We take better care of our cars than we do of ourselves. Consider this: Every 3,000 miles we change the oil, every 5,000 miles we rotate tires, balancing them every other rotation. We tune up our cars before a road trip, and we are familiar with our car’s sounds and know when there are strange ones. We have no such maintenance routine for our bodies and souls.
What’s a woman to do? Can we learn to care for this gift God has given us? We face obstacles—most of which we put up ourselves. “I don’t have time for self-care.” “It’s selfish and indulgent.” “I have others whose needs must come before mine.” We can think of dozens of excuses. So first we have to believe that it’s OK to spend time on renewal. For starters, we might remember that God spent six days creating and one resting. That’s a high bar for some of us.
Jesus often pulled away from the crowds too, so he could pray and be renewed. Years ago one church leader advised a group of us, “Come apart before you come apart.” Sound advice, I’d say.
Schedule some tune-up time for yourself. God wants no less for you.
Today we remember Columba (d. 597); Aidan (d. 651); Bede (d. 735), all renewers of the church. This message was adapted from “Time for a Tune Up” written by Sonia C. Solomonson that first appeared in the June 2011 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine. Subscribe to Gather for articles about faith, action, comfort and community.
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