Duke BASKETBALL is COMING!

My husband may have his fantasy football league to keep him occupied and interested in sports, but I have my Duke Blue Devils to keep me company!  And the countdown begins until the season starts!  Their schedule is locked into my day planner with special occasions like the Duke vs. UNC rivalry game highlighted in Duke Blue!

Less than a month away... but I can feel March Madness already!!

Go to he&^ Carolina, go to he%$!!!

Grandma's Advice

I have not blogged much lately and that is because I am taking my grandmother's advice!  She would often remind me with her blue eyes piercing my soul, 'If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all!"

Well, I have nothing nice to say about my recent diet. 

(crickets...)

Change in Appointment?

Not so long ago, one of my clergy colleagues asked with fascination, humor, and dismay, "But how do you have an appointment for that long?"

At first, because of the person's tone, I wondered if I had caught a horrible disease that threatened myself and others.  Then, reason took over and I was reminded that most United Methodist clergy who are elders serve an average of 4-6 years in one appointment.  Years ago the average was 2-3 years.

And here I am finishing the first quarter of my 14th year!  I currently hold the second longest tenure of any elder to serve Calvary United Methodist in Brownsburg.  Gosh- this appointment has lasted longer than most marriages! Ouch. I've been at Calvary longer than it takes kids to go through their basic public education.  Yikes! When you put that all together and hold it in perspective then my situation adds up to being odd.

And I am odd.

But then, odd or unusual or extraordinary describes the working of God's presence in our lives.

My answer for my colleague or anyone else is this..."Oh, Calvary has not been just one appointment in 14 years.  I have served 4 very specific appointments during my 14 years here."  The various transitions this congregation and I have accomplished together look like...

• Appointment #1- retirement of senior pastor after his 18 years of service and transition to new/different senior pastor leadership (while serving full time)
• Appointment #2- selling of 4th building and grounds, transition to temporary ministry, construction of new facility, (while a new mother and serving less than full time)
• Appointment #3- massive growth after relocation (while serving less than full time)  Close to 1,000 members
• Appointment #4- size transition adjustments (return to full time service)

Not every appointment is so extensive in it's offerings and opportunities for growth, change, and transition which cause a pastor to flex her various vocational skills as Calvary has been for me.  Whew!

All this reminiscing wears me out and excites me at the same time to step back and observe the entire situation!

It's About More than the Fish!

Our annual Fish Fry begins tonight with soggy conditions!  I am sure the fish are not as happy as this fine fellow, but the people will be!

When my husband walked in our door after his long day at work- he immediately said, "That smell is torture!"  Our diets prevent any eating of the sweet smelling pecan pies I had just baked.

And so it goes, we fry fish, we set up tents, we wrap fish, we eat, or we are eaten by bees and bugs in our tabernacle of dining!

Happy Fish Fry folks, this is my 14th one!

So Many Things to Blog About

Some times I become overwhelmed with possibilities.  And that can be a good thing because it brings out the fire of creativity.

Or it can be immobilizing.

Lately, there seems to be a plethora (love that word!) of stuff to blog about... like the conflict in Syria and whether or not the USA should have military action; or the rising black on black violence in major cities including Indianapolis; or the defunding campaign for Obamacare; and the list goes on.

So this past Monday instead of my usual blogging, I wrote to my US Senator, my US Representative, and our US President instead. I guess it was a blogging of a sort.

My writing exercise took the form of letting my voice be heard by those that are to represent me and my interests at the table of governmental and public policy leadership.  My good feeling about sharing my thoughts was buoyed by the quick email responses I received from two out of the three recipients.  You'll have to guess which one has yet to send me their standard email reply.

I am reminded that letter writing still holds power.  Good thing too since most of the New Testament is correspondence!

Which makes me want to ask- Who are you writing to? And what impact do your words have for you and for others?

Turned into September...

At our house the dog itches constantly (because of some sort of allergy) while the new little fishies are eating plenty good right now... and in the midst of the hubbub of pets our grass turned brown (requiring no lawn care whatsoever) and our flowers have waned.  Autumn approaches.

And with autumn comes a few special birthdays in our family, our BIG event known as the Fish Fry, NFL start, college football start, and my personal favorite... the countdown to college basketball season (the only true season that matters a hill of beans!)

I like autumn.

I got married in autumn.  My baby was born in autumn! Therefore, bring it on autumn!