This week marks the start of another school year for many of our wonderful church kiddos and school administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, and support staff who are members and friends of our congregation.  It’s a big week, and it may carry a whole range of thoughts and feelings. 

During VBS, Counselor Sam talked about being nervited as a new Camp Counselor at Camp Firelight because it was something she had dreamed of doing for so long.  Nervited was a word Counselor Sam made up because she felt nervous and excited at the same time.  The first time I read the script, that word caught my attention.  Yes, because I said that word often throughout the week.  But also because as much as it’s a silly, made-up word I loved that the kids were hearing about the reality of feeling multiple emotions simultaneously.  Sometimes we do feel nervous and excited!  How wonderful to normalize that for these kids (and our youth and adult helpers too).

In the study of Psychology, emotions are categorized as basic and complex.  Basic emotions tend to be innate and straight forward.  Complex emotions tend to be a combination of two or more basic emotions.  For instance, anger is a basic emotion.  Though hate combines the emotions of anger, fear, and/or disgust.  We can go for a more positive example like joy and love. Joy is a basic emotion whereas love can entail tenderness, pleasure, devotion, trust, passion, joy and so on.  Hate and love are both examples of complex emotions.  If you want to delve further, check out the American Psychological Association! 

Maybe there are complex feelings going on this week now that back to school is here and summer is coming to an end with Labor Day on the horizon.
Maybe we are feeling nervited (nervous and excited).
The thought I wanted to share this week is quite simply that all these swirling feelings are normal and understandable. 
We will focus on blessing our students and teachers on Rally Day (September 8th), and sending love to all in the meantime!

Love,
Pastor Lauren

Photo by GR Stocks on Unsplash

Thursday Thoughts 8/29/24