Even My Sleep

Beloved:

    I woke before 4:30 this morning and took a while going back to sleep.  In the meantime I thought about how comfortable our bed is, how quiet our house.  I thought about all my neighbors asleep in their comfortable beds in their warm, safe houses too.  I wondered if any neighbors were up rocking fussy babies.  The newest baby in the neighborhood is named Magnolia, which I think is just the best baby name ever.  Then I wondered if God ever feels like an exhausted parent who finally has all the children down to sleep and decided, “Probably not,” since somebody somewhere is wide awake and causing trouble, which means that dozens of other people are also wide awake defending themselves and their kids against said trouble.  I suppose since there’s no rest for the wicked there can be no rest for the wickeds’  neighbors either.  These thoughts went on for a while but my quilt is really, really cozy, so I finally drifted off and woke to daylight in a furry pile of dog love and the realization that even my sleep qualifies as privileged.

    I’m packing for a ten-day trip – first to Savannah to deliver Emily to her sophomore year in college, then to a Georgia state park for three days of study retreat, followed by another three days in Atlanta for the New Baptist Covenant Summit on Racial Reconciliation.  Jimmy Carter called this meeting last spring and I am excited to attend and to report back to you about it.  In my place for the next two Sundays you’ll hear preachers from the Ministers-In-Training program at Bethel AME church here in Bloomington.  I am counting on you to be your most welcoming, enthusiastic self as you receive and support these young ministers.  You will be in my prayers until I return.  Please keep me in yours.  
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peace & prayers,
pastor annette