but I had.

I have been walking daily for about two weeks now, and it has gotten much easier. My limbs don’t hurt and my breathing is smooth. Now I have to pick up my pace to get into my cardo zone. However, the biggest change is that I look forward to my walks again. When I wasn’t walking daily the idea of going out for a walk wasn’t appealing. It meant getting up earlier and heading out into the cold. I preferred the idea of sleeping a little later, getting up and having a leisurely cup of tea before starting my day. Now, I can’t wait to take my walk, and adjust my schedule when needed so that I can still get my walk in.

I was reflecting on all of this during my walk yesterday. It occurred to me that my spiritual practices follow the same pattern. When I get busy or lazy and let them slip for a few days then I find it hard to get motivated to restart them. I have one excuse after another and soon I have gone a month or longer without practicing my spiritual disciplines. It isn’t until I restart them that I realize how much I have missed them, and how much I really need them.

This is one of the gifts of Lent. It is a time set aside to remind and encourage us to restart spiritual practices and try out new ones. At first, we may not feel like we have the time. We may not feel very motivated. However, after a few weeks, we will begin to develop a deep appreciation for these practices and begin to notice how they enrich our lives.

Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. During that service, we are offered an invitation. Our liturgy reads, “I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church to observe a holy Lent: by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s Holy word.” I encourage you to take advantage of this invitation, and enter into Lent with a spirit of openness, so that it can become a holy season in your life.



How? Well, I am glad that you asked. In addition to your own prayer time and your time of personal devotion, you can join us for Ash Wednesday and for Soup and Spirit. The details are found in this newsletter, so keep reading. 

Blessings,

Pastor Travis