I Love Preaching!

As you all know, or maybe you don't so read the last post, I had a hard week in ministry last week. Seemed like it was nothing but assisstance calls and funerals. This is the job, I knew it wasn't easy, and I now know why a church this size has two pastors. So, I was feeling overwhelmed, burned out at 23, and then I got to preach. My first sermon here at Central was fine, but it was really only the beginning. This past week was serious; dropping words like not religion but relationship and don't just be Christian but Christ like. The feedback was wonderful. People felt challenged, questioning the things they've always heard and really examining their relationships with God. I love preaching. I love the other things too, even the hard stuff, life and death stuff, but being up there in conversation with all these people, challenging them, asking more questions than I answer. It's just unbelievable and so humbling to be able to transfer the message that God gave me on to God's people. Thank you, God, for this gift and allowing me to do your work. May the words of my mouth always be acceptable in your sight.

Refreshed,
B

Head Messed Up

Hey everybody. Yesterday I was at the hospital as a woman decided to put her sister on Comfort Measures Only, which basically means, let her die. These two women had never married and had been room mates for damn near 80 years. Pardon me, mother, but this is really f***ing with my head. I can't even begin to fathom being in this situation. So, of course, my mind tried to fathom just that. I thought of my grandparents, parents, brother, sister, friends, and the tears came. I started praying, "God, you better not ever do that to me." I know that's immature, spiritually, but after all these years in the church and a religion degree, including classes on thanatology, none of it mattered. It still came out. AND they had to make the decision in 20 minutes. Surgery, with an unknown and probably fatal outcome, or rest, with a definate and certainly fatal outcome. I just don't know. I can't get my head around it. Everybody, I want to be aware of my surroundings and able to do things on my own. If that possibility is out of the question, let me go.

Sorry for depressing,
b

Larry David Meets Cyberspace

So, I woke up around nine yesterday, like I usually do, and got ready for the day. On my way to work, I dropped off some shirts at the laundry. They're repaving the streets around my house and driving is kinda rough. I got to work at 10:00. I'm part time remember, I work 10 to 3. Checked my e-mail, checked my voice mail, checked my church mail. Sat around the office for awhile and answered some phone calls. I got paid, so then I went to the bank and home for lunch, which consisted of a yogurt cereal bar(yea!). Then I came back to church, on the way talking to my brother who had bailed his dog out from puppy jail and told me to blog, so when I got to the office, I did. We had staff meeting after lunch, and were led in a great devo by our custodian, Elton. Something about focusing, I don't know I wasn't really paying attention. Getting ready to start up all the fall programs. My program is called Transitions, the young adult group. We met last night. Actually, me and 7 girls met last night at Muddy's coffee shop. One of which is very cute, very cool, and seems to like me. I told her I got the Ghostbuster's box set the other day, and she immediately said she wanted to watch them. As long as the next movie marathon was Karate Kid. I told her I had Karate Kid. So, of course, I had to go buy Karate Kid. What we do for cute girls!! After coffee, I went home and played with the dog, played guitar, watched TV, and had trouble going to sleep. Around 2:30am I think I dosed off and up again at 9 and here I am.

Andy, you wanted a blog, you got it. Mom, her name is Lindsey, and its no big deal!


Blogging about Nothing,
B

Comments for Everyone!!

I finally figured out how to open my comments to everyone, so, Mom, Dad, have fun!!

To Appease a Brother Blogger

Hi Friends and Neighbors,
This is an apology blog for webabsence as of late. Truth be told, there's not much going on right now. I'm trying to do as little as possible with my time until school starts and am succeeding beyond wildest expectation. I'm sure the insights will just start flowing through me after entering the world of the MDiv. So, expect more then. But for right now, just know that I'm spending more time at the park with Fiona, out friends, some old/some new, and just doing nothing, than I am thinking about blog worthy subjects.

More to come, Brad