We had a member of the congregation pass away on Wednesday in the early morning hours. He had struggled mightily for a long, long time tended by a very weary wife. We are all thankful he is Home and no longer in pain.
Having said that, I will now become an insensitive cretin and say that this did not exactly come at a convenient time for me. (FYI, lest you think me a real creep, there's a wedding in his family the day of his funeral and his family and I were all laughing about how this guy seemed to know when the most difficult time for everyone was and always got sick or fell or something right when everyone else needed to put attention elsewhere.)
ANYWAY, things have gotten incredibly busy here. Dennis started a hellish class schedule last week and had his first paper, worth 20% of his grade, due today. I hired a new secretary at church last month and so this is her first time doing the newsletter and since she was trying to be fancy, the whole thing got all messed up. I've had meetings all week and have been trying to do fall planning and don't have a sermon yet for Sunday and now have a newsletter, bulletin, sermon and funeral all to get to done by Saturday evening.
So. I've been feeling pretty sorry for myself and whining about how this was The Perfect Storm -- all things converging to make this week extremely unliveable.
HOWEVER, perhaps only a pastor can appreciate this, but I realized that The Perfect Storm, is not, in fact this week, but would be if all of this happened the week before Christmas when Dennis has finals AND papers due and there are TWO services and three bulletins and a newsletter to get out as well as sermons for the most crucial days of the year, a choir cantata to pull off, presents to wrap and cookies to bake. THAT would be The PERFECT Storm.
In comparison, this is a little rain shower.
Having said that, I will now become an insensitive cretin and say that this did not exactly come at a convenient time for me. (FYI, lest you think me a real creep, there's a wedding in his family the day of his funeral and his family and I were all laughing about how this guy seemed to know when the most difficult time for everyone was and always got sick or fell or something right when everyone else needed to put attention elsewhere.)
ANYWAY, things have gotten incredibly busy here. Dennis started a hellish class schedule last week and had his first paper, worth 20% of his grade, due today. I hired a new secretary at church last month and so this is her first time doing the newsletter and since she was trying to be fancy, the whole thing got all messed up. I've had meetings all week and have been trying to do fall planning and don't have a sermon yet for Sunday and now have a newsletter, bulletin, sermon and funeral all to get to done by Saturday evening.
So. I've been feeling pretty sorry for myself and whining about how this was The Perfect Storm -- all things converging to make this week extremely unliveable.
HOWEVER, perhaps only a pastor can appreciate this, but I realized that The Perfect Storm, is not, in fact this week, but would be if all of this happened the week before Christmas when Dennis has finals AND papers due and there are TWO services and three bulletins and a newsletter to get out as well as sermons for the most crucial days of the year, a choir cantata to pull off, presents to wrap and cookies to bake. THAT would be The PERFECT Storm.
In comparison, this is a little rain shower.
7 comments:
You are so right!
Welcome to RevGalBlogPals. Have you been to the group blog? There is a post introducing you there today.
Yea, you did it, you joined the revgalblogpals. So glad you did join. I do so look forward to reading your posts.
But isn't that the way it is, all converges at the same time. Hope you make it through it all. Come join the Saturday 11th hour party at revgalblogpals, where we help each other writing our sermons at the last minute er uh polishing them up or something like that.
Hope it goes well for Dennis.
Welcome to the group of RevGalBlogPals. It's a most wonderful group of people. What a beautiful blog you have.
As a youth/worship pastor's wife, I can totally relate! Sometimes people die/wed at the worst times, but it's not like you can whine to anyone about that (without getting some REAL funny looks!!!! lol)...
Lotsa Love,
Molly
April, I have *so* been there! (shudder) You have my sympathy/empathy/companionable misery/most of all, my prayers.
SO glad you joined RevGalBlogPals! It's good to know we, who can feel kind of isolated, aren't really alone. In a real way, the RGBPs have been a source of God's grace to me since I joined a few months back.
Praying rich blessings for you, and that you will in turn be a blessing to those you serve.
Oh, yeah...the Preachers' Parties! They helped me SO much a month or so ago when I had to preach for the first time in years. Avail thyself, dear sister!
Or perhaps the same day you were due????? ;)
Praying for your strength and your calm and your sermon. :)
Blessings, my dear.
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