The Great Pause

Greetings from Ireland, where at midnight tonight we move to stringent Covid-19 restrictions again for the next six weeks. We're to stay home except for essential travel and exercise within 5km (3 mi) of home. We can meet up with one other person/household in an outdoor public space like a park. (Bearing in mind that Irish weather makes this rather iffy!) Churches, eat-in restaurants, non-essential retail, etc., are all closed again. But they hope to keep schools and childcare open. You can see the Irish government's 'Living with Covid' plan below.

As you live with coronavirus wherever you are, it seems we’re all either much more busy than usual – maybe juggling kids doing online school with working from home and also supporting older family members’ needs – or much less busy, with normal work and community activities slowed to a trickle. I’m in the second category. My international ministry travel is cancelled into 2021. My Irish church is on recorded Sunday worship and our weekly women’s bible study can’t meet. My local MeetUp events and other group social activities are on hold. The online part of my work does continue, mostly. I’m teaching an MA/MDiv biblical interpretation course for Fuller Theological Seminary, doing random small theological education consulting projects in various parts of the world, trying to finish up some academic writing for publication, and starting a diploma in personal/executive/leadership coaching for my professional development. But I’d really rather be immersed in the travel and classroom teaching in Africa and Asia that are what I love most about this ministry.

I’ve heard friends refer to 2020 as the Great Pause. Recently I was working on a virtual presentation on sabbath rest for the women’s retreat my EPC Mid-Atlantic Presbytery is hosting this weekend. As I read and prayed and thought about sabbath I realized how much I myself need a weekly sabbath pause right now. For me most days in the current Covid-19 reality involve figuring out what projects I need to attend to, making those happen on my computer, and trying to stay focused and motivated to keep working from home alone. Well before the end of the day I usually run out of steam mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Because I’m not getting as much done as I feel I should it seemed counter-intuitive to take a designated full day off from work. But I am reminded that God in his goodness has already woven sabbath rest into creation. For Christians this isn't a legalistic requirement but a gift I can unwrap to use now.

So this month I've tried sabbath-ing. For one day a week I completely pause, or ‘cease’ (the meaning of sabbath), from anxiously trying to make things happen. In the Old Testament Yahweh reminds the Israelites that he himself finished his work and rested on the seventh day (Ex 20:11). But he also tells them to keep the Sabbath to “remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm” (Deut 5:15). Especially in these crazy times sabbath-ing is one way I can affirm that God, not me, is the powerful one in charge taking care of us. On my sabbath day last week I slept late, made blueberry pancakes for breakfast, finished unpacking boxes and hanging pictures in my little house, got my bike out and rode it for the first time since I broke my ankle in July, and had pizza for supper.* I felt filled up and ready to press ‘play’ again after that sabbath pause.

Other longer sabbaths are also built into Old Testament sacred time. I can see how God has been using the Covid-19 Great Pause – and also the broken ankle, because maybe I’m a slow learner?! – in my life as an unexpected sabbath. In spite of my Type-A inclinations I’ve been forced to unwind. I can feel the slower rhythms of my mind and heart. I’m hopeful that like my sabbath days make the rest of the week both more relaxed and more productive, I can carry this longer sabbath into my work when things pick up again. (They will pick up, right??!)

But first I need to press ‘pause’ one more time. Instead of waiting for my Christmas visit to Virginia, Serge and I decided that given these heightened Covid-19 restrictions I’ll go sooner, at the end of this month, and stay into January. I'm not sure I can do the long solo lockdown here in Ireland again, particularly in the cold and dark this time. Especially when my ankle isn't ready yet for the rambling winter walks with Irish friends. Fortunately my online teaching and other projects go with me anywhere. Now that we’ve made this decision and I’m somewhat over feeling guilty about it, I can’t wait! I haven’t been more than 20 miles from my house since the end of January, and I haven’t seen any of my family for almost a year. Best of all, I’ll get to play with ALL my little grandchildren, as Caroline and her family are coming from Rwanda for Christmas since their summer trip was cancelled, too. I’m a very happy Nana looking forward to this different sort of sabbath festival.

So that’s where I am at the moment, trying to adjust to God’s rhythms of rest. What’s God been teaching you through the Great Pause?

 

Because 2020 wasn't crazy enough...

Hello from Dublin! Global pandemic, economic recession, social justice protests, hurricanes and fires, massive explosion in Beirut, cantankerous election in my home country… No, evidently that was not enough to make 2020 memorable. So I broke my ankle. Dang.

I don’t even have a dramatic story to tell about the accident, just lost my footing on some damp outdoor stairs coming down from the metro station and landed square on my foot. OK, three police cars and one paramedic on motorbike responding was a bit dramatic. Apparently there was nothing else happening that morning in posh Shankill village. (Fun fact: it’s where Bono lives.) Ambulance ride to the emergency room, surgery to put in metal bits, and a couple of nights in the hospital. It’s my first experience in the Irish public health system. Due to Covid-19 I couldn’t have a friend with me or any visitors, but the cheerful chatty skillful Irish medical staff took great care of me.

Now I’m home and coming to terms with an enforced slowdown. I’m in a non-weight bearing cast until at least Sept 9, then hopefully graduate to a walking boot. Ironically I moved from my one-floor apartment to a two-story cottage on the church grounds on Monday 20 July and then broke my ankle on that Thursday! Makes things a little more complicated... Fortunately I'm getting lots of good help and cheer from the Serge team here, from Irish friends in my Meetup groups, and from my pastor's family in the manse next door. Not how I'd hoped to spend August – I had to cancel the sailing lessons among other things – but not as bad as it could be.

Here's my list why if you MUST break your ankle a good time to do it is during a pandemic shutdown:

• All my international ministry travel for the rest of the year was already cancelled
• I can’t go visit my grandchildren anyway (*sigh*)
• No FOMO because no one else is doing anything interesting either
• Since everyone has time on their hands they’re happy to pop by and visit me
• All the restaurants are delivering

On a more serious note, I’m certainly seeing God’s goodness in the midst of this. He’s giving me just what I need to get through each day, ‘daily bread’ in terms of practical help, people dropping by or messaging, and rest and prayer. I’m getting to know my local Irish friends much better as they come into my home and generously take care of me. So grateful for these deepening relationships. And I'd actually already planned to take a sort of sabbatical for the month of August to rest up after a challenging year. I think the Lord may be using this to make sure I actually stay put!

Please do pray for good healing, for me to find ways to do life patiently and well in these circumstances, and for the Father to keep my heart firmly fixed on him. Thank you! Now I think it’s time for the next dose of paracetamol and another nap…