daily life

A day in the life
Tuesdays are always big days for me. I do a worship service every week at the retirement center next door. This week, because I did not preach on Sunday I pulled out a sermon from about 10 years ago. The text was - "Come to me, Take my Yoke, Learn from me, for my yokie is easy and my burden light."
An amazing thing happened as I preached this sermon. I found myself inspired again. Learning over and over again the central truth of our life - that God will take care of us and we can trust God. And I recognized as I am speaking words to these seniors that I have grown to love over the years - that I need every day to hear "to come, to take the yoke, to learn." And so I do.

A busy day in the office. Putting together flyers for a retreat in December, a youth event in 10 days and planning for a retreat on Saturday.

A visit to the hospital to see someone who is close to my age who had a series of strokes. His memory is not working and he is not "himself." I prayed for him. When I saw him on Sunday he seemed to be doing better, but not today. It is hard to see all of this. I say words of hope and pray that God will work a miracle.

This evening meetings and more meetings. And we talk about a security systerm after the church was broken into, and planning for Advent and money for camp scholarships and how to manage two services on Sunday and not get in each other's way. This is the stuff that drains me - but I know it is also the lifeblood of church. It is everyone's church and amazing things can happen when we gather together around the table.

I am grateful for the people who take time on a Tuesday night to sit and sort through these mundane details - that if not taken care of will end up becoming real problems. I have read books by Eugene Peterson and I think when he pastored he did not go to these meetings - let the church people run the church.

I have always attended because that has kept me connected in different ways. But I am tired tonight from all of it.