Lives of Margin

Effervescent.  That’s what I was labeled today.  

Having been drenched in the fickle Oregon weather then semi-drying out and intermixing with new students & parents, I was quickly heading into my building. 

Giving an older man that I knew the obligatory wave of hello before going up the stairs, I had a brain-pause.  A stop button on tasks to relationships.  It became what I'd later find out as my "margin".  Pastor is his name--yet I've known him from brief encounters over the years, mostly when I was an undergrad and he was an employee.  I come to find out his daughter will be a freshman at the university--he admitted to skipping some of the parent sessions which is probably why I found him sitting in a couch.

I was standing--thinking this would be a short encounter as I thought of my work to-do list--yet eventually sat beside him soaking up his wisdom with a glint of tears in my eyes.  Pastor and I have never had such a deep and meaningful conversation, one that shepherded me into a time of selah--a pause--in the middle of my work day.  It was as if he knew what I needed to hear before I fully knew.  That's the power of God.  All-knowing and using His people to edify others. 

He mentioned seeing me around town--at a coffee shop, on campus, or with our mutual family friends--and called me effervescent.  The word flooded my soul with much needed water.  Pastor didn't know about the harsh comments put upon me or a recent evaluation of my lack of.  The pressure that comes with relationships.  The spotlight that I bear.  The negative labels.  Yet, he knew. 

Pastor inquired into my job which led into my confession of a challenging last year with my job being interim to unknown to permanent.  The most difficult part throughout the last two years though is find a balance, especially as a single person, taking time for my health & hobbies outside of the professional world. 

With his soothing calm way about him he reaches into his backpack and shares, "Do you see this journal that I write in?  I write to the edges."  Then he pulls out a university flyer to explain, "But this, this has a margin.  We need to live our lives with margin."

Wow.  My reminder for the day is to walk slower.  Walk my life in a way that I have margin to give.  Receive.  Bless.