Desert Notes May 22, 2025

This week I am in the unenviable position of getting sick in the middle of a busy time. I am bumping into some of the residue of COVID times, which for me means working from home and communicating with people across many platforms on a less than rigid schedule. Now when I am sick, it is easy to still be “available” when what I really need to do is unplug and get well or tend to my family, or do the thing that is happening at that moment.  

Being able to communicate with each of you in many ways (facebook, instagram, texts, messenger, email, phone call, zoom, google meet, etc.) has its advantages–it also has many disadvantages. If I answer a message when I’m in the middle of something else, sometimes the answer is incomplete, inaccurate, or gets stuck in my “drafts” and it usually ends up sounding abrupt or disinterested when that’s not the intention at all. If I don’t answer right away, sometimes the sheer volume of messages makes it hard to get to all of you quickly. But if I answer when I am on retreat, or out of town, or just doing something else (or nothing at all because I am sick) it’s more likely I will not respond in a way that works for either of us.  

I want you all to know you are important to me. And–I also need to be important to me. I will do my best to reschedule things that got canceled this week. If you’re communicating with me, please just remember that I am not always at work, even if I can always see your messages.  If I don’t answer, please trust that I will or try again.  

Also, please please please use minister@vuu.org to reach me by email. 

Fridays I am usually off; Saturdays are usually oriented to final prep for Sunday, and Sunday is…VUU “game day!” Mondays I try to do admin and catch up. I try not to be doing work past 7 or 8 p, or before 10 am. I do work around kid needs like doctor appointments, school drop off and pick up, dinner with my family, and other needs. So sometimes I am sending messages or responding at odd times because that’s what I have available. 

And sometimes, I am even out having fun. Go Mercury! 

–Rev. Sarah