Peace to you.
What is your highlight of the week?
For me personally, as a parent of young children, I have had a busier first week of school, adjusting to back-to-school rhythms. Out of several highs and lows during the week, the word standing out to me the most is "building margin in your life."
It was part of Mark Miller's leadership lessons from over 40 years at Chick-fil-A. As some of you may be aware, Chick-fil-A's profits soared during pandemic, mainly because they had developed effective drive-thru and app services before the pandemic began. When Mark was asked in the interview, "How do you stay creative and refreshed in the midst of your busy schedules?" His answer was this:
"I've learned early on from my mentors that it is essential to build margin in my life. I always prioritize my day. The busier you are, the more you need quiet time - time to be alone."
His remarks remind me of the story of Martin Luther. He used to pray for two hours a day. Then, he got busier and busier. So he finally said to himself, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
Friends, we may not be able to devote ourselves to prayer for three hours each day, but it is still true today that the busier we are, the more we need quiet time, quality time with God to live a rich and satisfying life. That's the reason why God gives us "Sabbath" - a day of praying and playing - for our good.
May we come before him with a joyful heart this Sunday. We are gathered at Hodgdon (9 am) and Houlton (10:30 am). The Houlton service will be livestreamed at this link. Attached are the bulletins.
Have a restful weekend, and I'm looking forward to worshiping together with you. Shabbat Shalom! ("Sabbath Peace")
