Showing up.

My daughter Callie last week was supposed to give the scripture in primary & I hadn’t given her much notice so she was quite distraught over this. She likes to be prepared & I knew she was feeling the pressure to say something meaningful under short notice. She ended up in tears on my lap on the foyer couch. I was talking her through it & coaching her through what she was feeling & what she was thinking. She was able to voice that she was thinking she was causing problems for the teachers & letting everyone down, therefore feeling like she wasn’t enough.

I offered her the thought that she is doing the best she can with the tools she has, noting that I hadn’t done my part giving her all the tools I wish I had (like time to prepare). One of her primary leaders walked by who I know well & I had the feeling to bring her in. I asked “Tamara, you think Callie is doing the best she can with the tools she has, right?” And she got down to Callie's eye level and agreed. She then said something that really stuck me- she said Calllie, you might think that you’re doing US a favor by giving the scripture but really, primary is here to support YOU. The scripture giving is only for you to do if it feels good & happy. We are here to love you & support you however we can. I could literally see the weight lifted off of her tiny shoulders.

As you prepare for your Sabbath, I want to offer that maybe God doesn’t need you to show up at church or Sunday school or in worship at all, maybe church is there to support you in your own path toward God. Maybe god can reach you anywhere at any time, and also maybe church is a place for YOU to find community with others who are trying to navigate life with a spiritual lens, maybe it’s a place with opportunities to serve & learn, and grow & develop. Maybe it’s a sacred set aside time in YOUR week to support YOU. Maybe there doesn’t need to be any guilt about how you’re showing in your church life & you can show up just as you are knowing you’re doing the best you with the tools you have.

God loves you.

May we take time to be still tonight & set our hearts on our Savior, his atonement, the gift of our agency to act in intentional ways to strengthen our spiritual lives, and showing up with grace, compassion & patience with ourselves & others as we observe the Sabbath day.