Well, we've arrived at our new appointment and are beginning to get acclimated. We still have lots of boxes, but unpacking and setting up a new household is much more fun that packing one up.
I had my first funeral here yesterday. It went pretty well (the family said they were pleased) and now I'm feeling more like a part of the community. It's one of the blessings of the ministry that families will let you deep into their homes and lives at some of the most important times they face, weddings and funerals among others.
It is inappropriate to say I like funerals, but I do get satisfaction from comforting those who are grieving and reminding them (and all of us) of Christ's promises that offer a real and lasting hope right when all seems hopeless.
This funeral was for "Pappy" Parnell. I am so very grateful that some kind church members took me last week to meet him and his sister who cares for him. It's much harder to do a funeral when you don't know the person (another good reason for going to church and getting to know your pastor.) I heard dozens of stories about how Pappy loved his church, family, and community and all the things he did for them. We sometimes forget how our lives are a witness to our faith in Christ that can continue after we've gone.
Grief is real and the loss of a loved one can be devastating. We mustn't make light of that, but remember that through Christ there is hope.
Pray for those in grief.
Grace and Peace,
John
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
For Sale - One Set of Frayed Nerves, Stress Included, Good for Parts.
I'll offer you a good deal on a set of used nerves, fairly frayed and in need of a good vacation.
I hate moving. I mentioned that earlier but it bears repeating. I hate moving, and yet here I am in a vocation that is rivaled only by the military and certain professional moochers (Kato Kaelin) for the number of moves required.
Yesterday was a prime example of why I hate it. There seems to be a giant "crap magnet" that is activated when we begin the process. I'm not referring to our possessions, but it would be apropos. I'm referring to all the other crap that happens which keeps us from dealing with the crap we really need to.
We were at a meeting (which went pretty well) and went out to the car and when we turned the key - nothing happened. Well, we have AAA for a reason, so we gave them a call. My wife innocently announced, "by the way, we need to go by the closest gas station when we do get it started." After waiting 45 minutes, this massive flatbed towtruck arrives, and out jumps the driver with this dinky little red box. He cheerfully announces, "This will get you going in no time" and proceeds to hook it up to the battery. He waits for a sec and then tells my wife to give it a try. She did. Again with the nothing. He frowns and jiggles the wires and has her try it again. Nope. Still nothing. When your rescuer starts coaxing and sweet talking his equipment, you know you've got problems. "Come on, you can do it." At this point, he decides to try the "big battery" on the truck. We pushed the car out into the middle of the driveway so he could get to it. Did I mention we were in a hospital parking lot? I had visions of an ambulance wheeling around the corner and flinging the patient out the back doors as it served to avoid us. The driver hooked up these massive cables to our little battery and then to the suitcase sized battery on his rig. I had visions of our little car blowing up when he cranked up the diesel, but nothing happened. Really. Lots of nothing. After about ten minutes of trying our little PT coughed to life. We all cheered, and he unhooked the cables. As he was returning to his truck, the PT sputtered and died and again refused to start. I yelled at the towtruck driver over the roar of his truck and he looked quite surprised. He was even more surprised when he touched the jumper cables to the cab of his truck (while they were still hooked to his battery.) NICE fireworks, but fortunately, no injuries. We decided that maybe it was out of gas, so our nice towtruck driver went to get us a can of gasoline. After dumping that in the tank we repeated the process with the cables, again it tookforever before the car started. When he tried to remove the cables it died immediately. "Uh oh," he says, "you may have a bad alternator." I can't afford an alternator, we're moving, for goodness sakes'. At that point, we had literally less than $50 to get through the month (no I'm not making that up) the rest was budgeted for utilities and moving expenses. While we're absorbing that bit of news. The towtruck driver looks up and earnestly says, "Geez, you guys may need to call AAA for a tow truck." Huh? I mean, his tow truck was currently taking up half the lot. Turns out, he needed to go to Knoxville, and couldn't come back for us for at least 3 hours. Never mind that our garage was on the way to Knoxville, he couldn't take us. Sigh.
Note- our driver (from Airport Towing in Morristown) was very helpful and nice. He had just run out of time for our call and needed to move to the next one. It was frustrating on our part, but he did really try to help us. I would call them again.
We called our mechanic who said, "yep, it sound like an alternator." Then he added ominously, "those can get really expensive on those cars." Great.
While waiting on our second AAA tow truck, my wife and I walked into the hospital to grab a bite of lunch. We were commiserating on these things happening, but we reminded each other that God is really good to us. You see, our budget was down to $50, but I still had that paycheck in my pocket. If we had an emergency car repair we could pay it and clean up the mess it would make of our budget later. We've had that happen before. We'll have some major breakdown right after I've gotten my check. If this had happened last week, we would have been in deep, deep trouble. God is very good.
In due course, our other tow truck arrived, and we were heading to the garage in short order. I got my truck and met my wife at the garage. Our mechanic friend sent us out for a new battery since ours seemed to be fried. When we returned, he installed it and then proceeded to check the alternator. "You just dodged a big bullet," he said with a smile as he closed the hood. "Rebuilt alternators for your car run $238, but yours is okay." Whew. Thank You, God! A new battery is much better than a new alternator and battery.
By this time, it was 3:00. Our plan was to have an early appointment so I could be home by 10 working on packing. Oh well, plans change. We're another day behind on preparing for the move, but at least her car is running and we didn't have to spend all our budget on repairs.
We'll get through this. We've gotten through worse, but that doesn't make this stress any more pleasant.
Oh well, God is still good.
On the budget front, we were able to re-arrange some of the bills and now we're in a much better position for the move.
Peace,
John
PS- pray for those with money trouble and car trouble
I hate moving. I mentioned that earlier but it bears repeating. I hate moving, and yet here I am in a vocation that is rivaled only by the military and certain professional moochers (Kato Kaelin) for the number of moves required.
Yesterday was a prime example of why I hate it. There seems to be a giant "crap magnet" that is activated when we begin the process. I'm not referring to our possessions, but it would be apropos. I'm referring to all the other crap that happens which keeps us from dealing with the crap we really need to.
We were at a meeting (which went pretty well) and went out to the car and when we turned the key - nothing happened. Well, we have AAA for a reason, so we gave them a call. My wife innocently announced, "by the way, we need to go by the closest gas station when we do get it started." After waiting 45 minutes, this massive flatbed towtruck arrives, and out jumps the driver with this dinky little red box. He cheerfully announces, "This will get you going in no time" and proceeds to hook it up to the battery. He waits for a sec and then tells my wife to give it a try. She did. Again with the nothing. He frowns and jiggles the wires and has her try it again. Nope. Still nothing. When your rescuer starts coaxing and sweet talking his equipment, you know you've got problems. "Come on, you can do it." At this point, he decides to try the "big battery" on the truck. We pushed the car out into the middle of the driveway so he could get to it. Did I mention we were in a hospital parking lot? I had visions of an ambulance wheeling around the corner and flinging the patient out the back doors as it served to avoid us. The driver hooked up these massive cables to our little battery and then to the suitcase sized battery on his rig. I had visions of our little car blowing up when he cranked up the diesel, but nothing happened. Really. Lots of nothing. After about ten minutes of trying our little PT coughed to life. We all cheered, and he unhooked the cables. As he was returning to his truck, the PT sputtered and died and again refused to start. I yelled at the towtruck driver over the roar of his truck and he looked quite surprised. He was even more surprised when he touched the jumper cables to the cab of his truck (while they were still hooked to his battery.) NICE fireworks, but fortunately, no injuries. We decided that maybe it was out of gas, so our nice towtruck driver went to get us a can of gasoline. After dumping that in the tank we repeated the process with the cables, again it tookforever before the car started. When he tried to remove the cables it died immediately. "Uh oh," he says, "you may have a bad alternator." I can't afford an alternator, we're moving, for goodness sakes'. At that point, we had literally less than $50 to get through the month (no I'm not making that up) the rest was budgeted for utilities and moving expenses. While we're absorbing that bit of news. The towtruck driver looks up and earnestly says, "Geez, you guys may need to call AAA for a tow truck." Huh? I mean, his tow truck was currently taking up half the lot. Turns out, he needed to go to Knoxville, and couldn't come back for us for at least 3 hours. Never mind that our garage was on the way to Knoxville, he couldn't take us. Sigh.
Note- our driver (from Airport Towing in Morristown) was very helpful and nice. He had just run out of time for our call and needed to move to the next one. It was frustrating on our part, but he did really try to help us. I would call them again.
We called our mechanic who said, "yep, it sound like an alternator." Then he added ominously, "those can get really expensive on those cars." Great.
While waiting on our second AAA tow truck, my wife and I walked into the hospital to grab a bite of lunch. We were commiserating on these things happening, but we reminded each other that God is really good to us. You see, our budget was down to $50, but I still had that paycheck in my pocket. If we had an emergency car repair we could pay it and clean up the mess it would make of our budget later. We've had that happen before. We'll have some major breakdown right after I've gotten my check. If this had happened last week, we would have been in deep, deep trouble. God is very good.
In due course, our other tow truck arrived, and we were heading to the garage in short order. I got my truck and met my wife at the garage. Our mechanic friend sent us out for a new battery since ours seemed to be fried. When we returned, he installed it and then proceeded to check the alternator. "You just dodged a big bullet," he said with a smile as he closed the hood. "Rebuilt alternators for your car run $238, but yours is okay." Whew. Thank You, God! A new battery is much better than a new alternator and battery.
By this time, it was 3:00. Our plan was to have an early appointment so I could be home by 10 working on packing. Oh well, plans change. We're another day behind on preparing for the move, but at least her car is running and we didn't have to spend all our budget on repairs.
We'll get through this. We've gotten through worse, but that doesn't make this stress any more pleasant.
Oh well, God is still good.
On the budget front, we were able to re-arrange some of the bills and now we're in a much better position for the move.
Peace,
John
PS- pray for those with money trouble and car trouble
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Conversations in an alley
On the way to get boxes yesterday, I went to a liquor store in a really bad part of town. I'd called around and they promised me a big stack of boxes (Friday being a big day at the store). I got there and there were four lonely boxes in the alleyway. Hmmp. Well maybe someone needed them more that I. Also in the alleyway was a homeless guy sitting against the building with his bag.
I needed to get going. My wife and I had planned a date, and she had already gone home to get ready. This was not a nice place, we were close to a housing project and the clientele was, shall we say, different from what I normally see on Sunday morning. I really wanted to grab those boxes and go.
But there he sat, looking at me.
I've been reading a book, Messy Spirituality, which has the coolest subtitle ever: God's Annoying Love for Imperfect People.
Well, I'll claim that "imperfect" part all right, and if I want grace and mercy, who am I to offer judgement and rejection? Sigh. Yes, Lord. When I looked over and asked, "How's it goin'?" It was like flipping a switch. This fellow lit up and said, "Friend, could you give me 50 cents?" 50 cents? What in the world can you do with 50 cents these days? I thought. I said sure, and started to look in my billfold to give him at least a dollar or two. I'd forgotten that I'd given all my cash to my wife earlier that day. All I could offer him was the change in my pockets, which may or may not have been the requested amount.
All the while I was digging around, he was talking about how much is feet hurt and how his ex-wife had taken him for thirty-five thousand in child support. I wasn't really listening until something (or someone) caused a memory from a recent training event to cross my mind. "What people in need want more than anything is to be listened to and be taken seriously." Sign (again). Yes, Lord. I'm sorry, I'll try to do better.
So I started paying attention and giving eye contact. I had to battle the usual helpless, overwhelmed feeling. I really couldn't help this guy in a truly meaningful way. I couldn't fix his marriage, his back problems, his housing problem, his disability rejection. All I could do was listen. Well, maybe not all. I did remember a resource list from that same training that was still in my truck (see, I wasn't procrastinating about cleaning it out. I was saving it for something important.) So I was able to give him some phone numbers. I also asked his name, which is Tim.
Then we prayed.
I prayed for Tim. Tim prayed for me. I was reminded that we were both in a similar spot, needed the grace, help and support of Jesus to get through. Sure Tim is in great need, but I cannot afford to look down on him because I too need the grace of Christ to get through the day.
I couldn't do much for Tim, just pray for him. On second thought, maybe that's what really matters.
Peace,
John
PS- remember Tim and the other homeless and needy today in your own prayers if you would.
I needed to get going. My wife and I had planned a date, and she had already gone home to get ready. This was not a nice place, we were close to a housing project and the clientele was, shall we say, different from what I normally see on Sunday morning. I really wanted to grab those boxes and go.
But there he sat, looking at me.
I've been reading a book, Messy Spirituality, which has the coolest subtitle ever: God's Annoying Love for Imperfect People.
Well, I'll claim that "imperfect" part all right, and if I want grace and mercy, who am I to offer judgement and rejection? Sigh. Yes, Lord. When I looked over and asked, "How's it goin'?" It was like flipping a switch. This fellow lit up and said, "Friend, could you give me 50 cents?" 50 cents? What in the world can you do with 50 cents these days? I thought. I said sure, and started to look in my billfold to give him at least a dollar or two. I'd forgotten that I'd given all my cash to my wife earlier that day. All I could offer him was the change in my pockets, which may or may not have been the requested amount.
All the while I was digging around, he was talking about how much is feet hurt and how his ex-wife had taken him for thirty-five thousand in child support. I wasn't really listening until something (or someone) caused a memory from a recent training event to cross my mind. "What people in need want more than anything is to be listened to and be taken seriously." Sign (again). Yes, Lord. I'm sorry, I'll try to do better.
So I started paying attention and giving eye contact. I had to battle the usual helpless, overwhelmed feeling. I really couldn't help this guy in a truly meaningful way. I couldn't fix his marriage, his back problems, his housing problem, his disability rejection. All I could do was listen. Well, maybe not all. I did remember a resource list from that same training that was still in my truck (see, I wasn't procrastinating about cleaning it out. I was saving it for something important.) So I was able to give him some phone numbers. I also asked his name, which is Tim.
Then we prayed.
I prayed for Tim. Tim prayed for me. I was reminded that we were both in a similar spot, needed the grace, help and support of Jesus to get through. Sure Tim is in great need, but I cannot afford to look down on him because I too need the grace of Christ to get through the day.
I couldn't do much for Tim, just pray for him. On second thought, maybe that's what really matters.
Peace,
John
PS- remember Tim and the other homeless and needy today in your own prayers if you would.
Boxes Boxes Everywhere
Well June is approaching, and for many United Methodists in this part of the country that means Annual Conference season and Moving Day. This year we are joining the trek to a new appointment which will bring a whole new set of challenges and exciting opportunities. This is truly a time of new beginnings where pastors resolve to do better than the last time and really become the Spirit-filled disciple, preacher and teacher God called them to be. There are new people to meed. A new community of faith to get to know, and a loving God to serve. Every appointment teaches us things (good and bad) and we (I) try to bring that into the new setting. I do believe that God is in the appointment process and He is preparing our place for us.
But first........
Ugh. I hate moving. How did we accumulate all this crap? Um, I mean treasured family belongings. I walked in the parsonage the other day and it hit me, "Wow, moving day is coming soon." I wondered where that thought had come from then I noticed that our living room had that smell. The box smell. No matter where they come from, they all have that musty kind of sour smell.
For this move we have a selection of Pizza Hut boxes, a large number of "likker" store boxes (hey, they are strong and usually already have handy dividers) and some bona-fide official moving boxes that we got at the local thrift store.
It would be nice if the rest of the world stopped so we could focus on just one thing, but for now I've got to put aside the boxes and go polish my sermon and do the bulletins for church tomorrow. We're doing Holy Communion (which I love). You ought to come, it'll be great.
Peace,
John
But first........
Ugh. I hate moving. How did we accumulate all this crap? Um, I mean treasured family belongings. I walked in the parsonage the other day and it hit me, "Wow, moving day is coming soon." I wondered where that thought had come from then I noticed that our living room had that smell. The box smell. No matter where they come from, they all have that musty kind of sour smell.
For this move we have a selection of Pizza Hut boxes, a large number of "likker" store boxes (hey, they are strong and usually already have handy dividers) and some bona-fide official moving boxes that we got at the local thrift store.
It would be nice if the rest of the world stopped so we could focus on just one thing, but for now I've got to put aside the boxes and go polish my sermon and do the bulletins for church tomorrow. We're doing Holy Communion (which I love). You ought to come, it'll be great.
Peace,
John
Sunday, February 17, 2008
My wife's blog.
While I'm getting things ready here why not visit my wife's blog? The url is http://hopeforhealingorg.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
