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Yesterday was a partial work day and a partial home day.

The work part encompassed two meetings.  One with staff, another with a ministry area of the church. 

At home, we moved towards one of the areas that has been on my mind – the fulness of our garage.  We had previously stacked a number of items there as we amalgamated our households.  And “garage creep” also meant that the area became the default for anything that we were unsure of keeping or using.

Yesterday we both spent time in the garage.  Other duties were left behind.

Salvation Army items were disbursed, old electronics taken to a recycle area and other garbage taken to the waste site.  Fortunately, we had also heard of someone who was moving to town who needed furnishings.  Extras were donated to them.

At the end of the day we opened the door to the garage.  We both could see the far wall, and open floor space. 

Perhaps life just needs time to get to the things that need done.  Not that we forget about the piles that exist, just that we await the right timing. 

The part I’m working on is finding God’s timing and not my own timing.  I suppose that’s where planning, strategizing and plotting meet peace, joy, and love.  We need to develop a spirit of the future that is not overwhelmed by worry and fear but rather by excitement and anticipation.

Not saying I’m there yet – but I’m headed that direction.

Over this past few weeks I have shared preaching with two other young men.  The series has been on Galatians.  The material has not been unusual.  The process has been.

A solo pastor, or pastor of preaching, can set up and run their own system.  In some ways this is much easier.  Week by week you adjust and set aside and add as needed.

In this case, we have all accepted assignments.  Specific passages have been doled out.

We also decided to work with the other’s work in mind.   In order to create a flow in the preaching, this has required additional work.   I have listened to the sermons of each week, and thought on them with greater intensity week by week.

This has not been a bad thing.  In fact, I would dare to say that this has increased my understanding of Galatians.  This has also increased my appreciation for the work that the others have put into this series.

And now, after thanksgiving we will begin a new preaching series.  I have this funny feeling I will again be challenged!

Indeed – this has been a good thing!

As  I began my day today a thought just hit me.

When I was dating back almost 4 decades ago, long distance was expensive.  I would phone, and keep the comments short.  Every second counted and the count on every second could be measured in money!

With the new cell phone plans, we are able to spend a lot of money to get long distance and other amenities.  When, a decade ago, I first heard that “communications technology” cost over $100 for some people, I was shocked.  With more than one cell phone in many families, the cost can run much higher today.

I have tried to find ways to combat this cost.  I still maintain a land line which can be used by multiple people.  I have an inexpensive long distance package.  I pay per minute for cell phone use.  I pay for a relatively inexpensive internet access. 

I give people the number of home and work phones – those are constant costs.  I find free wireless for my data access when I am away from my home.  I don’t talk long on my cell phone – which is exactly what I used to do with long distance.

Funny how we talk about long distance no longer being costly – but at the same time our “communication” costs have increased.   I wonder what the next new cost will be?

Saturday was a day of new beginnings.

Of course, I was turning the leaf of a new decade.  I am now officially 60 years old – although I often thought of the sixtieth year during my fifty-ninth year (or is that really the sixtieth year which culminates in a birthday we call our sixtieth birthday!).

The greater fun of the day was a two hour trip into the lands surrounding our town. 

I quickly forget how much I love the prairies.  The landscape stretches for miles and the slight undulations of the fields makes for a beautiful pattern.  Sometimes a gully or a bluff of trees adds greater contrast.  The light hues of brown and orange make for a pleasing sight.  Add to that the color of the moon in the evening and you have a great portrait of God’s creation.

But the real fun was stopping to pick our own harvest.  Both Cynthia and I are not farmers, nor raised on the farms – although both of us were born into farming families.  The opportunity afforded us time to pick a few pods and harvest a few seeds – of lentils and peas and wheat.  Nothing like fresh from the ground, unprocessed food.  OK, we just had a few seeds – not a meal!

Oh, and then the cinnamon buns we bought.  Sticky buns.  As we are one outdoors, a fly came by, alighted on the bun and couldn’t get away.  Death by syrup! 

A good day!