Midweek

It is Wednesday afternoon, a little more than halfway through my work week. In my mind my week starts with Monday morning. I work through Thursday and Friday is my day off. Sometimes I use Saturday morning for personal business, but by noon I am gearing up for Sunday morning. I often work in my home office most of Saturday afternoon and evening. If the sermon is completed I write emails and make phone calls. Then I get up early on Sunday morning and work for another hour or two. I like to have everything fresh in my mind for the Sunday worship service.

This week I am a little off balance. I was supposed to drive with a member from the church to a presbytery meeting (regional church meeting) in a town over a hundred miles away. We left around midday and got one hour up the road and the car broke down. I spent the next three hours making cell phone calls, having the car towed, arranging for repairs to be done, and riding back home with Jean, who came and rescued us. The one positive in the day was that I was home by 5:30 p.m instead of 11:00 p.m. Jean and I will share her car until my car is diagnosed and repaired. It is in Lancaster, Ohio, where it broke down.

I have several meetings today. I had lunch with college kids around noon. I met with the church stewardship group during the noon hour. I had spent most of the morning getting things ready for that group. The property committee meets at 4:00 p.m. Jean has the car now and she will come get me when I call later in the day.

Last night we talked with family and friends. My old friend Ray Leonardson phoned from Wisconsin. We talked with son David, and Jean talked with son Jonathan while I was on the phone with Ray. Later in the evening we talked with the folks in Des Plaines.

I will spend the next couple hours writing emails and letters. I also need to prepare for the monthly church board (Session) meeting tomorrow night. I will finish planning the worship service for Sunday also. Then tomorrow I will try to take a break for a couple hours in the afternoon. It's a typical week -- start slow, go fast, slow it down, day off, prepare hard on Saturday, and busy Sunday at church. It is a rhythm that is familiar and comfortable for me. I am pretty happy doing it too.