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As some of you will know, I’m regularly up 3:00 am in the morning.  I read the Bible and other books, journal and pray.  This morning, as I headed back to bed my mind was full.

Monday is going to be my day off.  How can I separate myself for a day (make the day “holy”)?  I live church work and ministry — I could almost say I breathe it.  That is a calling I think God has given me for this season of my life.  The longer I’m in a local church, the more I know of the layer behind the layer behind the layer we call the “faces we put on in the morning.”  For that reason there is deep joy and deep sadness that indwells my bones and marrow.

This is the reason a separate day, a day of rest, is virtually impossible for most pastors.  Until . . .

I struggle with God being in control.  I struggle with the idea that my input is not the most valuable indicator that a situation will change.  I struggle with going to the dark side of ministry and finding out that God had already been shining his light there — without asking me!!

So, for one day, can I just let God run the world?

Every once in while sermon illustrations pop up that don’t fit your sermon but are just plain good! Here’s one.

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus: 1. An older woman who looks as if she is about to die. 2. An old friend who once saved your life. 3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about. Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car. This is one of those moral/ethical dilemmas once used as part of a job application. You could pick up the older woman, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect dream lover again. The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer. I love what he came up with. What did he say? He simply answered: “I would give the car keys to my old friend, and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the woman of my dreams.” Never forget to “Think Outside of the Box.”

Our local library’s booksale is on.  At the local mall, locals wander by the global display of literacy.  There are books on cooking, and books on romance, and books on travel, and books for kids, and books that span the ages.

I like Dilbert and B.C. comic books.  So I picked them up.  They are a quick read and bring a smile to my face.

I also like C.S. Lewis.  Today I saw his book on “The Problem of Pain.”  I’ve heard of this book, read reviews and even quotes.  Now I have the actual manuscript (as do thousands of others who purchased the paperback).

In one of those pick and point approaches, I opened the book to the following quote.

My own idea, for what it is worth, is that all sadness that is not arising from the repentance of a concrete sin and hastening towards concrete amendment or restitution, or else arising from pity and hastening to active assistance, is simply bad; and I think we all sin by needlessly disobeying the apostolic injunction to “rejoice”as much as by anything else  (55)

A taste of one day off was good.  Thanksgiving Monday was enjoyable. 

Before we head into the weekend – and the busyness thereof – I’ll take another day.  I’m finding my days are becoming a little too long, and the amount of responsibilities too many.  In search of balance I’ve been taking time to consider my own busyness. 

One of the things suggested by others is hallowing one day a week.  I’ve known this for years — even preached it to others.  Now I’m trying to fit my life to that principle.  In previous years my days off were dictated by jobs that left Sunday free, or another day.   So, I took a day off!

But, as I work here I feel a responsibility to see things done — to the detriment of my own health.

So, to get a balance I’m working on the need to “sabbath”.  And before I even get there tomorrow, I have a previous commitment that was set a month or so ago (early morning).  So, my day off will begin at 9:00 in the morning.  From there on, . . .