Beginnings & Messes

There is something absolutely beautiful about the chaos of the beginnings of things. Last night was the first night since I have been in my current call that we have had our Wednesday evening ministries in full swing. Yes, there was more than once that I wished I had the ability to make two or three of myself so I could be at several places at once. Sure was it crazy and loud and is the building a mess this morning, indeed on all accounts. But that is what a church should be, I was thinking about it last night that I love when the building is full of people and the next morning we have some picking up to do. Sure I would love it if the high schoolers didn't wad up their gum wrappers and fling them all over the room or if the choir remembered to put away their binders or if the catechism youth put their phones away for the time we are together and that they didn't find it amusing to throw the crayons at one another leaving them all over the floor. But in a sense to me I see signs of life, signs of a healthy congregation with stuff happening, with people being sent out into the world. I see signs of people gathering and celebrating, mourning, grieving, rejoicing, and attempting to hear where God is calling them.

It is like a sign that hangs (or use to back in the day) in the kitchen at camp use to say: Thank God for dirty dishes, it means we had something to eat. While it is easy to look at the mess afterwards and complain about this, that, or the other today I am choosing to look at it and see life. (I may need a reminder of this at some point down the road when I am frustrated with one group of youth or another for not picking up completely.)