Looking Back, Looking Forward

My summer sabbatical has come to an end. Tomorrow I will return to full-time ministry. I few weeks ago I was visiting with my friend Jerry and he asked, “Are you going to miss the quiet of this summer or are you excited to get back to work?” My answer was an emphatic “Yes!”

The sabbatical that I have journeyed through these past three month has been a precious gift that will always be cherished. It has provided me with a time to slow down the pace of life. A time to rest. A time to regroup. A time to be with family. A time to do things that fill me up. A time to rediscover the lost art of play. A time to be with Jesus in a very special way.

I took unhurried time each morning to read through the gospels and see how Jesus – the busiest, most giving Man that ever lived – built margin into His life so He could keep going strong. Jesus consistently found strength for the journey through a healthy lifestyle – He got His sleep, ate nutritious food, and engaged in vigorous exercise. He surrounded Himself with close friends. He took time to get away from it all. He opened Himself to the ministry of angels. And Jesus spent time with His Father every single morning meditating on the Scriptures and praying.

I took time to be with my family. Linda and I have been fireproofed and laughed our way to a better marriage. We have enjoyed date nights, watched movies, and eaten gelato together. We have gotten together with our adult children for two trips. We have visited our parents and siblings.

This summer I took some important time to sharpen the saw. I took some classes in digital photography, communications, reading dynamics, and homiletics. I read a pile of books – 14 at last count – books on pastoral health, biblical studies, ministry, and even some biographies.

I took some day trips – I went to the beach, went hiking and dirt biking in the hills, went sailing in the San Francisco bay, and took in the Musee d’Orsay Birth of Impressionism exhibit at the deYoung, I even had time to get my yard cleaned up and do a little cooking in the kitchen.

I was able to get some long-neglected office projects knocked out. I cleaned up 25 years of computer files. I got my church member’s phone numbers entered into my cell phone. My first sermon back is written and I have a good stab at the second. My office at the church is finally decorated.

The results? I am rested. My sleep patterns have improved significantly. My calling is renewed. My marriage and family is having more fun. I am better acquainted with the fun places to go and fun things to do in my area. I’m better equipped to do life and ministry at a sustainable pace. I’m more in love with Jesus than ever before.

Some things are going to change. I’m going to be more intentional about slowing the pace of life and ministry, and make it a point to just enjoy the journey. I’m going to simplify life and ministry by focusing on that which is most essential and by better delegating more of the detail work to other – after all, we are a team. I will better walk with my churches. And I’m going to more clearly keep my eyes on Jesus – the Head of the church, remember that He is not only the Source of my calling – He is the wind beneath my wings that will carry my life and ministry to a higher place.

Vacation or Sabbatical

For some time now I have been trying to define the difference between and vacation and a sabbatical. I'm not sure that I have all the answers or that I even know how to put what I do know into words. What I do know, by experience, is that they are not the same. When I am on vacation, I take a total break from my work. A textbook pastoral sabbatical, on the other hand, is about one third work and one third R & R to get ready to go back to work. I don't know what my ratios have been. I do know that I have worked and I have had some wonderful rest time.

This summer I have taken classes and read books. I have cleaned up some files and set up a new computer for my work. I have read a pile of great books. I have done some decorating in my church office. I have answered the phone and enjoyed conversations with church members on the other end of the line. I have visited with a number of church members whose paths happened to cross mine. And I have had the privelege of making a hospital visit and bereavement visit this summer. I have checked out a number of churches in the area to see what I could learn.

This has been a sabbatical. I think that the balance of work and rest has played well for me. And I am grateful for this wonderful gift of time to better balance my life and ministry for the future.

Dr. Pace

Yesterday my friend Ivan stopped by for lunch and conversation. Ivan wrote his doctoral dissertation on the subject of pastoral burnout, so I was eager for any advice he could give on how to better pace life and ministry in a sustainable way.

He had one piece of advice: Not to push myself too hard in the early weeks of my return. Yes there will be people to reconnect with and yes there will be numerous issues to catch up on, but I need to maintain a steady pace.

The genius of what Ivan had to share with me was the questions he asked me to think through: (1) What are the things that trigger stress for me? That is important to identify so that I can minimize the occurrence of such events and better deal with such stresses when they arise. (2) What is my philosophy of ministry? What is my mission in life and ministry, and what are my governing values? (3) What are my expectations? Are they in reasonable alignment with what my churches expect of me, or way beyond?

These are all good issues for any of us to think through and apply to our particular lives and businesses.

Under a Rest

This morning I started writing the sermon for my first Sabbath back. I'm calling it "You Are Under a Rest" and it is drawn from Mark 6:30-32. So far the writing is coming easily. I looking forward to this opportunity to reconnect with my church family, share what God has done in my life this summer, and encourage my friends to take quiet times to rest in the Lord.

Time Out

Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgment...Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller, and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen. --Leonardo da Vinci

Work and Play

Right now I am living in the world of work and play. I'm working on a couple of sermons. The first I am calling "You Are Under a Rest" and is drawn from Mark 6:30-32 where Jesus invited His disciples to a quiet place for some essential R & R. The second I am calling "Better Than Coffee". It's about the devotional life and is drawn from Mark 1:35.

For play today I am going mountain biking. I haven't done that for a long, long time. I want to explore a new corner of the Foothills Park. Tomorrow Linda and I will enjoy a picnic lunch in the Healdsburg Square and go window shopping.

Work and play -- sounds like a fun and balanced approach to life right now.

Retreat

This afternoon I enjoyed a retreat in the hills. I took a notebook with me and as I walked along, and as I stopped from time to time, I asked myself some important questions--

What have I learned from this sabbatical experience?

How am I going to do life and ministry differently?

What do I need to do between now and the end of the month to be ready to hit the road running?

Who are the people I need to connect with quickly in order to get my finger on the pulse of church life?

Who are the people who will need immediate pastoral care?

What are the major issues I am aware of on the immediate horizon?

What will I do differently with my next sabbatical seven years from now?

It's a beautiful day. It was fun to forget about time (I left my watch at home.) The fresh air, sunshine, walking, prayer time, and ministry reflection are exactly what I needed to do. Two more weeks!

Impressionistic Art

Yesterday my sister and I met up at the De Young Museum in San Francisco to take in the Birth of Impressionism exhibit. We were able to get up close and enjoy the early impressionistic masterpieces of Monet, Degas, Bezille, Manet, Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, and others. The colors, textures, and designs were amazing. It was fun to listen to the stories of the paintings and take in messages that might be missed by the casual observer. One of the new things I learned was how many of these revolutionary artists were actually of band of brothers. A circle of close friends. They exchanged ideas and even painted portraits of each other.

The Birth of Impressionism is on display until September 6. Go and check it out. Then Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond: Post Impressionistic Masterpieces will be on display from September 25-January 18. Both exhibits are from the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. I guess they are doing renovations to the Orsay, and so we here in the Bay area are able to enjoy two of their exhibits back-to-back - a very rare gift indeed.

Getting Ready to Go Back to Work

Three more weeks and I'll be back in the saddle. I'm in transition. I'm getting ready to go back to work. I'm getting a bit introspective. I'm asking myself what I have learned and writing it done. I'm making a list of things that need to be done in the next few weeks. And a list of things that need to be done first thing when I get back. And a list of things I'm going to do different from now on. I'm almost through cleaning up my computer files from the last 25 years. I've been cleaning up my desk and work environment. I'm eager to reconnect with my church family -- that will be the most fun part of it all.

The Love Dare

At the beginning of the summer Linda and I spent a morning watching "Fireproof" together. It was a deeply moving story that set the tone for some important marriage enrichment. Morning by morning through the summer we have read the companion book to the movie -- "The Love Dare". The book has had the ability to both affirm the good things we are already doing in our marriage and challenge us to employ better approaches to the challenges and opportunities we share.

I wonder -- what are you doing to educate and enrich your marriage and your important relationships? What books are you reading? What movies are you watching together? What seminars are you attending? What is happening in the conversations you are sharing together? Dare to truly love. Dare to fireproof your marriage, family, and other important relationships.

Garden Therapy

My good friend Ellen White writes: If a minister, during his leisure time, engages in labor in his orchard or garden, shall he deduct that time from his salary? Certainly not, any more than he should put in his time when he is called to work over hours in ministerial labor. Some ministers spend many hours in apparent ease, and it is right that they should rest when they can; for the system could not endure the heavy strain were there no time for letting up. There are hours in the day that call for severe taxation, for which the minister receives no extra salary, and if he chooses to chop wood several hours a day, or work in his garden, it is as much his privilege to do this as to preach. A minister cannot always be preaching and visiting, for this is exhaustive work. {Ev 660.2}

Through the years I have found that working in the garden is good therapy for the soul. That’s what I like to do most on Sundays. And that has been a regular activity for me through the summer months. Yard work relaxes me. It exposes me to fresh air, sunshine, and exercise. It gives me a chance to listen to some helpful podcasts, and to settle my spirit with good music. It gives the Holy Spirit some quiet spaces to move across my thoughts. It spurs fresh creativity.

Because of the heavy rains last winter and a couple of trips in the spring, my yard work really got behind. I think that by the end of the summer I will have my spring cleaning done .

Sailing on the Bay

Today I went sailing with Larry Bissell on the San Francisco Bay. We sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge and then back along the city. We went past Alcatraz and around Angel Island. We saw harbor seals and harbor dolphins. I had a great time!

Family Fun

Doing Disneyland

We just got back from doing five days at Disneyland. I have been dropped, hurled, flung, drenched, and wowed with a variety of rides and shows.

What's new that particularly impressed me? The "Wonderful World of Color" show is simply amazing. Think of it as Fantasmic bumped up a hundred points. It is a combination of fountains, lights, lasers, projections, and music that provide a wonderful end to a Disney day. The new Toy Story Mania attraction is a fun-filled midway arcade kind of ride that I liked. And the vegetarian options at the Disney eateries have a lot more to offer than I have seen in the past.

The best part of it all was having time with family. Both kids were with us for the week. On the way down to Southern California and back we were able to visit with my parents and brother.

I had fun. Now I'm ready for some quiet time at home.

The View

Tea Time

Done

My Digital Photography class is done. I am no longer just a point and shoot man. I know how to work ISOs and White Balance. I know how to work with a histogram. I know how to adjust the exposure. I've picked up a few PhotoShop skills. My pictures have improved. There's a lot in the class I didn't understand, but I am ahead of where I was six weeks ago. I'm glad it's over. I'm ready to move on to other stuff. I might even get some reading in before the end of the summer. PS: You can look for my two portfolios on my FaceBook account.

Beyond the Pane

I took this picture somewhere between Hanford and Lemoore. I got inside this totally trashed house and the view through the broken window was pretty amazing at sunset. I really like the depth of field.

Sometimes pictures are a metaphor for life. Beyond the broken pain there is always hope for the Christian. I'm especially glad for that today. I just lost my friend Duane. And right after I found out about that, I got word that my brother-in-law Kevin had lost his Dad.

I'm glad for that which lies beyond the pain!

Bevy of Petunias

The Russian River Rose Company is a family run garden business in Healdsburg. Across the balcony of their home is this amazing bevy of petunias.

Seven Keys

I started a new book last night -- Seven Keys: Unlocking the Secrets of Revelation, by Jon Paulien. Dr. Paulien is Dean at the Loma Linda University School of Religion and one of our best scholars in the book of Revelation. This book is full of solid stuff that is easy to read and understand. The material is also well organized -- something that I appreciate. I'm ready to sit down and read a few more pages.

Come Rest a While

Half Time

Today marks the half way point of the sabbatical. The time has flown by and soon enough, I will be back in the saddle again. I am told that people are asking how I am doing -- I am doing fine. The first week was a time of fatigue and trying to catch up on some rest. The second week we moved Jeff. The last 5 weeks have been spent taking a class -- I've learned a lot and will be glad when it is over in another week. Soon we will have both kids with us for a week. Then its back into the school year for Linda and transitioning back to work for me.

One of the things that has surprised me in this journey is that I have not been very introspective. I have wondered about that and come to the conclusion that a lot of that was taken care of when I wrote the grant proposals last year. And it is possible that some of that will take place later in the summer. My days are rather loosely structured. I'm enjoying a quiet rhythm of life. I get some exercise each day, spent some time in the garden and with my family, and take care of class work. I'm chipping away at my reading list and watching some great movies.

I'm enjoying the moment and grateful for the gift of this sabbatical. And I'm grateful for my church family and their support in this venture.

We've Got It Good

I have just gotten home from yet another weekend out and am realizing just how good we've got it here. For starters, the climate is about as perfect as it gets this side of Heaven. It is 15 to 20 degrees hotter in the places I have been lately. And the humidity level here is pretty good -- not very sticky and not so dry that it is hard to breath.

The big difference for me is church. Sabbath morning worship, in the churches I have been in lately (Is there any nice way to say it?) has been rather boring for me. That's probably good, because it reminds me how fortunate I am to be in a place where worship is fresh and vibrant. The music is good. The worship leaders know what they are doing. The speakers have something helpful and encouraging to say. It is more than just a bunch a quotes strung together. The people are alive and connecting with God.

I am blessed to live and serve right here!

What I'm Reading

So far the summer has not given me the reading time I might have expected, but I have still gotten in some good books.

Just this morning I finished reading through the gospels, looking to see how Jesus built margin into His life. The busiest man who ever lived took time to eat and sleep. He got His exercise as He moved about the countryside. He often went into retreat mode -- He would go out in the early morning hours to pray. Sometimes He would even hide from the crowds (Mark 9:30-32) -- Evidently the public person has to have some private time if they are going to remain effective in public. One passage that particularly struck me was the time when Jesus was sleeping on the boat (Mark 4:38) -- He rested on a cushion! Evidently we all need to build a few cushions into our lives.

Other books --

Adrenal Fatigue (Wilson) has been an interesting read. The author has some helpful diagnostic tools to help you identify if you have adrenal fatigue and at what level. I've got it, but thankfully it is only at level one (not quite level 2). The writer then goes on to describe how to kick the healing process into high gear -- diet, exercise, vitamins, etc. It is at this point that things get a bit complicated -- where do you start?

R. Loren Sandford has written a book called "Renewal for the Wounded Warrior: A Burnout Survival Guide for Believers". As it turned out, the book is the catharsis of a charismatic preacher who journeyed through stage three burnout -- which is not my situation. The book seems to not so much address the issue of burnout, but how to keep going when moving through the dark night of the soul moments of prolonged human suffering.

I am very much enjoying reading Cymbala's "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" -- the story of how God brought revival to the Brooklyn Tabernacle. In one chapter he tells the story of a guest pastor who said, "You can tell how popular the church is by who shows up for the worship service. You can tell how popular the pastor is by who shows up for the evening service. You can tell how popular Jesus is by who shows up for the prayer meeting."

So what have you been reading lately?

Time With Family

Linda and I spent a long weekend with my family -- Mom and Dad, brother Ken, sister Becky and brother-in-law Kevin. A few aunts and uncles and cousins got thrown into the mix at different times over the weekend. It was good to have time together, especially as Dad and his sisters are processing their brother's death last week. The graveside services will be held on Friday and I have been asked to officiate -- pastors not only pastor their churches, they pastor their families as well.

On Sabbath we worshiped at the Lemoore church. Pastor Dennis preached a classic Adventist sermon out of Revelation 13 on the subject of America in Prophecy. It is a timely topic -- I just wish we could find better ways to identify and communicate the personal and practical value of such an important message.

It's good to be home for a few days. I need to get ready for the service on Friday and I need to put some serious work into my two photo portfolios.

Uncle Edward

My Dad called at 6:00 this morning to let me know that Uncle Edward had passed away during the night. He was 80 years young.

Uncle Edward was an electrician and he loved to use his gifts to help God's work go forward. There are dozens of churches across this country and overseas that are all wired up, thanks to Uncle Ed. He also like to make burl clocks. He made scores of them for the Adventist media ministries who would in turn sell them to generate financial resources with which to keep going.

Uncle Ed's health slowly slipped away in recent years. Several weeks ago, while home alone, he slipped and fell in the driveway while trying to get his trash can out to the curb. He laid there for 20 hours before being found by a postal carrier. Uncle Ed was taken to the hospital and later transfered to a nursing home where he finished out his life here on earth.

Uncle Ed was a growing Christian. Through the years God mellowed him into a sweat, Christian gentleman. I'm looking forward to seeing him on the resurrection morning when Jesus comes.

Sabbath in Calistoga

Today I went to church in Calistoga. The church is made up of almost 200 members. The building is modest, but representative. The people clearly love their church -- you can feel it as soon as you walk through the doors.

The Sabbath School class was taught by Janet Borisevich-Mezenov, an old friend from PUC days that I had not seen in a long, long time. The English professor in her came through very clearly. She was articulate and stimulated thoughtful discussion. PUC is blessed to have her on their faculty roster.

The worship service was in two phases. The first phase was more of a church family time. There was a song service, welcome, and announcements. The Beginners Sabbath School made a presentation -- thirteenth Sabbath style. What was interesting to me was that this department is not led by young mothers, but by perky, energetic grandmother types. Then there was a children's story. Phase one went for about 45 minutes and then things transitioned into the more formal worship service. The whole thing felt very traditional, and yet there were simple worship choruses sung as congregational responses and there was a garden of prayer. The sermon was given by a young Bible worker who shared his conversion story. And as can happen, the chorister and worship elder didn't seem to know what they were doing at times. The congregation just rolled with it and told them what the next thing was suppose to be when things got mixed up.

I am quickly coming to the conclusion that church hopping is the pits. I like having a church home with the people who make up my church family. These are the people I do life and ministry with. We worship together every Sabbath. We do church in a way that is honest in terms of who we are in Christ. I like exploring how things are done in other churches, but I thrive best in my own church home. How many more weeks until I can return?

Calming Down

Last night while we were waiting for our photo class to begin the woman who sits behind me asked for assistance with some technical matter. The woman sitting next to her jumped right in and said, "Don't ask him!" I just smiled and said, "You got that right!" Deep down inside I was laughing my head off.

I'm not stressing out about this class anymore. Bit by bit many things are beginning to click for me. Some things still don't make sense, and that's okay. The prof is low key and somewhat fluid with his expectations and assignments. I'll get done what I can get done and let the rest go. If I pass, great! If I flunk, who cares? I will still know more than I did when I got started.

This weekend I need to start working on my two portfolios projects. I have gotten clearance from the Russian River Rose Company to do some photo shoots at their place -- they are just around the corner from where Wanda Seiber lives. They've got some great roses and really fun stuff in their yard.

Last Wednesday I also picked up a communications class held at the Marriott in Santa Rosa. The class was a lot of fun. One thing I have learned about small group, one day seminars -- tell the presenter early on in the day who you are and what kind of work you do and they will tailor a lot of their presentation around your issues.

General Conference is in Day 3. Today officers were elected: Ted Wilson, President: GT Ng, Secretary; Robert Lemon, Treasurer. I really think we need to pray for God's guidance in these meetings through the coming week.

Tomorrow I'm going to visit the Calistoga Church -- I'll keep you posted.

Stressing Out

I am technologically challenged. There – I’ve admitted it. So what did I do? When I’m suppose to be relaxing, I went and signed up for a digital photography class. I can no longer rest in the comforts of all that automatic stuff – I have to learn how to understand and manage the diverse manual settings. And the whole thing is stressing me out. Kind of stupid, isn’t it? My family keeps reminding me to figure out what I can and let go of the rest and to just have fun with all this. Slowly I’m catching on.

Digital Photography Class

Today begins the second of five weeks in my digital photography class at SRJC. I think I am starting to get the hang of it. Things like ISOs and White Balance are starting to make sense. I’ve got a lot to learn. My big problem right now is that there is a sensor spot inside my camera and it shows up on all my pictures. Hopefully we will be able to get that cleaned up tonight. The other night the woman sitting next me said, “So why are you taking this class?” Good question. I’m taking it because I want to develop my photography hobby. I’m taking it because it will enrich my creativity. And I’m taking it so that I can step outside the church world and meet real people in the community.

Bumping Into Friends

Yesterday Linda and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary. While we were enjoying dinner at a Healdsburg restaurant, in walked Richard, Nikki, and Bradley Privat. They sat at the next table and we enjoyed talking back and forth. Suddenly Richard leaned in close to tell me some church news. Nikki immediately jumped in to tell him that he could not talk about church things. The whole thing cracked me up. First of all, I wanted to know about the item Richard had to share with me. Second of all I appreciated Nikki's efforts to protect my sabbatical.

Today I worshiped at the Santa Rosa Church. Again I bumped into special friends. The Bresees and Labrucheries were there. And we talked ... LOL. From time to time I hear about the worship services at Santa Rosa. I found the people to be friendly. The music was well done. The praise band had piano, two guitars, a bass,and drums. Four men carried the vocals. The drums did not offend me. I just wish I had known more of the songs -- at least half of them were not familiar to me. I also appreciated the fresh approach Pastor Ron took in his Father's Day message. After taking 10 or 15 minutes to lay the foundations for his message, he invited 4 dads up for a panel discussion. I loved the humor and honesty. And I was touched by the invitation for dads to come forward for a special prayer of blessing.

After the worship service I enjoyed talking with my friend Brad Gienger. He has just been picked up by the Dakota Conference and that is such exciting news. Now they just have to decide if they are going to put him right into a pastorate or send him straight to seminary. Either way, he is a happy man. Especially with his marriage to Kristen just a few weeks away.

Axioms

Lately I've been thinking about the axioms I live by. Here is a starter list:

It’s not about me
It’s all about Jesus
It is a privilege to serve
God first. Family second. Work third
Give more than you take
My relationships are more important to me than my being right
Be conservative with yourself and liberal with others
The attitude choice is always mine
Always believe the best about others
Negative monkeys can not climb on my back unless I stoop down and invite them on
Always take the high road
Money always follows vision
Live within your means
You can’t out give God
I don’t have to -- I get to
Do whatever it takes
You can eat an elephant one spoon full at a time
The way to avoid criticism is to say nothing, do nothing, be nothing
QTIP: Quit Taking It Personally
When leading a church, it is better to work with the cultural grain of that church instead of against it
I feed the horses that show up
Listen to your critics not only for what you can learn about yourself, but about them as well

Moving

Last Tuesday evening Linda and I flew up to Seattle to spend a few days with our kids. On Wednesday and Thursday we packed Jeff up and on Friday we cleaned out his apartment. On Sunday we drove home and dropped all Jeff's stuff in the garage. This makes the fifth move in our family in the last 5 years. I really hate moving. Just let me stay where I am with the people I love!

On Sabbath we went to camp meeting. This is the first time since I was a teenager that I was able to go to camp meeting and not be on assignment. On Sabbath morning I attending the thirty something Sabbath School. They broke us up in small groups to work through a passage in the gospels. In our group was a young man with a scruffy beard and long dreadlocks. Normally I would write a guy like that off, but God taught me an important lesson about not judging people by their appearances. This guy has a true walk with God -- it showed not only in his face but in the quality of insights he had to share about the passage we were studying.

For the worship time Linda and I went with Jeff to the young adult tent (17-29 year olds). The speaker was Dr. Matt Gamble -- a young, up-and-coming preacher. Matt wrote his doctoral dissertation on the subject of effective preaching for young adults, so I was interested to not only hear his message, but to see how he did it. I'm the kind of guy who wants his sermons to hang together in a very logical, organized, 1-2-3 fashion. Not Gamble. He was all over the place. It was a full case of preaching with ADD. I guess it takes all kinds.

Ruthlessly Eliminate Hurry

One of the things I ask God for on a regular basis is that He will speak to my life through a reading of the Scriptures, sermons, podcasts, and other reading. Yesterday He spoke to me in a rather profound way.

John Ortberg, pastor of the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, is one of my favorire preachers. I enjoy listening to his podcasts. As I listened to one of his recent messages he told the story of the time he went to famed Christian philosopher Dallas Willard and asked, "What must I do to enjoy a healthy spirituality?" And Dr. Willard simply said, "You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life." He went on to distinguish between external business and an inner state of hurry."

That was the encouragement I needed to slow down and enjoy the easy cadence of a daily walk with Jesus.

Gelato Therapy

I'm all for healthy eating, but every now and then the human spirit must be fed a bit of extravagance. Today we made a trip down to Powell’s for a bit of gelato therapy. Just a small cup of tropical (pineapple and coconut) and burgundy cherry gelato. It sure was good! Every time I eat gelato, I am carried back to the Piazza della Signoria in Florence where I had my very first gelato. Just cattycorner across the piazza from the David replica is a very fine gelato shop with an amazing frozen mango confection. Then down the street going towards the Duomo is an even larger shop where each of the gelato trays is topped with a decorative piece of fruit. Gelato is health food – health food for the soul.

Sabbath Togetherness

Today we have enjoyed a quiet Sabbath together. This morning we watched Fireproof together. Then we went to the beach for a picnic lunch and a walk. It was foggy and a bit cool. Then we came home and spent more time reading and talking together. Tonight we're going to enjoy the updated Oklahoma. What a day -- me and the lady!

The Poet's Gift

Last Sabbath Ruth Welker put special effort into being at church. It was great to see her. Before going home she slipped a gift into my hands -- a book of her poetry. Now I am not a huge fan of poetry, and yet I am reading one of Ruth's poem each day and am blessed by her gift. Ruth has a profound love for God, a colorful perspective of nature, and a lyrical way with words. This morning's poem was especially encouraging:

O for a lonely little spot
To sit alone and rest~,
To let your thoughts just wander by
And feel that you are blessed!


To see the beauty all around,
The grass its deepest green,
The leaves that shimmer in the sun,
Displaying silver gleam.


The little country road is laced
With brushes all around:
They slightly quiver in the breeze
And listen to its sound.


The sunlit sea of drifting clouds~
Like a majestic band~
In faithfulness pursue their course,
Held by eternal hand.


O for a lonely little spot
To sit alone and rest~,
To feel your heart from burdens freed
And know that you are blessed.

Go Take a Nap

I grew up on the adage, "Don't just stand there -- Do something!" Right now I'm thinking about that whole thing in reverse. Perhaps there are times when it is best to not do something and to just stand there. Or sit. Or even lie down. Probably the two most significant things I have done today is to have my devotions in a hot tub of water and to take a nap. It felt good.

What I'm Feeling

Last Friday night Linda said, "I want to talk. I want to know what you are feeling go into this summer break." At that point I had no idea what to tell her. Now I have a little bit of an answer.

I feel like a college kid who has just taken their last final and is now on summer break. Just like the college kid taking their finals, life has been intense for the last few weeks. I'm tired. I'm relieved. I'm resting up for a few days and will then be ready to take on the summer adventure.

I'm also feeling an uncomfortable, but healthy stretch in my faith. I keep thinking, "I hope so and so will take care of ____ at the church. I hope such and such will happen" and it is totally out of my control. I have to let go. I have to let God take care of the whole thing. Not a bad spot to be!

Day One

Today is Day One of my sabbatical. I’m excited. I’m prepared to embrace this journey. I fully anticipate a profound sense of rest and renewal as the Lord leads me through the quiet spaces of the next three months.

People have asked why I am doing this. I suppose that it could be argued that this is the right thing to do because the Northern California Conference provides such a benefit for qualifying pastors. It could further be argued that after 32 years of intensive pastoral ministry that it is time to take a break. While both of these explanations are valid, they seem rather inadequate for me. I am taking this sabbatical because I believe that it is in the best interest of the two churches I serve.

I believe that healthy pastors are essential for healthy churches. I believe that churches deserve to have pastors who are fresh and vital. Pastors who are brimming with creative ideas. Pastors who have the ability to look their people in the eye and fully engage in a meaningful conversation. Pastors who can move with the rhythms of their congregations. Pastors who are sure about their calling and clear about their vision.

People have also asked what my plans are for the coming three months. In my morning devotions I plan to study the gospel stories and identifying the strategies Jesus used to build margin into His busy life. I plan to take time to forge strong connections with my wife, children, parents, and siblings. I plan to take some classes: Digital photography, How To Be An Outstanding Communicator, and the Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics course. That last class should help me to cut through the stack of books I want to read during this renewal break. I look forward to the therapy of time spent working in the garden. I want to take a number of day trips that will open up new vistas in creativity, spur reflective thought, and connect me to my local community. And

I invite you to check in every few days – it will be our way of staying in touch over the next few months. We can share spiritual insights, discoveries, and personal news. We can truly journey together.

Coming Soon!

Check back on June 1 for the first entry in my sabbatical blog -- dbm