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December 29, 2007
Just thought I would share a little taste of what Christmas was like this year through a few photos. See you in the New Year!
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December 20, 2007
This is one of my favorite times of the year. Well, partly because of the Christmas business. But, also because I get a break from work. Things really begin to slow down Christmas week. Then I get a week of vacation the first week of the new year. We don't have any big vacation plans ... just to relax and see friends and family. It is really great to get a little break.
Everything is going okay for me. I am getting some things done that I have been meaning to do for a while. I really don't like to have paperwork piled up on my desk. So, that is finally beginning to disappear.
Lisa and I had a really nice first anniversary. The anniversary had its low points considering that we have had a rough year with death and cars blowing up. We took a trip to Luray, VA and stayed at a cabin there. We did a lot of sitting around and watching movies. On Tuesday, we took the morning to drive up to Woodstock, VA. My mom and step-father used to live there while he served as pastor of a church there. It was nice to drive around and stir up memories.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas. As always, remember to slow down and enjoy the things that matter most in life: faith, family, and friends.
December 14, 2007
Isaiah 35:1-10
"The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you."
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God's people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
I was reading the Lectionary passages for this week on Tuesday. This scripture from Isaiah 35 was a selected reading. I really liked this passage. Many of us try our best to keep a happy face on during rough times. I have been doing that a lot. At times I may look happy, but often am not. There is a good chance that I have not even looked happy at times.
It is odd that I love so many things about Christmas. The religious meaning behind Christmas is definitely present for me. However, Christmas is often a sad time for me. I may hide it well, but I get depressed. That is probably the greatest struggle I have with Advent.
Advent tells me that the disappointments of the world are only temporary ... the real joy to be found in life comes in a small, dirty baby named Yeshua (Joshua, or Jesus as we know him if I have all of my linguistics down pat). It is hard. It is hard to remember that very simple matter.
I suppose that is why Advent is so long. Advent lasts for six or seven weeks. I need all of that time to work on remembering what is really important and where my true joy comes from.
Hope your Advent is going well.
December 7, 2007
I recently ran across a web site, which will rate your blog/web journal. It assigns your blog a rating, like elementary, high school, professional, etc. I couldn't help but be amused that my blog received an "elementary" rating. I assumed that my recent post that included a John Calvin quote would at least bump my rating up to "middle school." I am not trying to make a point or anything here. I just found it interesting. To be honest, I suppose I am a bit "elementary" in a lot of ways.
Things seem to be going pretty well here at church. We have made a couple of changes to how Community Youth Night (CYN) is run. In addition, a couple of people have been really great about helping at CYN. The Youth Advisors had their first meeting this week. They are such a great group of kids and I have high expectations for them.
The snow yesterday gave a little meaning to that line, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." However, it doesn't feel like Christmas. The loss of an important person in your life will just do that. The songs, commercials, and movies suggest that Christmas should be full of cheer. However, for many people that just isn't so.
This week was interesting for another reason: I turned 30. That is not a bad age, but I always feel that growing older means I should be better. The problem is that I usually don't feel like I have made as much progress as I should have when a birthday rolls around.
Well, I am going to try my best to keep my mind focused during this Advent season. Hope you can do the same.
November 28, 2007
Recently, someone sent me one of those get-to-know-you emails where they ask you a lot of questions. I remember being bored that day and decided to fill it out in reply. I thought it would be interesting to post the responses here. Enjoy. If you get bored, too, fill it out and email it to me.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? The disciple ... Matthew. I think.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Tuesday.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Don't like any lunch meat. I guess ham is okay.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? A dog and a cat.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A Lot? No way.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Yes, unless the people running it looked sordid.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Cranberry Almost Post stuff ... the name is too long to memorize, but it is good.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No ... that is ridiculous. I don't have that kind of time.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Captain America is my cousin. So, of course.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Butter Pecan.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Whether or not they are smiling.
15. RED OR PINK? Red.
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My man belly.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My granddad.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?? No.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?? My khakis and blue/gray Addidas.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE ?? Whole wheat English muffin with low sugar jelly. I guess, technically, the last thing I ate was a white fudge covered Oreo.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Home Improvement on TV.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE??? Gray.
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?? Gasoline and that rain smell on a hot day.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?? The At&t wireless customer service guy. Not much fun.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?? Steff is the best.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?? Boxing.
27. HAIR COLOR?? Blond-brown.
28. EYE COLOR?? Blue.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?? Glasses.
30. FAVORITE FOOD?? Pizza, Subway white chocolate chip Macadamia nut cookies.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?? Happy endings.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?? Wild Hogs.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Light blue "Newport News Bomb Squad" t shirt.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER??? Summer. What kind of fruit-cup likes Winter over Summer?
35. HUGS OR KISSES?? Hugs.
36. FAVORITE DESSERT?? see #30.
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?? Lisa, since Steff sent this to me.
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?? Lisa, since Steff sent this to me :-)
39. WHAT BOOK(s) ARE YOU READING NOW??? A book on the history of Buddhism, Greek grammar, the Bible, Growing Souls by Mark Yaconelli, Get Out of My Life but First Would You Drive Cheryl and Me to the Mall?
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? No mouse pad.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? No idea. I watched me whoop Lisa in baseball on the Wii.
42. FAVORITE SOUND? No idea ... jet planes taking off?
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?? Beatles.
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? Mexico (or is Ca or Wa further away??? I don't know).
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?? I can continually burp without stopping.
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN??? Salem, VA
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK???? No one. I think I know Lisa well enough. I couldn't find President Bush's email address. That would have been interesting.
November 24, 2007
I know it has been a while since I have written anything here. I'll admit that from time to time, I write a journal entry just out of obligation. However, on some occasions, such as today, I write something to make myself feel better and to organize my thoughts. So, this could be long and just a bunch of random thoughts.
I did not write anything for several days because I was really busy. Then, I did not write anything because I think what Lisa wrote really summarized what was going on my life. Whatever I have to say just adds on to what she wrote.
In case you didn't catch Lisa's entry, my step-father, The Rev. Wayne McCauley, passed away recently. Lisa hit the proverbial nail right on the head. I am upset, angry, and completely shocked. That all goes without saying, I hope. We all have someone like my step-father in our lives. Someone who brings us so much joy, wisdom, and meaning. I am tempted to just write about my feelings of being upset, angry, and shocked. But, I would rather talk about the wonderful memories I have of him.
For the viewing, my mom had a picture board put together. Tonight, I was sitting in the chair at my mom's house just staring at those pictures. One in particular caught my attention. It was a picture of Wayne and me fishing in 2001. I remember the moment very well. Wayne had just caught a monster of a fish ... all of three and a half inches long. He held it up and gave his proudest smile for mom's camera.
Looking back on it, that may have been the best summer of my life. I would go home and stay with mom and Wayne every week while I was taking summer Hebrew at seminary. Wayne gladly went fishing with me every time I came in. After that, he would cook Delmonico steaks on the grill. It was great! Before I would leave to head back to Richmond, all three of us would head down to the ice cream stand.
One of the other things that I really loved about Wayne is a story that I recalled in my Old Testament Meditation at his Memorial Service. Whenever I would eat dinner with my mom and Wayne, we always prayed before eating. You would think that with two ministers sitting at the table, one serious prayer could have been offered up, but that rarely happened. Wayne never took God too seriously and it showed through in his dinner-time prayers. He would thank God for a burnt offering my mom had cooked, pray for a snake he saw on the side of the road, or give thanks to God that we were such righteous people. If mom got out of line too much, he would threaten to baptize her with his drink. I am so thankful that Wayne showed me the lighter side of faith and God. He reminded me that faith can be fun. I really hope I can pass that lesson along to the kids here at church. So often, they seem to think God cannot be fun or reachable.
Tonight, I couldn't help but wonder what I would be doing if Wayne had not come into my life. He is probably 60% of the reason I became a minister. The Disciples of Christ required me to pick a mentor for my journey through seminary and ordination. Of course, I chose Wayne. I looked up to him and still do. He was a classic minister: full of faith, humorous, gentle, and a wonderful soul to pick you up during your darkest days. I would be happy to know that I have lived up to his style of ministry.
Whenever I had questions about church life or minister "stuff," I called Wayne. Like a child without their parent, I asked myself last week, "Who am I going to call for help, now?" At the moment, the answer is, "No one." No one could fill his shoes in my eyes, even if their knowledge and wisdom surpassed his.
I suppose you have had someone like this in your life. If you have, and they have passed away, I am sorry for you. It has been terribly difficult to go through this. I can imagine what you have gone through. However, I also think about a Caedmon's Call song lyric: "Cause we miss you. Do you miss us? What is the language with which these words I can trust that I thank my God every time I remember you."
November 17, 2007
I know that this is typically Matthew's forum for sharing his thoughts, but on this occasion, I strongly feel the need to convey my own feelings on life. Tragically, on Thursday evening, Matthew's step-father, Wayne McCauley, died suddenly of unknown causes at the early age of 61. He was a minister at Independence Christian Church in Ashland, where Matthew and I got married last December. We were blessed to have him officiate our special day. The family is obviously in shock and is grieving his loss. It is hard to sum up how special of a person that he was, but it comes down to this: he positively touched every life that he came in contact with. Unfortunately, I only got to know him in the last three years. However, it did not take me long to realize that he was full of kindness, compassion, humor, and most importantly, faith in God. On Thursday night, Matthew and I sat up talking about life. He is saddened and angry by the loss of an influential person that meant a lot to him. Wayne was a big part of why Matthew became a minister. He has been a mentor, father, and friend for the last 12 years. It is unfair that Matthew's mother and Wayne only had such a short time together and we all wish that they had met earlier in life. He did so much good for so many people, so how could this have happened? It is one of those situations where life doesn't seem very fair.
So, why did I feel the need to share all of this? It is comes down to one phrase: life is entirely too short. As Matthew stated in a sermon a couple of weeks ago, we are all too busy to take the time to stop and slow down in life. We are so busy working, paying bills, driving here and there, worrying about everything and fixing things that are broken. We should realize that we are sometimes what needs "fixing." I know that I have been blessed in many ways in my life. I grew up with a very loving, supportive family and then was blessed to find a wonderful husband. I have always known that these people are here for me when I need them and I thank God for them every day. However, at times, I think it is easy to take them for granted. We think that our loved ones will be here for a long time and we can put things off for tomorrow. With Thanksgiving coming up next week, I hope that we all can slow down and be thankful for who we have in our lives. Tell the people in your life that you love them, do something nice for someone else, and remember to slow down and feel God's presence. Remember that life is a gift and it can be gone in an instant. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
- Lisa
November 15, 2007
I had to preach for the vacationing Denny the last two weeks. I am sure you are aware of this, if you have been around church recently. I don't get many chances to preach (and don't go looking for more opportunities). As a result, I always find that I get a little rusty at preaching. This definitely showed through last week.
Last Sunday I preached from Haggai 2: 1 - 9. I thought the message I received from the text was good and meaningful. I even felt that I had put the sermon together in the best structure possible. But, I goofed on the delivery. Some people may not have noticed it, but after preaching for seven years, I noticed it.
Not once, but twice I said the word "dude" in the sermon. Dude? Dude??? I have never said "dude" in a sermon. In fact, I would be willing to bet that no preacher in the history of humankind has said "dude" twice in a sermon.
"Ain't." That is my other weakness. I just love to say "ain't." I nailed it several times last Sunday. Wohoo.
Honestly, Sunday was not a good day all around. So, I did not take my sermon flaws too well. I got frustrated and was really being hard on myself. I accidentally ran across an article about sorry preachers. It really picked me up. The author (who I can't remember) quoted a passage from The Institutes of Christian Religion 4.3.1 by John Calvin, which I remember reading in seminary.
This is the best and most useful exercise in humility when (God) accustoms us to obey his Word, even though it be preached through men like us and sometimes even by those of lower worth than we. If he spoke from heaven, it would not be surprising if his sacred oracles were to be reverently received without delay by the ears and minds of all. For who would not dread the presence of his power? Who would not be stricken down at the sight of such majesty? Who would not be confounded at such boundless splendor? But when a puny man risen from the dust speaks in God's name, at this point we best evidence our piety and obedience toward God if we show ourselves teachable to his minister, although he excels us in nothing. It was for this reason that he hid the treasure of his heavenly wisdom in weak and earthen vessels (2 Cor 4:7) in order to prove how more surely we should esteem it.
If you don't understand Theologese (the language of snooty theologians), then I'll try to decipher for you. Calvin said that we would not want God to come down personally and give us the Holy Word. A sermon is better delivered by a puny man than by the Holy God. We should listen to sorry preachers because it is an act of reverence for the Word of God.
Sunday evening I remembered that I am the puny preacher man. However, you should come to church not to hear the preacher, but the Word of God. I'll quote the guy that I was reading: "So getteth thee to a bad church and listeneth to a dull sermon for obedience to Christ alone and ye shall demonstrate your devotion to the God who uses such puny folk as we."
November 10, 2007
I can't believe it ... the holidays are here. Yep, they really are. The ads are on tv, the decorations are in the store, and the air is getting colder. I don't know that I have any revelations conerning this, just disbelief. Where has time gone? My grandma always talks about how fast time goes. Am I starting to sound old?
Regardless of how fast time is going, I love this time of year. So many people say they hate Christmas, but I think they just want to be fashionably cynical and jaded. Christmas is great in my naive eyes. The egg nog, music, trees, decorations, presents, and family. It all works for me.
As a Christian, Christmas is especially important. Advent is the time of year for anticipation. We retroactively anticipate the birth of the Christ child. Advent is a season of hope against all dismay. I don't know about you, but any shot of hope and optimism is much needed in my life. I am thankful that the holidays offer me that.
November 7, 2007
It is kind of strange ... I never hear sermons or anything in church that addresses self esteem and "body-image" (or whatever the technical term is for how we view ourselves). However, it seems to be something that most people deal with. I am certainly no exception. I feel the pressure that society, marketers, and Hollywood puts on us to be thin, beautiful, popular, and wealthy.
I would not be surpised if Weight Watchers had more followers in Louisa that Jesus did. Seriously.
I am fascinated at what people buy at the grocery store. I also like to watch what people order when I sneak into the Subway. I heard this one once: "Extra mayonaise on my meatball sub, please! Just a little more."
Some people go to the extremes. There are those who are guilty of what Frederick Buechner describes as "raiding the ice box to fill a spiritual malnutrition." Meanwhile, some people restrict themselves to lettuce and soup. I would love to know how Jesus saw himself. Did he worry about getting fat? Did he even know what cholesterol was? I assume not.
Honestly, I am still not sure how this "body-image" stuff fits into the Christian life. I suppose the idea is to treat this body God gave us resposibly. Extra mayonaise may not be very responsible. I don't know. Anyway, just some food for thought. That was an awful pun!
November 3, 2007
For a lot of Christians, music becomes a muddy area of their faith. Often, their music will not reflect their values and beliefs. Some people feel that they should only listen to Christian music. Some people think that is is perfectly okay to listen to anything. Well, I am selective. I don't listen to some types of music because I feel that they represent values of greed, narcissism, and degradation to women. I don't listen to some music because it is unsettling to whatever peace I have managed to acheive in my life. Of course, I don't listen to some music because it just flat out sounds awful to me (polka).
I thought I would share my favorite music with you. Here it goes:
- Hootie and the Blowfish
- The Dave Matthews Band
- David Gray
- George Strait
- Collin Hay
- Dave Eggar
- The Goo Goo Dolls
However, I am finding that I listen to more of what is classified as "Christian" music. Personally, I find that listening to this type of music really helps me. It helps to keep God in my thoughts and at the front of my life. It inspires me and reminds me of who I am and what I am called to be. But, I do not like just any Christian music. Again, I am picky. Let me share some of my favorite "Christian" musicians. Check them out ... I hope you will enjoy them and be encouraged.
- Absolute favorite!: Caedmon's Call
- Third Day
- Bebo Norman
- Burlap to Cashmere (although they are defunct with only one album)
- DC Talk
- Jars of Clay ("Flood" was even a hit on "secular" charts)
- Lifehouse
- Michael W. Smith
- You have to love the Veggie Tales' Larry the Cucumber ("The Hairbrush Song")
October 31, 2007
Our church had its first (ever?) Trick or Treat party. Ok, it was a Halloween party. Anyway, it went well. No, it went really well. People seemed to have had a good time. Kids and families from the neighborhood stopped by. We talked about All Hallowed Souls Evening and said a prayer of remembrance for them. More people came and helped than I could have imagined. That is the kind of stuff that makes my job so great.
I have been working really hard here lately (as I mentioned in my last post). So, I have given myself permission to take most of Thursday off to catch up on house cleaning, bills, and other stuff. Anyway, my newest vice is cookies from Subway. I don't typically like cookies. However, the Subway cookies are just right. They are chewy, moist, and flat. So, I will be headed by Subway for a cookie. I have tried to con Lisa into thinking that Thursday is some kind of National Cookie Day. I don't think she believes me, but if you see her, just go along with it.
Lisa and I have been trying to plan our holidays and our first anniversary. Marriage seems to make some people worse. It has only improved me. So, I will have a lot to be thankful for on our anniversary. Not to mention that I finally get to have some more of our wedding cake that Eleanor made for us. Luckily, our anniversary (when I get to eat cake) does not conflict with Thursday, National Cookie Day.
Well, that about wraps up things. Now, you know that your Minister spends 40% of his time thinking about cookies. That is ok ... I bet you to do, too.
October 27, 2007
For the last 11 days I have been working on a lot of things. However, I have spent quite a bit of my time laying (lying?) in bed at night redesigning the church's web site. It was time. The other one looked old and it was structurally flawed. Hence, I have not journaled in a while since the site was undergoing so many changes.
I couldn't help but laugh at myself one day in the midst of the redesigning. My mom used to say that my dad went at things "like he was putting out a fire", "killing snakes", or a host of other euphemisms that she favored. Well, I suppose I have followed in my dad's footsteps if that is true. I hate to leave things half done. So, a lot of other things have been left half done at the expense of the web site. Well, my laundry wasn't half done, it was completely undone. Same goes for the dishes, trash, and whatever else you can probably think of.
Worst of all was that I left my spiritual life half undone. I typically try to read some scripture and say my prayers before I begin working. Back to the day that I couldn't help but laugh at myself. It was a Wednesday. A busy day all by itself. That is the day of Prayer Service, lunch with Denny, cooking and preparing for the Community Youth Night. About six times I thought, "I'll stop and read scripture and say my prayers." Then, suddenly, something that I needed to do would catch my attention. An hour and a half later, I would remember that I never slowed down for scripture and prayer. After the fifth time of doing this, I laughed at myself.
I am glad the web site is done. I can get back to life as it more usually is. I can get back to my scripture and prayers.
October 16, 2007
On occasion, I become really excited about something. Last week, that happened. I don't know if you have ever taken the time to check out the goals for the Youth Ministry of our church for 2007, but you should look at them. They are here on the web site, under "Our Church" and "Youth Group Mission and Values."
The exciting thing is that we have completed all of these goals ahead of time. I never thought we would be able to accomplish some of them, but we did. I am so happy and can't wait to set goals for next year with the Youth Advisors. If you have any thoughts about the goals for 2008, contact me.
It is has been a great year and God has helped us to work wonders in growing (numerically, but, most importantly, communally and spiritually). Thanks to everyone who has helped, donated, and prayed for us!
October 15, 2007
Recently, my dog, Paisley, began getting fat (or, should I say "pleasantly plump"). So, I volunteered her to begin running with me. Three or four times a week we go out for a run. Typically, we will run down Harris Creek Road, past Wilson's house.
One week, I learned the hard way to not run to the very end of Harris Creek Road, becuase at the end of that road is a pack of dogs, who just love to chase my dog and me. They are a rough looking gang of dogs; smelly, dirty, and mangy. I'll admit that, usually, Paisley and I will run just close enough to perturb the dogs and incite a chase ... it keeps life interesting. However, in general, I am scared of these dogs.
Well, one of the dogs seems to have become wise to my plan. He laid waiting on the side of the road away from his house. As we were running back home, he came out for a confrontation. I knew all the signs ... his ears and tail were up. He didn't look happy. So, as he approached I did my best Cesar Milan imitation. I said, "SHHHHH" and used my hand to pretend bite him on the neck. He immediately rolled over on his back, wagged his tail, and panted playfully at me.
I felt stupid. This dog that I was so scared of for months turned out to be a big softy. As it turned out, he just wanted to run with us (which he did for over a mile). So often, I think we live our lives in fear when, all along, there was nothing to really fear. That has to be one of the best things about faith in God, we are invited to toss our fear aside and to live in trust.
October 9, 2007
Everyday, I try to find ten things for which to be thankful. Often, the list sounds similar to the day before. I have learned that is okay. Just thought I would share some of my list for today. It had a couple of new ones on it. I am thankful for:
- My wife, who doesn't yell at me when I drink right out of the milk carton. In fact, she doesn't yell at me at all.
- My dog, who brings me a lot of joy.
- I managed to get a lot of work done today.
- I have a really great youth group at church.
- I was taking a break from writing sermons and I was sitting in the grass behind the house. I found myself being thankful for the opportunity to sit in the grass.
- God loves me. I can always be thankful for that.
- For my brother, who brings me a lot of laughs and always is willing to talk to me.
October 5, 2007
It is late and I just cannot sleep. Do you ever have those nights where you feel like you are thinking about a million things, but not really thinking about anything? Well, I have a lot of stuff rolling around in my head from the last couple of weeks. Some of it is good, some of it is not. I'll get some of it out, and, some of it I'll just leave in there.
The car is dead. Lisa and I still have not figured out what to do about that situation. Along other lines, things are okay. It looks like it will be a busy weekend with a trip to the orchard, lock-in, worship, and visits. 'Tis the season for sports and activities. However, I enjoy getting to see what the kids do in their free time. I actually like to watch them play soccer, baseball, and ride horses. That is all stuff that I would do even if it was not my job.
Recently, I have been feeling the pains of minister-hood. Part of being a minister is being away from home, away from friends, and away from all that is comfortable and familiar. My nephew has a birthday party coming up, but I can't be there. At times, it feels like I am never there. I am always amazed my niece and nephews remember who I am. My grandmother was in the hospital, but I couldn't be there. At times, it feels like I never am there. I could say more, but it is just frustrating at times. God calls us away to Ninevehs all the time. We just have to decide to go and deal with it.
There is a song by Caedmon's Call that talks about leaving home to follow God's calling. One line goes, "Keep 'em coming, these lines on the road. Keep me responsible, be it a light or heavy load. Keep me guessing at these blessings in disguise. I'll walk with grace my feet, and faith my eyes." I don't know how I got here and I don't know where I am headed next, but I have no choice but to walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes.
October 2, 2007
Web sites and journals are great, but I am never too sure of who reads them. Anyway, if you are reading today, I am sorry. It has been a rough couple of weeks here. Lisa had minor surgery to get rid of a cyst on her back. She has felt awful ever since. My car door lock quit working. After that, I made the mistake of leaving the car unlocked for one night. That night, as I left the car unlocked and walked inside, I joked to myself, "Let them have whatever they want." That night someone got into the car and vandalized it and stole things. A week later, as I was returning from Cville with a new radio to replace the stolen one, the car blew oil as I was driving up the road. At the moment, every drop of my car's oil is setting on Kenny Throckmorton's tow truck. It doesn't look good for my junky car. On top of this, Verizon messed up my automatic billing and cut off my internet connection. To top the week off, I had to buy over a $1000 worth of heating oil. Not to mention that things have just been plain busy.
Just ask Lisa, usually at this point I would have had a mental, spiritual, and emotional meltdown. A conversation with my dad last week helped. He gave me a simple reminder that you would think a minister would know by heart: God will take care of you. I have prayed and reminded myself that. If properly applied, that is really a powerful belief.
After the car blew up Saturday afternoon, I came home and sat down. I really did not want to do anything. I did not want to see anyone. I was scheduled to attend the Youth Rally at Mineral Baptist Church. I knew that no one from our church would be there, despite an invitation. Regardless of all of this, I went. It really was just what I needed. I actually saw one youth from our church and another that had been a member of our church. Their sense of humor really cheered me up. The service was really good and it was wonderful to see so many youth together.
In a very un-Matthew-like moment, I thanked God for the busy-ness, car blowing up, car being robbed, oil bill, etc. It gave me a genuine opportunity to put my trust and faith in God. I hope you can have that kind of week, too.