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Dear friends,
Greetings from Jackson, MS! I'm here for the meet & greets for the Mississippi Bishop's election that's coming up on Feb. 3. I hear it's been cold at home, but it's been REALLY cold here. The low Tuesday night was in the single digits. Hope you're warmer than we've been!
This morning I thought I'd share a couple of little lessons I've learned over the past couple of days.
First, being flexible and adaptive is important. Because of the weather all of the plans the folks here have had for us imploded. We spent most of Tuesday in the hotel, and didn't really see anyone. Wednesday our first meet & greet got cancelled, and we had to do our q&a session virtually to an empty room--it felt like COVID all over!
Our hosts have been incredibly gracious, and have done a terrific job of pivoting. Because sometimes, things change, and that's how life works. We adapt. That adaptation can only happen if we're willing to be flexible.
Second, be careful how you talk to yourself when things don't go as planned. The whole vibe of that first q&a totally threw me off, and I did not feel at my best. After a short bout of self-flagellation when it was over, I spent some quiet time in prayer, and made myself shut down the negative self-talk.
We're incarnational people as Christians--in other words, we believe "The Word became flesh and lived among us." Words have power. The words we say to ourselves have power. Make them words that reflect the truth: you're a child of God. You are supremely good in God's eyes. Reassessing behavior, the things we do, is one thing. Attacking our very being . . . that's downright sacrilegious. Don't do it. Pivot those shaming words about who you are (I'm bad) to words about how you'll do better next time.
I guess the final thing I learned is this--remember to pack thicker socks when you know it's gonna be cold. My feet are freezing!
Missed you this week. See you Sunday morning at 7:45 AM or 10:15 AM. Until then, keep the faith St. Paul's!
God's blessings,
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