My Ministry Assistant has promised she is not going to make me work too hard this week!! If no one tells the church leadership today I barely got anything accomplished in the office. I think I got a couple of things off of my desk, but that is about it. I promise to do better tomorrow – or maybe not. On Tuesday I will get the song cycle for Sunday done and work on the bulletin. I will review the advent season and put some pieces in place. There are some people I need to call. On the way home I will stop by a fireplace store and buy some firebricks for our family room stove and some insulating rope to put around the stove doors. I am eager for some cold weather so I can fire that up and sit in the family room with my wife near (very near!!!)
I will go into work on Wednesday and complete the message and get my outline done, trying to get home by noon. Sharon is off so I want to take advantage of the extra time we have together. On Thanksgiving Day we are going to take a long drive and then begin to get the Christmas decorations going. We expect all the boys for Christmas. They have been working very hard at school, and we want to step into a home that is festive, ready and warm. Ben is in the middle of applying to graduate schools so it is a tense time with lots of work to get the apps in on time and then hunkering down waiting for the replies. Jon’s life is unending research and lab work. He needs to see different scenery.
The Ministry Assistant is making me work on Friday. Got to get that bulletin done. I will work on the Bono interview we are showing on Jan 14 and will coordinate with our HIV/AIDS discernment team. And then I will put on a massive push to grade papers for college.
And, of course, there is always the unexpected over the holidays. A lot people really don’t do well this time of year. I want to pay attention and be ready to express care. I love being a pastor!!!!
