April Fool

Every month I visit my Spiritual Director and, every month, he says to me - I asked you to think about doing less and you come back doing more! You have to start saying 'no'.

To reinforce it this month he has given me an elastic band to wear on my wrist and every time I get asked to do something or, more likely I see a 'something' that needs doing, I have to 'ping' it. The idea being that it will make me realise what I am taking on and give me the chance to change my mind.

I remember the 80's, the 'end of society' as Margaret Thatcher called it; the end of normal family lives; Sabbath Sundays and shops closing at 5.00pm. It was all about ambition 'no matter what', particularly for women, who had to become 'superwoman'. Saying 'yes' to financial and career success meant learning to say 'no' to incidentals. We even had courses on it - prioritise what's important to you and dispose of what is left. I used to find my list was somewhat upside down to everyone else's and would often have ten number 'one's rather than 'one to ten'. 

I haven't got much better. In fact, in many ways worse, as I am no longer as likely to say 'yes' out of guilt and I know that I  can't 'fix' everything that comes along (having worked through those two reasons) it's  just that I say 'yes'. And I do believe it is harder when it comes to spiritual matters - being there for others - how do you know what is important? For one thing we are meant to be, like St Francis of Assisi, fools for God. I am not important - you are. 

And then - you never know.... the number of times I have sat alone on our Open Church evening only to have someone come five minutes before the end...but who really needed to come. Or someone who quoted back at me some comment or phrase that has helped them that I can't even remember saying. I can say the same about words of wisdom or gestures of support that I have had from others. And as a worker in a school I know that sometimes the help you give is only realised many years later.

 I am wearing my red elastic band and praying for the discernment to choose the less foolish path. I know my SD is right and I may well need to start saying 'no' some day.

But now I am taking on this A-Z April blogging challenge to follow the alphabet through the 26 (not counting Sundays) of April. Starting with April Fool; you may wish me luck with this one. 

wordinthehand2011












Comments

Watson said…
Good luck with your A-Z challenge! I quietly tried posting every day, but didn't persevere. Sometimes, a gal just has to say "no"! :-)
2 April 2011 at 08:56
Mairie said…
You're right, Daisy and the intention is there but the reality may well prove otherwise...still...
m+x
2 April 2011 at 13:55
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Listen

Image
Jesus said: ‘I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’ Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them. So Jesus spoke to them again: ‘I tell you most solemnly, I am the gate of the sheepfold. All others who have come are thieves and brigands; but the sheep took no notice of them. I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe: he will go freely in and out and be sure of finding pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so ...
Read more

On and on and on and...

Image
Gospel Luke 18:1-8 Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’ And the Lord said ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’ A strange Gospel this; mostly because of the insinuation that we can get whatever we want from God just by nagging. ...
Read more

The Fourth Shepherd

Image
There are many characters in the story of the Nativity but one that we rarely hear of is the Fourth Shepherd. When the angels came that night to bring the Good News, they began with the most unlikely. Shepherds were a tough lot, weathered and self-reliant,  who had to survive out on the hills protecting their flock from the weather, the wolves and their own stupidity.  Once the shepherds had gotten over the shock and wonder of the glory of heaven shining all around them, they immediately wanted to go and find the baby; the lights of Bethlehem beckoned as brightly as the stars – ‘Come and see’. The could barely stop to wrap their cloaks around them. They took hold of  their staffs and each caught a light from the fire.  All except one. One young shepherd remained seated, looking into the fire. When the others asked him why he wasn’t ready, he replied that he was; he was ready to stay behind and take care of the flock. The other shepherds ...
Read more