In mid-February a group rented Renovation Community’s entire facilities for a massive 2-day event. But two weeks before, we were still making desperately-needed updates (including removing almost every decades’ old door to repaint them). We DIY most projects and hit delays along the way with this one.
Associate pastor Jordan Buchner is a ‘Get It Done’ guy. I’m more of a ‘Think About Getting It Done’ guy.
I struggle with ‘Paralysis By Analysis.’ And shortly before that big event, the weight of decisions, constantly listening to others’ sad dysfunctions, fatigue from lingering COVID, and DIY roadblocks got the best of me. I just wanted to hide from the world, not answer the Parsonage doorbell to all my chronically homeless friends, and give up on our renovation projects. I’m not talking about Clinical Depression or temporary mental illness. It was just plain ol’ discouragement from too much Life all at once.
Perhaps you can relate to an emotional fatigue that causes the simplest tasks to feel difficult. We should never ignore this type of fatigue. It’s like a ‘Check Engine’ light to indicate something about our mental health needs attention. Praise God, our culture speaks more openly than we used to about ‘Self Care.’
But the line can look blurry between ‘Self Care’ and ‘Running Away From Our Problems.’ And introverted pastors like me can spiritualize Running Away behind churchy language about prayer and Bible reading.
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Sometimes we all genuinely need a Retreat. Other times, however, we need friends like Jordan who are brave enough to say “kick it into gear” (even brave enough to say it to their own boss).
We started a job and needed to finish it.
So I did kick it in gear. We finished everything in time for the big event in our building. And I took a much-needed break once it ended.
Scripture compares the Church to a human body with Christ as the head and each Christian serving as some other part. Pastors play a role in that too. And Renovation Community would not be what it is today if I were its only pastor.
Reverend Jordan Buchner,
You’re a man of many talents– renovator, music leader, IT guy, and great Stay at Home Dad.
And I appreciate you!
