Have you ever been so tired that you didn’t realize just how tired you were until you’d been resting for a week? It really messes with you. You worked so hard to stay focused that once you go to rest, everything falls apart. You don’t sleep well, your digestion is off, maybe you get sick, and forget concentrating.
I was exhausted, y’all.
And I still kind of am - sleep is just now starting to resemble some form of normal, I can read more than a paragraph at a time, and I can start thinking about what’s next. (Still not going out much, but that’s as much about the record-breaking temps as anything.)
What I learned is this: even when you are doing good ministry in a congregation and things are going well, as I experienced this past year, it takes a LOT out of you. Especially when you are holding people struggling with domestic and international crises, and when you’re struggling with them yourself. And on top of that knowing that our denomination’s annual meeting would wrestle with some hard issues.
So this is my reminder that your religious professionals are absolutely exhausted/crispy/burned out/knackered/worn to the bone by the end of June, and they’re likely not going to have much energy to scroll through Instagram, no less do anything else. It’s really okay. I often say that the congregational year is a marathon and every week is a sprint - and by the end of it we’re collapsed on the pavement, gasping for air, downing buckets of water, and longing for a foot massage.
It takes a little time, as I’m learning. But we’ll be back. Promise.
In other news, I cracked open the grey hymnal the other day, and the principles and sources are still in there. Still gonna talk about values though.
I am booking workshops, retreats, and pulpit supply for the coming year. Yes, I do board retreats, and worship workshops, and visioning, and church year planning, and more. Visit my site to learn more.
Finally, if you haven’t already, get your copy of Blessing It All: Rituals for Transition and Transformation, edited by Alison Palm and Heather Concannon; it’s a hefty tome full of amazing rituals, including one by yours truly. Get it at inSpirit UU Books and Gifts!