“…Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. “ Luke 1:26-29

This season I have been reflecting on interruptions. My whole working life has been in the service industry. During my 25 plus years at Covenant Harbor in Lake Geneva, it became glaringly evident that interruptions were to be expected. As I understood this, I began to orient my life to not only expect interruptions but to anticipate them. It became a standard thread, an understood expectation as part of staff training and orientation. In this process I could see that much of my attitude and life had been oriented toward me, getting what I wanted and thought I needed, protecting my time and image. I believed those around me were there to help me get what I wanted. My responses many times were a result of a fear of losing leverage in either getting what I wanted, losing face or an opportunity to see what I wanted. My anger and frustration was a result of being shorted, elbowed out of an opportunity for more, looking bad or just plain missing some type of gain. Often interruptions were in the mix of all of this. 

 A shift in my thinking began as I realized that I was more inward focused than I had arrogantly first thought! I began a disciplined practice of noticing. Anytime I noticed my defensiveness, pride, anxiety or greed rise to the top, I acknowledged it and then looked outward, looking for a way to help or add value to someone else. The source of the interruption was often an opportunity to bless by adding value, solving a problem, and building a relationship. Interruptions played a significant role in breaking me, stretching me, growing me. Interruptions were not merely an inconvenience, but an opportunity to help someone else. Interruptions helped snap me out of my inward focus and downward spiral to lift my eyes and attention outward. God placed me in these situations, times, places and resources to not benefit myself but to positively impact and help others. This is THE definition of a BLESSING. Blessings are about speaking and behaving in such a way as to bring wholeness and good will to others. This can be as simple as a smile or a kind word. 

Today I was reminded of an event in my life as a newly minted eighteen year old. I was a freshman at Augustana College (Rock Island, IL) and at school early as part of the soccer team preseason. My older brother was getting married in South Dakota over Labor Day weekend and on his way to SD, he dropped his car off for me to drive to SD to stand up for him in his wedding. The car was an Audi Fox with a five speed transmission. I had never driven a manual transmission car! After a rough “crash” course in how to drive with my brother, Chris as the relatively patient instructor, all on the hilly streets of Rock Island, he left the car with me to drive to SD a few days later. A thrill of grown-up excitement and male pride coursed through me that Friday afternoon as I pulled out, relatively smoothly, off the campus parking lot, alone, cranking the tunes and feeling like a big deal. After a few hours, I pulled off the interstate, in the middle of nowhere in Iowa, to grab a soda and candy bar while I was filling up on gas. As I pulled back onto the interstate entrance ramp the car began to choke, sputter and die. I coasted to the shoulder with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. What have I done to my brother’s new car? He’s going to kill me! Am I going to even make it to the wedding, I wondered?

 I tried everything I knew to get it to start, which lasted about 30 seconds. Nothing. I slumped back to the gas station and asked the attendant about a mechanic or tow truck. They didn’t have one, but he said to try the gas station across the street. I walked over. The mechanics were done work earlier that afternoon and were off for the weekend. I found a pay phone to make a quick collect call to my brother’s in-laws to let someone know my situation. I walked back to the first gas station since they seemed the most helpful, and asked about any other options for a mechanic, one that would service a foreign car. They mentioned another shop a few miles away. I had no wheels. There were no Ubers. My sense of helplessness grew. A customer standing nearby who was waiting to pay for his gas overheard and offered to drive me around to check other places. He dropped me off at the previously mentioned small station. A young man in his 20s said his boss worked on foreign cars, but that he was off for the weekend. I told him my predicament. “Hang on,” he said, “I’ll call him at home.” My interruption was creating ripple interruptions. His boss was having dinner with his family, but would come in shortly to have a look. Meanwhile, the boss told the young man to close up shop and to tow the car into the shop. We towed the car. The boss came shortly after to the shop, had a quick look and said that the fuel pump died. He said he didn’t have the part and it would be best to bring the car to an Audi certified dealership. “Ok, where’s that?” I said.  “Des Moines, an hour and a half south from here,” he said. This interruption was quickly spiraling out of my realm of control, my ability to pay for anything (I only had $30 in cash, which was mostly for gas) and the sun was setting, on a holiday weekend. I was stuck. I must have looked lost and hopeless, for the young man said he would take his Friday night to tow the car down to Des Moines, drop the car at the dealership and then he would drop me off at the bus station. Oh, and by the way, he paid for my bus ticket to Sioux Falls!  My interruption became the interruption and inconvenience for a number of others. However, for this young man and his boss, my interruption was an opportunity to bless a stranger in need, me. I made it to the wedding with enough time to spare for a long nap before the rehearsal.

 Just as I was interrupted, Joseph and Mary over two thousand years ago were interrupted and challenged. Their response to these interruptions led to a tremendous blessing to all, a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham made hundreds of years earlier.  They were humbled and challenged by God’s interruption into their lives, but as a result we are blessed by their selfless obedience and have the opportunity to do the same, believe, receive and bless. 

 As you celebrate this season, may you see interruptions as an opportunity to bless others, bring wholeness and good will to a broken, anxious and lonely generation or individual near you. 

 Have a Blessed “Interrupted” Christmas and New Year!

 Peter & Sarah Hatlestad

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