This week I am working hard to “tie up” loose ends and work through my year-end “to do” list. Some of you are finishing or have just finished a school year. Or a major project. Perhaps you would recognize my focus on crossing items off, my need to declare victory even though next year’s version of most of these tasks will be there to greet me when I return from my break.

There is much to be said in defense of “finishing” things, not least the sense of accomplishment it can provide and the chance to move on to the next step in the process or the deeper
level of understanding we want to achieve. There is much to be said for finishing.

Some items on my list will not, however, get that check mark.

One of the problems for me is what goes on the list. Working in the church, the goals can get pretty sizeable. “Helping the world bend toward justice”… it’s just not the kind of thing you get to check off very often.

But it is important to keep those big items on the list…making justice…reconciling after argument…telling those we love that we love them…telling the truth…forgiving ourselves for our imperfections…

It is important to keep the important things, the big things on our “to do” lists. If our goals are all small, our achievements are certain to be small as well.

I will be taking some time off for rest and then for planning beginning next week. I will be back in the office and in the pulpit in August.

Let me leave you with these thoughts by Kelly Weisman Asprooth-Jackson:

A Prayer for Unfinished Business

Dear great lathe of heaven,
O foundry of souls,
You churning, burning cosmos which has wrought
Me on the infinite loom of your celestial body.
Spinning stars and indifferent stones: hear my prayer.
Do not curse me to perish with all my dreams
fulfilled.
Do not afflict me with a vision so narrow and a heart
so small,
That all my greatest hopes could be accomplished
within a single lifetime.
Rather, bless me with an unquiet spirit.
Anoint me with impertinent oils.
Grant me dreams so great and numerous,
That I might spend the fullness of my days to realize
them,
And have ample remaining to leave to my inheritors.
Holy gyre that bore me and must one day take me home,
Allow me the mercy to depart this life with
Unfinished business.

I hope you all find the rest and renewal you need in the warm summer days.

Blessings,

Bill