Emporia Presbyterian Manor
Mary’s Musings By Mary Bridges, chaplain JANUARY 2022
Editor’s Note: In a nod to our Presbyterian heritage, we are featuring a column from a PMMA® chaplain regularly in our newsletter. This month’s featured column comes from Mary Bridges, chaplain at Salina Presbyterian Manor.
Beginning a new year with new intentions There is nothing permanent except change.
Each time we turn the calendar over to a new year, we’re presented with a unique opportunity to make a fresh start. While for some that may result in making new year’s resolutions or a new round of goal setting, for front desk administrator Dorothee McWilliams, it comes down to setting intentions. “I set intentions and try to focus on what those intentions are—I often pray about those intentions and meditate over them,” said Dorothee. “For example, an intention for me has been to try to find
Intentions – continued on page 2
— Heraclitus When I ponder the meaning of life, I always conclude that life is another word for change. As my mother grew older, we often debated about change. She would tell me it was hard. I would respond with my belief that when we initiate a change it is much easier to accept than when we have to change due to circumstances beyond our control. What’s real is that change is constant. With every ending, there is a beginning. God is with us not only in our beginnings and in our endings but in every moment in-between. The church recognizes this by calling God and Jesus the Alpha and the Omega. Dorothee McWilliams (pictured with her Christmas tree) shares advice for setting intentions.
If we were to draw a straight line with the Alpha at one end and the Omega at the other, we could use it to represent the events of our
Change – continued on page 2
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Intentions – continued from page 1 more joy in my daily life. I also want to focus on the good in people—not on their shortcomings. Gratitude is important to me, and one of my intentions has been to always find something to feel grateful for.” Like most of us, Dorothee finds that converting those intentions into action is often a challenge. “Making changes is not always easy. Sometimes we take one
step forward and take two steps back,” said Dorothee. To keep from getting disappointed, Dorothee has adopted a unique perspective that allows her to treat herself with grace while continuing to provide the motivation needed to carry on in her quest for personal improvement. “When I start something new and it seems as if I am failing, I have learned that if I can accept that I am exactly where I am supposed to
be at this moment, I am not nearly as hard on myself. It is ok not to be perfect. I thrive for progress, not perfection,” said Dorothee. Dorothee’s final bit of advice is to make sure that whatever resolutions, goals or intentions you do end up setting are actually obtainable. “I think it is important to not set my expectation in myself too high. If I can keep my expectation realistic, it is easier to achieve change,” said Dorothee. u
Change – continued from page 1 lives. If we take this timeline and form it into a circle, rather than being at opposite ends, the Alpha and Omega are side by side. The end is now the beginning, and the beginning is now the end. It becomes the circle of life. In a circle, there is no beginning or ending. These overlapping symbols of the Alpha and the Omega can be seen as a sign of God’s presence among us. Beginnings and endings are always happening. As one
moment ends and another begins, we can know that God is there. God is at both in the beginning and the ending of our personal “circles of life,” and that is what really matters. Each new year is like starting a new chapter in our lives. My prayer for each of us is simple: “May the words of Advent follow us into 2022, as we live as a people who are guided by hope, peace, joy and love in this year and forever more.” AMEN. u
God is at both in the beginning and the ending of our personal “circles of life,” the Alpha and the Omega.
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | January 2022
is published monthly for residents and friends of Emporia Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | January 2022