Just Doing My "Duty!"

For better or for worse, I did preach this morning- a sermon on John 3 from my files. My music director and liturgist took up the slack in everything else...save the children's time. Like a knucklehead, I did that. I did tell the kids to keep a reasonable distance from me, however!

Well, we have been traveling through the order of worship the past several weeks with the kids, sharing with them why we do the things we do in worship. It's been quite effective and I think the adults are getting at least as much out of it as the kids. Anyhoo, today we were talking about the offering, so the "Young Disciples' Time" was located at that point in the service. We were having a nice conversation about giving out of gratitude and love for God. All was going just swimmingly until I asked, "Why do we give money in the offering? Is it because it's a our duty?"

Duty.... okay, I know NOW that that is one word you don't say in front of children if you want to maintain any semblance of control. It was mayhem from that point on....especially my 5 year old daughter who was laughing hysterically and saying "duty, duty, bathroom pooty...!"

All I could do at that point was pair them off with ushers and let them help collect the offering!

By the way, the answer to the question I was looking for was, "No, we don't give out of duty, but out of love for God," but I guess don't give God your crap is a good lesson, too!

Now for the latest in my file of crap (or duty!) I don't have time for...

First of all, I may have to eventually fire my Admin. Assistant. It would take too long to give all the reasons why, but I've been avoiding it since I arrived and now it's beginning to bite me in the butt. It's not just me, I am getting calls on a nearly daily basis from folks complaining about her mistakes and lack of professionalism. I hate it. She is a very sweet woman. She and her husband have just bought a house and her 92 year old mother has just moved in them. However, supervising her is taking waayyy too much of my time and, no matter what, things still don't get done right. Also, I have some questions about her integrity. Not big stuff, like embezzlement, but wrongful use of her time, that sort of thing. The latest earfuls I got today was several people telling me that on the days I was sick this week, they couldn't get anyone on the phone after 2:00 pm. hmmmmmmm.....

If there are any Interim pastors out there, please hear me... do your best to take care of obvious staff issues while you're there. The Interim even told me that he left that for me to take care of...grrrrrrr!!!

My plan is, with the Personnel Committee, to do an evaluation of her work and put together an improvement plan that we will share with her. We will meet again with her in a month and if there isn't significant improvement, her employment will be terminated. I can't think of a better way to go about it. I've never had to personally fire someone, so if any of y'all have some wisdom, I'm eager to hear it.

Also, I am going to have to talk with our main children's ministry person about not smoking in front of the kids. GEEZ LOUISE! I can't believe I have to have that conversation! This woman is a rock, I love her. She's on Session, board of Trustees, active in Presbytery. I love her, but when my kids come home from a day at the zoo with her and tell me she smoked in the car while driving them, there's a problem! Please pray that I will find the right words when I approach her.

This is all part of the gig, right? It feels an awful lot like "duty" to me!

Question for you...

What do you do when you are too sick to write your sermon?

Just not sure I'm gonna get it together this week. I've been running a 100-102 degree temp since Wednesday morning. Did go to the dr. yesterday and got some antibiotics because she said my throat was definitely not going to get better on its own. So far, I can't feel any effects from the meds. I hate being sick!

Hope your Friday is better!

Friday Five: the Big To-Do

The list maker in me loves today's Friday Five!

Kathrynzj writes: Greetings from the land of the Big To-Do! It seems like every year I enter into the summer with a growing list of HUGE projects/events/trips that seem to have a permanent place on the 'to do' list. This year I have a huge move pending so that takes up an entire list all on its own, but it doesn't take a big event like that for me to make plans bigger than my summer can hold!

How about you?Is this the third summer in a row you have made a pledge involving your garage and actually getting a car into it?Did you once again miss the registration deadline for the continuing education event of your dreams ?Are you starting to think you couldn't even find the tents, let alone get it together to pull off a camping trip?Here is your chance to get it out into the open and OWN your Big To-Do! Who knows? Maybe making the list will help you move the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-Da!

1) What home fix-it project is on your Big To-Do?
I would love to paint my kitchen cabinets and put on new hardware, but I am so afraid of mucking it up. I wish I just had the money to re-do the whole kitchen: floors, cabinets, counter tops, back splash, appliances...but, you know.

2) What event (fun or work) is on your Big To-Do?
My church is named after the big, important reformer who is having a special birthday this summer. I would love to do something for our Presbytery, but I'm letting myself off the hook because 1) I'm still pretty new here (office isn't even all put up yet) and 2) there is no enthusiasm in my congregation for such a thing. So, this is very helpful...I am officially scratching that off my mental to-do (or "ought-to") list! Yay!

3) What trip is on your Big To-Do?
We are taking the first two weeks in August to go to Colorado, as usual to see our families. However, we are going to first hit Southern Colorado to go camping near the Sand Dunes. We also plan to go to this cool mountainside stations of the cross and also see the Royal Gorge. Then, my in-laws will come to pick up the children and my husband and I will spend a couple of nights at a fancy B&B. Then it will be off to do the family thing in Colorado Springs and Ft. Collins...probably stopping by Iliff School of Theology along the way.

4) What do you wish was on someone ELSE's (partner, family member, celebrity, etc...) Big To-Do?
I wish Dick Cheney's to-do list included getting the *bleep* off my television screen!

5) Getting inspired? What may end this summer having moved from the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-da?
By the end of summer, I seriously would like to get rid of at least 1/3 of our stuff. We have decided to remain in our itty-bitty house, so we need to stop accumulating, which is harder and harder as the kids get older. So, there will be lots of crap...er, treasures available for FREE on the curb at Iris' house this summer!

Iris Is Still Planted

In case anyone bothers to check here anymore...I am alive, just haven't been feeling very bloggy lately. I'm well. The church is great. Lots to blog about, but I probably won't get to most of it.

I'll get around to my usual places again soon to see what you all are up to!

My Next Few Days

I have funeral #4 tomorrow afternoon- the woman I wrote about a couple of posts ago. It's going to be a hard one, as the whole church is just devastated, not to mention her family. The cancer ravaged her body at full-speed.

I go up north on Monday for the family funeral. My stomach is in knots just thinking about it.

On Wednesday, I travel a couple of hours away to do the graveside service of my church member.

I pray that we don't have any more deaths for awhile. It's getting to all of us.

Some Sad, Sad News

My heart is breaking for my cousin's 5 year old son right now. His mother, who was only 28 years old, was killed in a car accident early this morning. She and my cousin had not been together for about a year, but they were very good about sharing custody and giving their son a sense of security. In fact, I'm told that the three of them just had dinner together last night.

She even continued to come to all of our family get-togethers. She was a member of the family.

It's just so awful.

Sorry I haven't been around for awhile. I've been down for the count for past week or so. I came down with shingles...ugh.

However, I was recovered enough to go see Elton John and Billy Joel last night. Incredible concert. I haven't had so much fun in a long time. And my husband and I hadn't done anything together for a long time. I wish I could have basked in that feeling longer.

Pastoral Care Overload

I have another funeral this Saturday- my third one with this congregation. She was a really wonderful woman. She asked me to preach Luke 9:62 at her funeral, which is,

"Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’"

She was a published author and she told me that this verse described "the way I see myself since I began writing." What a woman.

I may have yet another funeral soon- a woman who was a member of the Pastor Nominating Committee who was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer in the middle of the call process. She's only in her mid-50's, but very, very sick.

I appreciate your prayers for these people and their families...and for me.

Did I mention I just began this call on January 1st?