Musings

My Senior Pastor started a 3-month Leave of Absence yesterday. She has had a rough time with personal issues, one in particular that I wouldn't ever want to face--the death of a grandchild. I haven't burned anything down yet, so that is all good.

The district has stepped in with some guest preachers, so I won't have that entire responsibility and we have a great staff. So that is all good.

So the questions is: Why am I feeling so stressed?

I know that part of it is working on my D.Min. writing. I have an entire research chapter due by July. Part of the problem is that I am bored with the topic. I know that getting a doctorate means that you become an "expert" on a topic, but I'm sick of reading about it and writing about it. Is this normal?

I was able to put it off during Lent because I was reading the entire Bible (thanks Brian). Now I have no excuse. I moved during Lent to a new house. No Excuse (well except for I can't find everything). I don't get a special day devoted to writing due to the Senior Pastor's absence. So, okay, I have one excuse....weak as it is.

I want to be outside, planting flower beds..............anything but writing. Whiny today aren't I??

Living Legend

I suppose it is going a little over-board to say I had dinner with a living legend, but in Methodist circles Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas IS pretty famous. I took him to dinner tonight, just the two of us. He is the nicest guy and it was great. I can't wait to hear him speak tomorrow at church.

BOM

I went before the BOM last week to be re-evaluated and voted on for continuance as a Provisional Member of the conference. Everything went well, Thank God. So I'm leaving to get home and take my daughter to the airport for her trip to Guatemala and I back into one of the BOM's cars. They are right in the middle of a huge discussion about discontinuing another PE and so I left a note. I have heard absolutely nothing. What to do, what to do. It was a tiny dent but I would like to know who I hit and am anxiously awaiting a phone call from someone.

My Senior Pastor is going on a three month leave of absence. I had to talk to her today because I felt that she had been very ambiguous in the staff meeting about leadership responsibilities. She reassured me that she would clear it up.

So this week has been very stressful, besides the fact we moved into a new house. I am so glad. It is bigger and in a safer neighborhood, but this has been a rough week and the next three months might be as bad. So I can use all your prayers.

Realization

Just sat here listening to my daughter impersonate me with the telephone company. I'm amazed she knows everything that she needed to make them believe it was me. I don't know if I should be angry or impressed.

Holy Healthy

I have decided to join the Holy Healthy Program offered by my Annual Conference. I am already teaching a class about healthy body image and eating until one if full versus using food as a crutch. So now the conference will have a record of the number of steps I take during the day. This could get interesting.

Haiti

My heart broke when I heard that the little 11-year-old girl (Annica SanLouis) died after her amazing rescue in Haiti. I watched the rescue. I saw her cute black reading glasses and the braids on her head. She looked so sweet.

She died a few hours after her rescue. "Mother, please don't let me die" were her last words.

I was so happy after her rescue and broke down crying after I heard that she had died.

I know that so many have died that didn't have to because of a lack of medical care. I believe that we mobilized as swiftly as we could, but it breaks my heart.

My prayer is that we help them rebuild and we make sure that it is rebuilt in a way to help reduce any future tragedies.

Haiti

My heart goes out to the people of Haiti. I spent today passing out 9 tons of food to the hungry in Houston. I watched enormous effort and love pour out in the name of Christ, so when I got back to the hotel and read the following headline I was furious:

Pat Robertson, the evangelical Christian who once suggested God was punishing Americans with Hurricane Katrina, says a "pact to the devil" brought on the devastating earthquake in Haiti. (Source:cnn.com)

We cannot let a man that is so filled with hate speak for us as Christians. He is such an ass, that I can't even begin to express my contempt for him.

Urban Ministry

The topic for this seminar is Multi-Cultural & Urban Ministry. I never thought that it would be something that I needed, because I thought I would always be in rural/small town ministry. The speaker is awesome and is very interesting (and energetic). I don't foresee falling asleep in class.

I feel sorry for the people who don't speak English as their native language. The pace is very, very rapid.

We are going on a field trip Wednesday to feed & cloth the homeless in downtown Houston. I am excited about that.

As much as I complain about the way this new doctoral program is moving (more into a Ph.D. mode and away from practical), the new director of the program is managing to add a hands-on experience for every seminar. It is making it more interesting and more trouble all at the same time. Like many people, I don't like change.

They were laughing when I sat down because it was the same seat as last time, and the time before, and the time before that. You get the idea!!

School

I suppose that I will be in a Nursing Home before I finish school, but I am back in Houston plugging away at it. It was really good to get away from the church for a while. Major conflict brewing with Senior Pastor and former Youth Pastor. I figured the best place to be was 500 miles away. It will keep me from becoming triangulated. Whewww!

Re-Arrangement

My daughter is currently rearranging the living room. While I don't condemn the practice in general, I really don't like it for me. If I get up without my glasses on, I like knowing where everything is so that my toes don't get stubbed.

Really there wasn't any need to rearrange the living room!! The child gets one Saturday off and this is what happens.