Over the past month at Washington Plaza, we've focused our energy in worship about what it means to simplify our lives just a little bit. Asking ourselves the question: "In the way of Jesus, how might our lives slow down and be re-organized just a little?" Topics that have allowed us to do this have included simplicity of thought, of the moment, of service, of possessions and lastly of money.
I have to say that it has been a series that I've enjoyed preaching because it is a topic that I care about so much personally. At the end of my life, I'd love to be known as a person who had lived her life in this virtue. Yet, I know how hard it can be . . .
I've seen what happens in lives of those around me when simplicity doesn't occur-- people who walk around with heavy worries on their back, folks loaded down with credit card debit, folks with closets jammed with stuff they don't need nor ever use, etc, etc.
Simplicity is something that all of us need more of in our lives, including me.
It seemed that many of you Washington Plaza folks were listening and agreeing with me that you wanted to tread this earth in more simple ways. This has been some of the buzz around the church:
"What type of donations does The Closet take because I really want to get rid of lots of stuff?"
"I am going to take a week off work to do some necessary purging around my house and have some quiet space."
"Look at all the food in the basket for Reston Interfaith! They are overflowing."
"I'm interested in going on the Silent Retreat in a couple of weeks because I've been thinking a lot about how I need more quiet space in my life and a lot less worry."
"I went biking and noticed a turtle on the path. It was a moment when I stopped and just made myself more aware of my surroundings."
I applaud these marks of simplicity as your pastor and am now even more excited about what our worship will hold for us in the fall after hearing from you in all of these ways.
