Places To Be

I've got things to do, people to see, and places to be - and that is how I like it. I know, I know - it can be overwhelming at times: too many irons in the fire, peanut butter spread a little too thin, burning the candle at both ends and in the middle too. Many of you, like me, experience the struggle of an overly-full life. The fatigue, exhaustion, and loss of joy that accompany that condition are both common and chronic, and we need to continue to encourage each other to simplify, release, and focus our precious attention on fewer, more enduring things. But that doesn't mean we should become idle, passive, and withdrawn - that's not a worthy vision. We all want to be fully alive, vibrant, actively engaged in the world around us. So how do we stay engaged, without yielding to exhaustion?

The key insight that has been helpful to me in this battle over the past few months is the radical notion that I can trust my heart. When the heart leads well, the list of "things to do" becomes not an array of "ought"s or a stream of "should"s, but a banquet table of possibilities, a bucket list of promising adventures. When the heart leads well, the group of "people to see" becomes not an angry mob of demanding patrons, but a fellowship of friendly faces, a rolodex of replenishing encounters. When the heart leads well, the map of "places to be" becomes not an overbooked itinerary, but a guided tour with scenic views, a long walk down an inviting avenue. When the heart leads well, the most deeply desired blessings of life take center stage, unhindered and uncrowded by trivial obligations and pestering demands.

I've got things to do - things that I love to do, things that I long to do. I've got people to see - people that I love dearly and enjoy being with, people that replenish my spirit. I've got places to be - places that are beautiful and interesting, places where I feel at home and at peace. Next Sunday, I will be at church, with you, worshipping God. Because that is one of my favorite places to be, some of my favorite people to be with, and my favorite thing to do. May your heart lead you well - to places, people, and things that nourish your soul.

-- Brother Tom