How much is your privacy worth? Mine is fairly cheap. All it takes is a small crisis over insurance costs and wondering how we will afford insuring Ivy. A teenage driver doubled our cost. So, with a big 6month bill on the way, I started price shopping. Multiple places had offered better deals (some epic, until I realized the coverage was terrible). When I spoke to our current company, they asked how many miles we drive. Hearing my low report, they had a plan.

Insert a device into your car and we will track your mileage. A base fee, a per mile cost, the savings was huge. So it was an easy decision. After all, I already carry Big Apple Brother everywhere I go…

But Big Blue Brother is a little more nosey. Not only counting mileage, he will also measure speed and braking. The device sends a report on every trip. Including a map. And a trip grade.

I think I am a good driver. No wrecks since I hit my parked youth minister’s car in high school. And really that was my sister’s fault – she was arguing with me 😉 . BUT… when I told Meg we were no longer allowed to go over 80. She smiled, “are you going to be able to do this?”

She is right, my first thought when driving is that my insurance company is watching. Slow down. Slow brake. Do they know I am listening to “Silly Songs with Larry” even though my kids are no longer in the car?!

Modern life is so stressful and it is no wonder that mental illness is on the rise. So much so that we no longer say illness, now it is simply mental health. Because we are all a mess!

There are lots of reasons: Politics, the Pandemic, but the core, I believe, is that we no longer Pause. Every moment is invaded.

As humans we need to stop. We need time when activity ceases. When we breath in pondering and exhale play.

In the book of Proverbs God creates the world with Wisdom (the New Testament will see Jesus as Wisdom). In chapter 8 Wisdom is by God’s side “rejoicing* before God, rejoicing* in the world, delighting in humanity.” The NAS has a footnotes* on “rejoicing”, the Hebrew word is literally “playing”. It changes the image of creation. And it reimagines who we are created to be. Play is what Wisdom creates in us.

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This Sunday we start a series on mental health. We will be Hebrews where God gives us hope. A hope that reminds us – no matter how we feel or see ourselves – we are beloved children! Join us at 10:30 in person or streaming live.