Day 14

It is finally sinking in on a day to day basis that I am on sabbatical. I think I knew this, but the pressure of ministry has less to do with where I am at and more to do with the response or interaction that I choose to have with people. So I am going to the same places and just choosing not to get involved- choosing not to engage the part of who I am that sees beyond the superficial communication that we all provide in everyday life.

In the back yard I've replaced four 4x4 posts that support our fence. They go about 3 feet down into the ground. I'm glad I'm digging these up when its 70 out and not 100 and humid. Smiley pulled a few for me before he demolished the shed which saved me a lot of work. Thanks dude.

I've also been working for Atomic Sports (t-shirt business a family at HMBC own) a couple of mornings putting numbers on the back of shirts for summer league teams. It's mindless and I'm perfect for the job.

Helped mom and dad around the house: bought a Colorado Spruce for the backyard, mowed, trimmed, transplanted grasses, sprayed weeds and ran off the swallows. Not only do those birds dive bomb you continually, they also were trying to make the most nasty nest on dad's front porch window. Deb Buhrman suggested hanging a CD to scare them away. An excellent idea that worked!! Thanks, Deb. I always wondered what I should do with that "5150" disc.



One of my former youth (Jared Redding) is an RA at Tabor College. He asked me to come share at their end of the year floor party. Pizza, mod awards, year end achievements and handing out floor shirts. I talked about the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14+). As I studied I was convicted by the third guy who dug a hole and buried his talent. He is described as being scared and lazy. As I examine my own life, I find that as I hear God call me to action, I am tempted to respond in fear (what if I fail? can I really trust God to work through me?) or I am lazy (obedience is a lot of work; when I do trust God, I also have to invest effort). Never fails that as you prepare to teach others, God stretches and speaks to you.

Tonight Carson and I went to see Iron Man 2. We had so much fun! He is almost a 7th grader. It is cool to see him maturing, even if it is at a junior high pace.