January 2, 2023
“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ~ Matthew 6:25 NRSV
I was sitting at my computer, trying to write this meditation with a little girl interrupting my thoughts. I was going to write a prayer for the new year. My plans were apparently not the God’s.
Earlier in the day we saw Puss in Boots: The Last Wish at the movie theater. It was scarier that Rod and I anticipated, with a grim-reaper-type character portrayed by a huge wolf with red in his eyes and dressed in a dark cape. We talked about it on the drive home as well as over dinner. Marie-Helene was too afraid to go back downstairs by herself to the family room. I invited her to stay with me if she could be quiet.
After about five seconds of silence, she asked, “Nana, why does this say ‘worries?’” I turn around to see her pointing at my worry jar. It’s a relic from my days as a counselor, something I would encourage people to imagine putting their worries into it as a way to contain them. I would tell then that the jar would hold the worries unless they wanted to take them out.
I gave her a piece of paper and a pen and invited her to write something about being scared on the wolf, that we would pray about it, and she could put in in the “Worries” jar. She did so. Then told me she was still worried. She then took another piece a paper, wrote something on it, and put it in the jar. I asked if she wanted to tell me about it or pray about it. She shook her head “no.” Then she happily went downstairs to join the family.
It was a good reminder to me, who inherited a good case of worrying. “Pastor, heal thyself.” Maybe it will be helpful to you as we begin this new year.
Blessings ~ Anne
Wayfinding 