As I was beginning to type this, my laptop ran out of power and shut down. Fortunately my computer is smart enough to save me from myself, so it preserved what I was doing before shutting down. All I needed to do was find an electrical outlet, plug in, and I could continue from where I left off.
It’s not a great metaphore but it does have some interesting parallels to our efforts at self-care. Like my computer, we all know that occasionally we have to recharge ourselves if we are going to be able to participate in our vocation effectively. However, sometimes we neglect the necessary recharge and find ourselves operating as a pastor on low power. At times we push it so far that our system shuts down. Fortunately our bodies are smarter than we are and it preserves where we are until we can find a source of power to recharge our batteries.
Here is the point. We need to identify our personal versions of the electrical outlet that we can turn to to recharge ourselves. It will be different for different people. If you suddently had to stop what you are doing and get an emergency recharge, where would you turn? What are your 20 minute rechargers? For some people it might be a walk in the park. Others might find it in taking time for a latte or listening to 20 minutes of music. Maybe it is calling a friend for a brief chat. It is important to identify some of the brief things that work for you. Having that list in mind will make it easier when you have to take a quick break.
