In the office today

Because mostly I'm not yet ready for tomorrow morning.

This week has in many ways been about people, which is good. But there are other things I need to be about as well. Expense reports, long term planning and initiating, filing, correspondence, phone messages, etc. This second tier of work can be put aside for a time, but left too long it will catch up with you and kick you in the pants. The first tier of work, which is people, can't be ignored because honestly that is why I am here doing what I am doing. And when there are perfect "God moments" that may only come occasionally in a life you want to make the most of them when they come by. This week there have been some great God moments with people, but my monthly expense report is a mess.

So I am in the office thinking, praying, about what I need to say to people tomorrow. I know that for some very large church preachers the work of preaching is a proclamation into the world of the listeners and you let the word fall on the people where they are at that day. While I like parts of that approach, I tend to preach in or to a local context in which I know that some of the people have had loss this week, and some are grieving. Some have found the love of their lives and others have had babies or received a promotion at work. I don't preach at individuals, but I develop the preaching time with their stories in the back of my mind, because that will help shape the word to be more effective, I hope.

So I am here thinking and praying through the stories I have heard this week, and the people I am aware of. I'm looking at the Word and what I am talking about tomorrow, and I am sitting with both of these for right now. Allowing the two to somehow become one coherent theme.

I am glad for the luxury of being able to do this, as I remember what it was like to work a full time job and pastor a large church on the side. Glad God didn't call me to live that life for a long time.

It's a beautiful day out there today, and if I lived somewhere where there were sidewalks, I'd be doing this work while walking and praying.

I may have to purchase some rubber boots soon.
Spring might finally finally be on the way.