Alrighty Monday, we are ready for ya! Good morning!

A special happy birthday to my grandma today! She is 94!  Wow!

Today’s scripture:

Ephesians 6:10-17New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

I have some ritual when I get up in the morning. I think we all do. My morning ritual definitely includes coffee and sitting down to my computer to see what is up for the day.  During Advent and Lent, I get to think about where scripture is leading me to write.  Other days I like to see what scripture is ruminating with me.  I look over my schedule. I scroll through facebook.  Write happy birthday on timelines.  I scroll through emails and de clutter.  I sip more coffee, grab a bit of breakfast.

Monday mornings are a little sleepier for me. Sundays are usually pretty full so it takes me just a little bit longer to really get going. I purposefully don’t schedule meetings on Monday mornings if I can help it to give a little cushion into the week. I go to the office and check in with staff, talk about finances, say hey to people coming in for coffee. I intentionally hang out in the office Monday morning because it seems to be when people are needing to see the office staff.  We have been thinking all weekend about that one thing we need to get done.

Before allllll of that…before the busy….before the monkey mind starts going….before I get anxious about what the day brings or what needs to be done (because there is always stuff to be done)….the first thing I do when I open my eyes is say to God, “Ok, God, here we go. We are in this together.”

There may be some variation on that. It may be “God, what do we have in store for today?” or “Ok God, we have things to do.” or “How about you carry this one today? I am tired.” or “Ok, God I am ready for whatever today brings!” Whatever it is, I wake up talking with God about how we are in this together.

When I read today’s scripture about putting on the armor, all of it, this is what it makes me think of.  I don’t have the same sense of armor that the people in Ephesus could relate to but Paul is taking war imagery and making it personal and rethinking the purpose.  Instead of marching into war, we are marching for peace.  Instead of protecting against an enemy we are protecting against things that might keep us from God. I love that Paul writes that our enemy is now consumerism and authority that is not God…not people.  By starting my day with a little chat with God, I am putting on what it means to be a disciple and me.  I am not putting on an act but I don’t I can’t do this world alone.  God beside me is how I get through day to day.  The people around me are the way we create change.

I am more acutely aware of this during Advent. I yearn for God’s presence here and now.  So this conversation becomes more present as well.  “Ok, God, how will we do this season? How will we prepare for your presence?”

Peace,
Court