Monday, October 20, 2014

Internet Nana

The internet pipes aligned this afternoon for the first time in weeks and we were able to get a connection with the granddaughters in Wisconsin. What a treat.

After a nice long visit which included virtual tickling one another, and explaining why she had been drawing on her arm, she was excited about doing some book reading with nana. They get the same book on each end of the line, and then read them.

It's a pretty cool use of technology and moments are shared over the wires.


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It could go on for hours, but finally she asks for just one more, and of course she chooses the longest book on the shelf.

This little girl is growing up so quickly, its fun when we can spend a little time with her.




Tuesday, October 14, 2014

A Tuesday in October

It’s early morning prayer here today and so I walked over to the church in the dark and made coffee and heated the water for the guys who wanted tea. There were seven of us there today, and it was good. We laugh and talk and check up on how each other is doing. And we pray. It’s a challenging time to pray but what’s surprising is that God is up at 6:30 am Mountain Standard Time.

So I’m at my desk early, and it’s a mess. The past few weeks have been stressful at work as we help the congregation discern some possible changes in space and building, so my clean study hasn’t been near the top of my list.

Now that piece of church life is done and so I look at my piles on my desk and I’m making appointments to connect with people again. I have about a week until our holidays finally start and so I am putting myself in a tight place again.

Holidays will be good. They have been delayed this year, mainly so we could be around to help the church process these things, but they are much needed now. I can tell that because my patience level is now down to a thin membrane that is holding, but rest is needed. I told the guys this morning that I expect to be sitting in my lawn chair in the front yard next week with a cool drink in my hand, so the weather better hold.

The sun is coming up over the horizon now so I’ll check if we have internet now, and if so then we’ll post this. This day is full of board and deacon and staff meetings so we better get at it.

Just a day in the life of a pastor.



Looking West


Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Living in the grey

Harvest Rain


The grey here is almost real.
I think that sometimes the grey creeps into my life too easily. Except that I love the grey places. I welcome the grey. I can go into the grey and find real beauty.
Yes there is a strong black and a white on both ends of life, but in between are so many levels of grey.

The grey of an inmate in prison who gets caught between administering bodies, caught with no hope and no help.
They grey of the elderly who long for some simple companionship who see a visit from a guy like me as a highlight to their week.
How about the grey of a loved one who's life became so bad that the only way out they saw was suicide, in spite of their 13 and 15 year old kids.
Or the grey of a young high school student struggling with their sexual identity.

Yes we go into the grey to help and to care for the ones who live there. We try to bring a bit of light and maybe a bit of hope to some grey stories.

That's what my last few weeks have been about, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Into the Grey Havens.