Stop, look, and listen

Today is a Monday. Typically my day off for the time being. A time for me to rest, relax, rejuvenate, get right with God, enjoy some "me time"... you know.

The last couple of Mondays have turned into workdays - something that is all too common as a pastor's life. One minute we think we're just going to drop something off, and the next we're in the Office counseling someone. Or when a "just going to swing by" turns into a multiple-visit day, with the rest of the week loaded with other visits, administrative duties, Worship Service preparations, marital counseling appointments, meetings, emergency hospital calls, Sermon studying and writing, etc. Oh, and did I mention that this time of the year it is also Charge Conference time, which adds another element into the mix? And let's not forget my favorite right now - "What am I'm going to wear?" - the trendy question that I have to ask myself because my healthier living is causing me to shrink out of my clothes! (yeah, I actually am celebrating that one, but it does add a different chunk of "ugh" to my days)

Of course, I love what I do. It is what I can say that I'm called to do. But as Mother Teresa said "I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much."

With that being said, I decided to get out of town. That's right, I ran away. I put my stuff in my handkerchief, tied it around a stick, and my trusty dog, Dingo, and I trotted into the sunset.

One of the first things that I found amazing was what I saw. As I crested a hill, there, in the valley, was a forest of trees that had been painted by God's touch of autumn colors - the reds, golds, yellows. - all side by some like a mosaic maze. It was breathtaking!

Later on, I noticed some clouds forming in the distance, and I could see the rain that was dropping from the sky in the horizon. Seeing something like that might not seem like much, but for an area as dependent on rain as Northern Nebraska is right now, it was a site for sore eyes. But also to see this so clearly was like God was saying "watch what I can do... can anyone top this? This gave me the assurance that no matter what problem I may encounter, nothing is bigger than what God can do.

Last night after I stopped, I went to get my bags, and noticed that some sprinkles had surprised the locals. As I walked outside, I commented "It's raining", and someone said "nah, it stopped". At that point, I could hear the drops, no matter how light or subtle they were, hit the trees that we were under at the time. As we were walking out from the trees, the other person said "...I can't even feel anything", yet I could still hear it in the nearby trees. I told the person to wait for it, and then the drops came, light and cool, like a reminder that God was sitting over us saying "told you so". The fun part was when the other person was surprised. I have to admit that I always get a chuckle from people's expressions.

Last Christmas, my brother wrote about spending time with family and respecting the Holidays. There was also a little piece in there about how I couldn't be with family because my 'job' is one where I 'work' on Holidays - Christmas, Easter, big times of the year for me. I call it my "occupational hazard".
But no matter what our jobs, occupations, callings, or paid hobbies are, how are we spending time for ourselves? How are we stopping to look around and enjoy nature, or have fun with the family, or take it a show and dinner, or run away to take a well-needed break? How often do we stop and listen to the wind rustling the leaves in the trees, or the birds singing, or the cars go by, or the children laughing? How often do we stop and realize that it's a new month, a new season, a new day?

My brother participated in a memorial run in New York City yesterday that  took him on the same route that a firefighter ran, in full gear, to get to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. There was no special prizes or medals or ribbons. This was a fundraising event, and people from all over came to take part. Apparently, so many people come that the run becomes more of a jog or walk at point because the route goes through a tunnel, and you can only for so many people into the tunnel at one time.
The point is that other firefighters also show up for this run, and participate in full turnout gear, which can weigh 40-60 pounds. It also run past the river where boats are there to cheer the runner along, including Fire Boats with the water cannons shooting up in the air.
As my brother was running, or wait, or whatever, he took the time to photograph those things - the Fire Boat honoring the runners with the water cannons. The Trade Center Memorial, and the crowds that had gathered.

He didn't go to run to beat a particular time. He didn't go to win a race. He didn't go to try to beat other runners. He went to honor someone, and take in the sights and sounds of the day.

What if we did the same? What if we found that moment that means that much to us, and took it all in? What  if we stopped, looked, and listened to what is really around us, and stopped griping about our coworkers, our jobs, or employers or employees? What if we stopped, looked, and listened to the special things that someone has to offer, instead of cutting them off at the knees? What if we stopped, looked, and listened to what is right in front of us?
Can we see the forest through the trees?

What has God put in front of you?

humility

As I'm preparing for some meetings, hook-ups, and sessions, one word has come up a lot - humility.

Humility - something that is shown in those who have an ability for leadership.

So how do I find a good example of humility? I look for those who are already good leaders.
Unfortunately, that might be the hard part. Some people aren't that humble. Thank you, and You're welcome. =(

So is this feeling like a burr in your saddle?

The new mantra:
--if you take something personal, what guilt are you harboring?
--if you think it's all about someone else, you might need to think again.

the HASSLE of weightloss - and I don't mean dieting

Some people don't realize how much hassle it is when losing weight. Sure, the new lifestyle is great - being told that less pounds will decrease the chance of cancer, diabeates, stroke, heart disease, hair loss, ingrown toes, increased spam in your email files, etc... you get the idea. It's even nice to know that it's easier to fit in some of those booths at some diners, even though many of those molded plastic seats aren't any more comfortable when eating a chef's salad then they are when eating a burger and fries.

And I'm not even talking about the hassles of "counting calories". I use a website and smartphone app calling My Fitness Pal that will track my daily calories for me. Sure, I have to take a moment at some point and input my meals and snacks into the page, but it does the rest. At grand total of 'maybe' 10-15 minute a day (even of it's broken up through the day for the individual meals) and it totals my calories and subtracts it from my daily allowed calories.
Is it working? Well, in 21 weeks, I've lost 50 pounds so far. And to tell you something about me if you didn't know it, I've got the willpower of a slug. So yeah - it works =)

The hassles I'm talking about are the following...

• Clothes - the obvious. I've been so accustom to wearing a particular size. No, I wasn't happy in that size, but it was what it was. Now that I've lost inches all over, the bluejeans that I hardly wore were way too big, as well as the slacks I have. Thank God I know someone who is taking in the waist of my jeans and some of my slacks so that I don't have to spend a lot of bucks all at once. She offered to do it for nothing, but I still will be giving her something for her time, talent, and Christian love, because this saves me some money that I'll need for the HASSLE of having to go to a professional to have the dress slacks altered. In some cases, the pants are beyond alteration - I've lost too much weight (yeah - how dare me!). So there is the hassle of time, money, and miles from my days, which are busy during this period. AND THEN, I didn't realize that a shirt that it a size or so too BIG would be a hassle to wear... Oh my gosh! Half of my t-shirts are going to the thrift store... I can't wear them - I'm swimming in these things. But after I tried to put on a Sports Coat on Sunday for Church, I knew I had a hassle. I could almost fit another person inside the coat I first grabbed. I looked like I was wearing a clown costume. There was no way to pull off wearing it. So again, I'll have to go have this tailored to fit me, IF it can be.
• Fitness / Health Prevention Information - updating my information. One of the benefits I have as part of my health insurance is to participate in Virgin Healthmiles, started by Sir Richard Branson of the Virgin Records and all those other things he's famous for. VHM is a "preventative healthcare" type of benefit where I track my steps every day, log them into the computer, and if I keep up with certain goals, I receive rewards for working to maintain better health. The hassle here is that one of the items in my profile that is tracked is my weight, so as I drop the pounds, I have to go into the Profile Settings in my VHM login and update it at least every other week. Not a big deal, but when there is also my WebMD benefit through my insurance, the information at my doctor's office, and any other number of things that it might arise at, if you think about it, it's not a typical thing that comes up. And now that I think about it, will I have to HASSLE with changing the weight that it listed on my Driver's Licence? Nuts! (Thanks goodness one of my parishioners works at the courthouse - maybe I can just ask her sometime later so I don't have to hassle them now)
• "Special Tables" - Finding the right foods. There is a "reverse embarrassment" that happens sometimes when someone who knows my eating habits, and especially how they were, stops to point out the vegetables for me while showing everyone else the potato salads, chips, dips, cheese balls, cakes, cookies, etc. FIRST, let me say this - When this happens, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE what these people do. They recognize me and my efforts. They are aware of what I'm doing, and as a dear friend, they've listened and heard me talk about my new lifestyle.  For that, I say THANK YOU. The hassle here would be society's view on the situation. For example, if someone welcomes you and other guests to a party, and takes you all to show you around and points out where you can find the food, and tells one of the guests "the veggie tray is over there for you", some people might stop and wonder "why was that guy singled out?" But society needs to get a grip on the fact that people have different eating habits, and they also need to accept that some people are aware of others, and are gracious and caring enough to ensure that all of their guests feel welcome.

This is just a bit of the things... there are other hassles, like having to find a new position for my truck seat because the inches I've lost all around has caused me to sit farther from my steering wheel, or thinking my body is deformed, only to realize it's a muscle that has been covered in fat all these years, or having to explain to people that I can't buy clothes every time I drop a size, unless, of course, they'd love to gift me some money (they will stop them fast - but those hassle are far and few in between, Bless their hearts).

So when you're thinking that it's a hassle to lose weight, think again.
YES, there are hassles. But would I give it up? Nope, not even for the people who "complain" about my clothes on Sunday morning (and if you ever wonder why I chuckle and smile sometimes... HeeHeeHee)

Blessings, and smile with me. Enjoy, and find the laughter in life.

Now that I'm a big boy...

I've set myself a goal... I'm working on making a certain weight by October 16th, my 48th birthday. If I can make that particular number, then as I told my secretary, I'll be doing the "Evan Almighty Dance", the "I'm Sexy and I Know It" Dance, Mr. Bean style (watch the video below), as well as cheering, shouting, so on and so forth.

One thing that may set me back is that right after I returned from Ohio last month, I got a lung infection. It's something that seems to be going around here, possibly from the drought, dry air, pollen and allergies, etc. It "knocked me down" hard for a week or so, and the "getting back up" part has been slow. Seems like a lot of people are going through the same.
But Friday night, I decided to give walking a shot... and it worked! Two miles without breaking a sweat. Oh yeah!!

While I was walking, I thought about a lot of things (as I usually do...). One thing was how one couple in my church was telling me that we should have a big celebration for the weight I've lost so far. I appreciate what the husband says, as well as the wife. They're very supportive. I do wonder it they also like to "show off" who guessed closest to my weekly weightloss. Gotta love them. LOL

I also thought about some upcoming meetings and special Services I have coming up. A "retreat", a couple of stops with the new Bishop, World Communion Sunday, A Service of Healing and Renewal, a "pulpit swap", the Charge Conference and everything to prep for that, as well as many other things.
I then realized that in all of it, I don't have to try to stick in five to ten essays or written assignments for some class.
My graduating from Course of Study is still sinking in.

I then thought about a word that has come up many times in the past, but so much so in just the last month or so, and especially so in the past couple of weeks. It's "communication".
So many things get twisted around because someone doesn't understand what someone else says, or because this person doesn't like how that person said something, then it creates tension, hate, distrust, anxiety, etc. It's ridiculous.

I also considered how some people simply talk to others, which made me think back to my birthday.
In a few weeks, I'm going to be 48. I'm a dad and a grandpa. As I was once (or more) told, that pretty much means that I don't have to be told what to do by other people.
And then I listen to how people talk to me... how they've demanded my time away from my family when it isn't an emergency, or how they linger on about something that happened earlier at some meeting or event that I had no control of, and can't change the course of history about, or how some people will say things to me that my own parents wouldn't even say, and even if my parents did say certain things, again, I'm getting to be an old man myself - but I can stand up on my own. LOL

So as I'm rounding the bend to 48, striving for a particular number (I may tell you at that time...), my diet isn't the only thing that is changing in my life.
I'm going to be taking better care of me - not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I'm going to be changing how I exercise. I'm going to be working on my "other side of the altar rail" essay. I'm going to be finding time so that I can go to church. I'm going to spend more time with family and friends.

So look out... I'm going full speed ahead, and if I lose the weight to get to get to that number, it might get really exciting (or scaring, depending on your viewpoint or what you had for breakfast).

Blessings!

Putting yourself in perspective

Earth's rotation is the rotation of the solid Earth around its own axis. The Earth rotates towards the east. As viewed from the North Star Polaris, the Earth turns counter-clockwise.
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole is point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. This is a different point than Earth's North Magnetic Pole. The South Pole is the other point where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface, in Antarctica.
The Earth rotates once in about 24 hours, or currently 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds. Earth's rotation is slowing slightly with time, thus a day was shorter in the past, this is due to the tidal effects the Moon has on Earth's rotation. Atomic clocks show that a modern day is longer by about 17 milliseconds than a century ago, slowly increasing the rate at which UTC is adjusted by leap seconds.
(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_rotation).

So if a person is smart, they would know that the world doesn't revolve around them.

Wow... knowledge - what a concept.

Would it break?

I've always seen "humor" as a good quality, and have often said that it is something that I possess. Now I have to question myself.

I recently posted another "progression picture" of my face to show how I'm slimming down through my lifestyle changes, and it has made me happy. I'm even happy that my clothes are fitting me so much nicer, and some slacks and jeans that are too big for me can be taken in by my secretary. So what can go wrong with that?

But after a couple of comments were made (again) about how I should smile in my pictures, I thought "ok, now I'm going to get even!" So I took a picture with a giant "oh gosh, look out" grin on my face and posted it on Facebook.
I had over 20 "likes".

I know that this week, I've been a little down... I just did a wedding that was a little tough to do, and I'm working on a funeral that is making me going from phone to place to phone to computer to records to phone to work on, and the family won't be here to meet with me until later (I need more time than some others to prep), and a very nice colleague and the husband of a nice and beloved past pastor of one of my churches who I trusted to preach for me while I was gone was killed in a car accident this past week, and then all of the little stuff that has creeped up on me so... it's been a little tough.
But I've been make great accomplishments in different aspects of my life, standing up in defense of the poor and unchurched (that's a whole diffferent story), sharing laughs with some people, and even taking time to enjoy the weather, especially as it turns a little cooler. So I'm a very happy guy.

Really, I am.

So here is my goal - find something at least twice a day that makes me laugh. And not just a chuckle, but a serious, laugh. If I can't do a good laugh, I have to find something that make my endorphins or whatever kick in, something that increases my mood... enjoying the birds in the trees, relaxing to some old gospel music, reflecting on some old memories, whatever.

The goal is how much I can smile in a week... If I can bring back the humor I was REALLY known for, even the "clown" humor that gifted me a clown from my first parish that I keep on my office shelf in front of me, then I've reached a goal, and from there, I'll increase it.
If I still need to work o the goal, then look out - who knows what funny books or movies I'll be dragging out then!

Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Ps 32:11)

Now what?

It has been nearly three weeks since I graduated from Course of Study, and the one question that has been asked of me, even yesterday in a meeting with my District Superintendent, is "what have I taken from this experience?"
My answer has usually been "there are a lot of German theologian that have caused my brain to fry".

In all honesty, the process has been fulfilling, raising much interested in a couple of specialized fields of ministry. That's not to say that I want to step away from Pastoral ministry, but that I want to work more in a certain field (sort of like your doctor having a specialty in Internal Medicine or something).

So this means that I have to go through a discernment process... praying, asking questions of myself, praying, asking other colleagues questions, praying, studying the particular fields in depth, praying, discussing my thoughts with people such as my Mentor, District Superintendent, Ministry Boards, and Staff-Parish Committee, praying. Then, after I've gone through all of that, I'll spend a lot of time in prayer and study.
I bet I will pray a lot too.

So what's my next 'immediate' step?
Charge Conference... The time of the year when the church celebrates it's ministry over the past year and sets it's sights on a mission and vision for the next year.
Tongue-in-cheek translation... Yearly paperwork headache time (although it really is much simpler than it has been).

And then a much need vacation... it's time to go see my granddaughter - much overdue.

And then I start the Advent Season, and planning to officiate another wedding (I have one this weekend, one right after Christmas, and two in the Spring).

But yes, in between all of that, the discernment will begin... or shall I say it already has - starting with the prayer.

With God's help...