The Friday Five

Every week at RevGalsBlogPals, a weekly meme, The Friday Five is posted. This one addresses the needs of the clergy during Holy Week. As I was reading blogs this morning, I found Gannet Girl's incredible response. In musing on Holy Week, she mentioned that she's not ready for resurrection. In one of those calm, profound, but oh so quick, moments when you realize a truth about yourself, it hit me that not only am I not ready for resurrection, I've been hiding from it. That's not an easy thing for me to face. I'll have to answer too many hard questions with the kind of honesty I aspire to but whose process I despise. Knowing that's ahead, I've decided to answer the relatively easy questions (in comparison) of The Friday Five. My answers are not about how I handle Holy Week. As a basically unchurched Christian, it's not a real issue for me, but looking at them as they apply to life in general is a good starting point for some

1. What restores you physically?
Being able to move at my speed, not rushed into working faster than I need to, not restrained to the point of feeling trapped in a tar pit. A cup of coffee and a cigarette in the morning. Falling asleep physically tired but not emotionally exhausted and waking up without benefit of the alarm clock.

2. What strengthens you emotionally/ mentally?
Laughter, regardless of what makes me laugh. Feeling appreciated by those closest to me. Hearing from my friends, whether it's through blog comments, e-mail, snail mail or a telephone call. Acknowledging my weakness and forging ahead anyway.

3. What encourages you spiritually?
Letting myself be myself when I communicate with God, not who I think I should be as a Christian, but the unique creature that I am.

4. Share a favourite poem or piece of music from the coming week.

(an original and somewhat hopeful haiku)

into the darkness
we willingly go alone,
emerging anew

5.There may be many services for you to attend/ lead over the next week, which one are you most looking forward to and why? If there aren't do you have a favourite day in Holy week if so which one is it?

I work every Sunday, and I work many Wednesdays, the traditional church service days, so I don't get to church very often. My path as a Christian has often been a solitary one, but that has meant that participating in church, when I do, is something that I do not take for granted. My store is closed on Easter Sunday, and I'm going to get to go to church. That brought tears to my eyes.