Do you remember that poster from the 80’s, with that adorable baby cat grasping onto the tree limb for dear life, the caption reading something like “Hang On!”? That’s what I’ve spent my life doing…hanging on, trying to stay safe, taking no risks, having few wild adventures. I wonder if it might be a better caption to say “Let Go!” Take a deep breath, enjoy the ride, and live this life you’ve been given because God’s already got you. God is holding onto you, which means you don’t need to be grabbing the reins so tightly.
As you’re reading this, I will be a few days into my 10-day retreat at the monastery in Indiana. My hope during this time is to focus on “renewal,” my StarWord. My hope is that I relax and let myself breathe; that I let down my defenses and connect with the others trying to do the same. My hope is that I stop clinging to the tree and I simply let go….and allow the Spirit to gently cradle me. And, my hope is that you let yourself do the same. Take a moment and let go of everything that is holding you down…let go of everything you are holding onto…just let go and see what God might have in store for you.
I read this quote recently and I think it’s exactly what we need to hear… “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow what a ride!’”
Let go, my friends. Let go and enjoy the ride.
See you when I get back!
~Pastor Sarah