Iss. 2 - Weekly RunDown
Merry Christmas: Relaxing after the BIG DAY
I can finally breathe…
By “breathe” I mean I finally have a break. Yesterday I led two worship services, as the church I serve observed and celebrated the 4th Sunday of Advent at our regular 10:30 AM service and then Christmas Eve at our 7 PM service.
Every year I reflect on what the harder holy day is (Christmas or Easter) during the Christian year. Both have midweek services that add to the stress, anxiety, and early prep. Both have seasons of preparation (Advent and Lent) that feel like a pot getting ready to boil. And in both, I take the very next week after the holy day itself off.
This year seemed harder…I don’t know why.
It took me all week to write my sermons and there were times when I literally (and I do not use this hyperbolically) felt like I had no more words to write this year. Even these end-of-the-year posts and articles have felt a little harder than normal.
As I look to the new year, it creates in my mind the potential for a mental reset.
Mental burnout truly can wreak havoc on our ability to do even the most enjoyable tasks. I love writing, whether it is a sermon, a blog article, or even a podcast script. However, amid my mind feeling completely drained I wonder if I need a break from said activities or if I just need to re-find the joy within by allowing the rest of my mind to relax.
This “vacation” or time off as I often consider it more to be, is that mental reset I need. I do not need to worry about church or other work-related matters. My mind does not need to wrestle with managing the administrative, with the pastoral, with everything else (alongside the non-work-related things).
I am looking forward to a truly Merry Christmas (all 12 days of it). I will get to watch my kids enjoy their gifts, spend time with extended family, and enjoy the process of writing and podcasting without other added pressure of all the other stuff. This might seem odd to continue to want to write while on vacation, but I want to make it more free-form, without the added pressure of needing to produce specific things.
I hope you enjoy all 12 days of Christmas and find some time for yourself in this period. Some time to do what you truly love, in a way that provides space for renewal.
May God bless your Christmas!
Rev on the Run
This week has been such a mixed-bag on the run. I have had runs where I felt good, and inevitably runs that did not go as planned. Definitely felt the stress of the week catch up in the later part of the week as I had very low quality runs on Thursday and Saturday.
This is an example I often point to of the sometimes difficult time, runners and athletes have in busy seasons. It is not that the motivation was not there, but sometimes even in spite of wanting to do something, we must create space to not push ourselves too far.
I feel like I am trying to cut myself some slack on the run. As I contemplate what 2024 will hold for me on the run, I definitely am keeping in mind that I am still not 100% back from what 2023 has thrown at me.
Mileage for the Week: 14.1 miles
Around the Network
While it pains me to be a broken record about things, with the stress of the season (current vacation status), my mind harkens back to this article I wrote during my vacation this past summer. It is a reminder that I am still on this journey of perfection, and burnout is an all too real reality I am struggling with.
Read “The Busyness of Burnout” Here
And take care of yourselves and find some renewal during this season of Christmas.
Run Build Grow Podcast
If you haven’t had the chance to check it out yet, the trailer for my newest podcast dropped last week, and I am so excited about it. Can wait to have all sorts of conversations about running and community. Listen to it here and subscribe on your favorite podcasting app to get that first episode on January 5.
Active Faith Podcast
Enjoy this Christmas Monday Meditation