Excessive Convergence

Wow it has been over a month since I last posted! My apologies to you all. Let me explain...This past month has been hectic with all of the transitioning after the senior pastor's retirement, my last semester of school at Luther Sem. started, and finally "the draft." A few weeks ago all of the candidates for ordained ministry were divided into regions of U.S. for synod assignment. I received Region 3 which includes Minnesota and both North and South Dakota. Now I await for a call from my synod bishop this week. I am a mixed bag of nervous and excited as I am sure all of us who are waiting for "the call." With that said, I have had some trouble focusing on life. And who can't relate with all of life's anxieties and joys?!

A few months ago I went to the eye doctor because I was having trouble focusing my sight during worship when I would glance down at my sermon and then to the congregation. At first I did not think it was anything, just my tired eyes in the morning. But it continued, so finally I went to see a doctor. Now I thought I was going to need a new prescription (I have one for seeing distance when in a classroom, my current prescription is from high school!), but that was not the case. The doctor informed me that I have "excessive convergence." Essentially he told me that when I look straight my eyes are straight, but when I look down they slightly cross so that they compete for dominance and take extra time to focus. And here is the thing, a prescription would just make this worse! Instead I am supposed to go to eye physical therapy to remedy the problem.

How many of us have excessive convergence? Perhaps you do not have it literally like myself, but I suspect you do have it in your life. Think about all of your worries and anxieties, your regrets and failings. Often times they plague us, haunting us wherever we go causing our eyes and lives to blur and we find ourselves lost.But the Holy Spirit redirects us from our inward, selfish, scared dazing and up into the wonderful world around us. The Holy Spirit frees us from being enslaved to our anxieties and opens us up to living into the creation God made us to be.

My prayer for you all this Lent is to live into the creation God made you to be!

Peace,
Tom