I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be in the place that fills us up.  To get what we need from where we are and be nourished to go out into the world isn’t always easy.  In fact – it seems pretty rare.

When are the moments when we feel fully alive, fully who we are?  Do we notice them when they happen?

I have been noticing lately that when I open the doors of my heart and mind to connect with people around creativity – time is different.  Do you know what I mean?  Like time doesn’t pass quickly or slowly – it just feels full. What gives you that feeling of fullness?

Maybe in order to find an oasis, first we have to figure out that we are thirsty.  Once, a long time ago, someone pointed out to me that in the sea of materiality in which we live – the church itself can feel like an oasis.  If we can be other – hold up values that are not about climbing ladders and building equity beyond our needs – and give people space and place to consider what life is really about, what happiness is really about, what connecting with God and other people is really about – then church can be so much more than the building.

Though we all know that the pandemic has taken much from us, maybe it has given us an appreciation for each moment – because all the assumptions we used to have about knowing what comes next are no longer relevant. We know not that we don’t know.

Could it be that this period in our lives has given us the time and space to notice where we are thirsty – and pay attention to what fills us up?

My hope as 2022 begins is that we do find the places where we experience what it means to be fully alive. My prayer is that we let the Spirit fill us up and nourish our souls on the journey. Here is the link to one of those places for me: The Creativity Lab