One of the blessings of being a parish priest for me is that 'work' doesn't feel like work - it is a way of life! I have been heard to say that "I am privileged to be doing what I would choose to do, if I didn't have to work for a living!" And that's great but the down side to that is - what about days off and leisure time? Normally I don't have a problem with switching off from things that are considered work. Chris and I have always made the most of our days off and we try to leave 'my workplace' behind and go for a drive out, a visit to a shopping centre, a walk along a beach somewhere, visiting family and friends...yes, you can probably see where I'm going with this!
Spending my time off in my workplace is proving to be a bit of a challenge...because work doesn't feel like work! Does ringing round friends count as work? Erm, in my line of work...probably! I'm not one for watching a lot of TV and much prefer to switch my laptop on and have a browse around, catching up with friends, offering words of reassurance when needed...work? What about reading? My bookcase is full of books that I am always dipping into but admittedly they are mostly to do with ...work! And then there's prayer. I'm a priest. It's expected of me to pray...it's part of the job description! My biggest problem (and blessing) is that I love what I do and being confined to home means that I am filling my time doing things that I enjoy. My mind tells me that I really ought to get out more but we are all in the same boat.
They say, don't they 'be careful what you wish for'? I wonder how many of us has yearned for time at home, away from the hubub of our hectic lives. Time to relax, take stock and think things through. It all feels very different when something like home-isolation is forced upon us. We have to make the best of our situations and each of us are making choices about how we fill our days. For me - I'm doing what I would choose to do if I didn't have to work for a living! So, keep safe - keep well - keep doing what you're doing and keep smiling!
Spending my time off in my workplace is proving to be a bit of a challenge...because work doesn't feel like work! Does ringing round friends count as work? Erm, in my line of work...probably! I'm not one for watching a lot of TV and much prefer to switch my laptop on and have a browse around, catching up with friends, offering words of reassurance when needed...work? What about reading? My bookcase is full of books that I am always dipping into but admittedly they are mostly to do with ...work! And then there's prayer. I'm a priest. It's expected of me to pray...it's part of the job description! My biggest problem (and blessing) is that I love what I do and being confined to home means that I am filling my time doing things that I enjoy. My mind tells me that I really ought to get out more but we are all in the same boat.
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| 'Working' |
Most of the time we choose what we do with our lives. We make decisions all of the time about where we go, who we see and what we do with our time. Living with the threat of Covid strips away many of our choices. Ive been told on several occasions that I am a 'deep thinker'. I am also a reflector, so I love the quiet times alone, to be with God and just to think things through. It is what feeds me. I've been thinking a lot lately about my ministry here. When I was licensed in November, I had to hit the ground running with it being the beginning of Advent. No sooner was Christmas over and I was away for a couple of weeks on my visit to Sri Lanka. Parish life has been pretty full on and with little time to sit down with God and to think things through about what God's plan is for us here.
They say, don't they 'be careful what you wish for'? I wonder how many of us has yearned for time at home, away from the hubub of our hectic lives. Time to relax, take stock and think things through. It all feels very different when something like home-isolation is forced upon us. We have to make the best of our situations and each of us are making choices about how we fill our days. For me - I'm doing what I would choose to do if I didn't have to work for a living! So, keep safe - keep well - keep doing what you're doing and keep smiling!
But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:40-42
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