The Pilgrim Pastor

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with commitments?  While I was online recently, conducting some unrelated research, I happened upon this little cartoon.  Now, as a former Marine it immediately caught my attention.  As a person who was at the time feeling ever so slightly overwhelmed with the to do list that I had created for myself that day, the humor of the cartoon helped to greatly ease my burden.  It reminded me of a couple of lessons that may be helpful for you in keeping a right perspective on your burdens, tasks, and work today as well.

1.      1. The task at hand is seldom as monumental as we see it. Consider the big picture.  Compared to what it took those Marines to get to the top of Iwo Jima to raise a flag, my tasks are pretty manageable.

2.      2. Interestingly enough, this little sketch is of the popular re-raising of the flag on Iwo Jima.  When I was a Marine Corps photographer, I was once privileged to hold one of the original first prints of the actual flag raising that we found in a very tattered and water damaged book of images.  The actual thing was far less interesting of an image so they staged one that was more interesting!  The real thing is often less interesting than the image we have of it.  Be practical.  Accomplish your task minus the dramatics.  When we complain too much, even to ourselves, we have a tendency to get derailed in stress, emotion, and confusion. Take a clear look at the actual task and make a plan.

3.      3. Life is full of challenges and jobs to be done.  When we finish today’s work, tomorrows will come.  Take a moment to breath and focus on what matters.  My wife and I are always fascinated at our children’s ability to demolish the cleanliness of our home.  She and I are neat people.  Well, I am very neat and she is very clean and together, prior to all the kids who have invaded my life… we were very neat and very clean people!  What matters more though?  A clean house or happy children?  While I’d like to have both, I seldom do.  Making memories is more important than making it into the bleach-clean hall of fame.  Focus on what matters.  There will always be chores and work.  Life has a lot in common with an assembly line.

Remember the words of Nobel Laureate Sir Rabindranath Tagore “God respects me when I work, but he loves me when I sing.”

Pilgrim Pastor… working when work needs to be done… focusing on the focus… singing God’s songs of love and laughter…