Pastoral

Another passing

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Yesterday Addie Kinsgley passed away.

Yesterday we were away at another funeral.  This morning I received word that Addie had died.  Her passing was peaceful, her daughter related to me.  That was what she was seeking for.  One of my last conversations with her was exploring that exact thing!

Her funeral is scheduled for this Saturday.

Addie was a recent friend.  She was not a parishioner of the church I pastor.  She did attend some of our senior’s functions.  I had become acquainted with her at that point, but the real conversations were only recently. 

When she was admitted to hospital this last round, I stopped in just to say “Hi”.  She was in a deep conversation with one of her daughters, so I came back later.  Shared and prayed with her.  We seemed to click!  My visits with Addie were always enjoyable. 

And now, a last visit this Saturday?  Only with a lifeless body at a funeral service. 

I talked with Addie and she assured me of her belief in Jesus and the blessed hope to come.  I’m trusting in the future to see her again.  So, maybe this isn’t the “last visit” after all!

Priming for lawns

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Lsat night we visited a friend to mow her lawn. Her lawn mower was not working well. In fact, it would sputter to life and then die.

Down the street another friend had a lawn mower. We asked to borrow it. He came with his truck and the mower. As I began to mow, my friend asked if this neighbour knew anything about motors. He wasn’t sure he wanted to get into completely stripping a motor down and rebuilding it. But, he would look and see what could be done. We heard the motor cough and go, cough and go, cough and go! The possible problem was found, probably some air in the gas line.

All that needed to be done was to keep priming the motor until things kept running. I had tried priming the motor just once or twice and things just quit. But sometimes we need to constantly keep priming a situation until things get back to normal.

The lawn is done, a certain equilibrium has returned and the next time the lawn needs mowed I expect the mower will work.

Meeting machinery

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Today we had a church membership meeting. We discussed two issues. One was an almost rubber stamp type of thing. The other had many facets, any one of which could derail civil communication and end in endless discussion and perhaps acrimony.

Our chair (not the nice blue ones we have, but the chairperson!) carefully steered us through. He pointed out that we needed to deal with a present, and very distinct, motion. He was careful to not let other issues distract us. Much like I had learned in a coaching session earlier in the week – whenever another issue arises, plan to deal with it but leave it for another time.

Now, although there were definitely two sides that came to the table, we met in the middle. Not the compromising middle that is tepid and insipid (let’s add apathetic and apologetic). Rather, the radical middle that recognized differences but wanted to try an option that could be vital and visionary.

Sometimes machinery in the right operator’s hands works. Thanks, John!!