Overwhelmed to the point of apathy?

So many thoughts in my head.  Sometimes it is easy to write on a topic I am passionate about - I like to ramble.  But lately the words have just not been there.  My life was full of waiting, reading, caring for others, and learning to be patient and trust God to open doors for me. 

Today I am overwhelmed with thought.  (The internet will do that to you.)  I had a chance today to check out what I have been missing on some of my favorite blogs.  Oye vey.  All kinds of things to think about, no easy answers, some things I have strong opinions on - yet all too often I just don't know. 

Topics range from how to engage the church in meaningful relationships (marketing won't do it for you), living up to your principles, protesting for the rights(?) of Wisconsin public employees, the role of educators in parenting (due to lack of?), appropriateness in the media for young people... so many topics... so many thoughts.. no clear answers. 

So what?  One of my biggest pet peeves - apathy.  So there are all kinds of things going on in this world that are interesting or that in some ways I care about, but I am not going to add my voice.  AHH!!  Why not??  Too busy?  It's just not that important?  It's our world people - care!  Please... care. 

Yet I find myself in the same trap today.  So many interesting topics, topics I normally care about toay I am overwhelmed by.  I could just go back to the simple and easy aspect of my work - meanial tasks that have to get done, so I might as well do them.  Or contemplate how to ... well... how to share the message of Jesus with those who visit the camps I have the opportunity to serve.  Oye vey. 

As an oral communicator my favorite way to contemplate these things is intentional dialouge.  Face to face communication shows respect to one another - your ideas and your time matter to me.  That's what a good conversation says (to me.)  Yet, we are very entangled in the tasks.  And I'm not sure yet where my place is to ask or attempt to answer these questions.  They are important to me - how do we share the gospel?  How do we live out our faith here as disciples of Christ?  How do I live out my faith through the United Methodist Church?  How do I help lead others to do the same?  On my own?  Oye vey. 

I know that we are all blest with different spiritual gifts.  One way these present themselves is through personalities (a topic I very much enjoy!).  I know that I'm a dreamer, a very "green" person who likes to contemplate the big picture and what could be.  I'm not very task oriented.  My to-do lists are everywhere and more often ambigious than check lists, yet they are my attempt to organize and work on details.  But when we are so overwhelmed by our own individual lists/tasks/dreams - how do we fit together? 

Today, do I care?  Sigh.  I don't know. 

I ran across one shining white light in my blog reading today - one of my favorite concepts.  Namaste.  Ah... "The divinity in me percieves and adores the divinity in you." (is my favorite interpretation)  Even if I don't know you, even if I don't get what I want from you, even if I love you - it is because the Holy Spirit in me (striving to purify me and make me more holy) recognizes the Holy Spirit within you and I will treat you as such.  Someone wonderfully and beautifully made in the image of God. 

At least that's one area I can focus on for the day.  Amen. 

Lists

Confession:  I love lists.

I have been teased many times, but I like to make lists.  I make to do lists, wish lists, grocery lists... project lists... lists of books i want to read, people i want to learn about, places i want to go.  It's my way of being organized.  (not something some of my friends would describe me as)

Sometimes I put the simplest tasks on the list and sometimes very complicated ones.  It's the little things that make up so much of time though.  It's the little things that we remember and that give us joy.

The latest time consuming wonderful joy in my life has been cooking.  I get to cook for my grandparents daily and I'm always trying to use fresh fruits or vegetable and Grandma and I have been trying new recipes.  Last night we made sweet potato fries and they were AMAZING!

A really simple recipe, a common task that happens daily, but something I'll treasure for a long time.

This fall I have been living the phrase "take time to stop and smell the roses".  And I am forever grateful for this time.

Hoping you find your rest,
In peace - Erin