Monday, August 21, 2006

Letting go of outcomes

It's been one of those days in ministry. I'm only a parttimer but I put my whole self into it and am disappointed when my efforts don't result in the outcome I hope for. I'm getting better at letting go of outcomes, but it's still a struggle. In this case today, I didn't get the expected result in working with a situation but as I think about it, I'm considering that maybe the best thing did happen. People acted with integrity even if they didn't do things my way. And that's a good thing.

I get frustrated with those whose M.O. seems to be "my way or the highway". And I am quietly impressed when others refuse to play that game.

Yesterday was a great day in church! Colleague and friend the Rev. Amanda Aikman is one heck of a playwright and my Whidbey folks presented a segment of one of her plays, "Ruth's Story", about a UU woman who becomes a Christian from the foundation of UUism, not having inherited it and its pain from her past but seeing it through the eyes of relationship. It was quite provocative in its theme and opened some eyes, I would guess. Somebody asked me if I would baptize a person who came to me asking that I baptize her/him as a symbol of a renewed relationship with God. And I have to say that I would do it, if I felt that the person was sincere and committed to the transformation s/he was seeking.

I liked the approach of the minister in the play; he asked her the same kinds of questions that I would ask a couple who was seeking to get married. And she answered from a place of intense thought and feeling.

I liked it. And I am starting to like the unexpected outcomes of the day.

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