As we approach the close of the school year for many of our families, and the conclusion of our program year here at Esperanza, with Children of Hope celebrating a new class of students moving on to new adventures, and our Sunday Funday program taking a summer break, it seems as if there are a number of loose ends that we’re all tying up.
For the kids, parents, and perhaps grandparents among us, the fact that it’s already May has us looking ahead to summer camps, potential vacations, and in many cases trying to figure out how to juggle the increased free time for our kids with the demands of other parts of our lives. If your situation is in any way like ours, the number of “free days” to do things that aren’t prescheduled seems to be shrinking quickly. And because of that, many of us find we’re jumping from place to place, without taking the time to take stock and simply breathe.
So today, I’m going to invite you to take that time. Even if it’s only 10 seconds, I am encouraging you to stop. Listen to your body. Listen to God’s creation all around you. And breathe. Breathe in God’s goodness. Breathe in God’s care for you. Know that God has placed you here for the good of all – and that includes yourself. And you might be amazed at what new things you encounter when you simply take a moment to breathe.
Sometimes the solutions to problems come not in the push to solve things, but in the waiting to see what solutions come to us. And always remember, when God breathed life into all things in the beginning of creation, God meant for us to keep on breathing, to draw in the promises of eternal life wherever we are.
Pastor Chris