Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Time Never Asks What's Become of Us
Counting down the days now. That would be on the close order of nine, by the way.
Just before going to Radford for the LOGOS Conference last week, I got an email from the folks at New Mexico Skies that they were heading for Australia at the end of the week, and any reservations would be delayed after Friday, the 16th, as they would be leaving early that day. I remembered this on my way to choir at 6:30 pm on Thursday, the 15th. Of course. I called the folks at NMS and got hold of Lynn. She was finishing her supper and had packed away the computer and much of the paperwork, but she was able to take my reservation, after I finally made some decisions about the dates, September 2 - 9. Also reserved three of the big scopes, the 25-inch Dob, the 6-inch binoculars, and the 11-inch Celestron. She seems like a very nice lady, and clearly a strong, no-nonsense, Western sort.
The accommodations sound a little rustic, but reasonable. The one-bedroom cabin I'll be getting sounds like a converted RV, if I understood Lynn correctly. She asked if I were a large person, as there are a few tight fits, like the front door and the toilet being between the shower and the sink. I allowed as how I'm only about 10 pounds overweight and oughtta be able to fit. She said she tells everyone in careful detail, because she has had some people who have shown up who couldn't fit through the door! Mercy!
I also got my reservations set for Iona, September 25 to October 1. Took a few attempts to get the deposit on the bank card as it was an international transaction. Meanwhile, been working with Dad on getting the rest of the UK trip nailed down. We've got it figured to fly into Dublin, drive north to Derryboy, Armagh, and Londonderry, three likely sites for finding evidence of our ancestors. After a few days poking around the Emerald Isle, we'll fly to Aberdeen, Scotland, and base our Scottish activitites out of Cullen on the northeast coast. The flights are pretty wicked expensive at this point. I wish I knew what the trend is between here and mid-September.
Okay, well, I'm getting tired. We've still got VBS tomorrow, and I'm catching a cold. Jacob and Molly already have it. Meredith is working hard to avoid it, as she has a party planned for Sunday. Gotta get the pool cleaned up before then. So until next time, stay subscribed!
Just before going to Radford for the LOGOS Conference last week, I got an email from the folks at New Mexico Skies that they were heading for Australia at the end of the week, and any reservations would be delayed after Friday, the 16th, as they would be leaving early that day. I remembered this on my way to choir at 6:30 pm on Thursday, the 15th. Of course. I called the folks at NMS and got hold of Lynn. She was finishing her supper and had packed away the computer and much of the paperwork, but she was able to take my reservation, after I finally made some decisions about the dates, September 2 - 9. Also reserved three of the big scopes, the 25-inch Dob, the 6-inch binoculars, and the 11-inch Celestron. She seems like a very nice lady, and clearly a strong, no-nonsense, Western sort.
The accommodations sound a little rustic, but reasonable. The one-bedroom cabin I'll be getting sounds like a converted RV, if I understood Lynn correctly. She asked if I were a large person, as there are a few tight fits, like the front door and the toilet being between the shower and the sink. I allowed as how I'm only about 10 pounds overweight and oughtta be able to fit. She said she tells everyone in careful detail, because she has had some people who have shown up who couldn't fit through the door! Mercy!
I also got my reservations set for Iona, September 25 to October 1. Took a few attempts to get the deposit on the bank card as it was an international transaction. Meanwhile, been working with Dad on getting the rest of the UK trip nailed down. We've got it figured to fly into Dublin, drive north to Derryboy, Armagh, and Londonderry, three likely sites for finding evidence of our ancestors. After a few days poking around the Emerald Isle, we'll fly to Aberdeen, Scotland, and base our Scottish activitites out of Cullen on the northeast coast. The flights are pretty wicked expensive at this point. I wish I knew what the trend is between here and mid-September.
Okay, well, I'm getting tired. We've still got VBS tomorrow, and I'm catching a cold. Jacob and Molly already have it. Meredith is working hard to avoid it, as she has a party planned for Sunday. Gotta get the pool cleaned up before then. So until next time, stay subscribed!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Real Deal?
One of the things I have been working on over the past couple years is a greater sense of authenticity, that is that my inner world of thoughts and feelings is reflected in my words and actions, and vice versa. For someone like me who is a strong introvert in an extroverted profession, this can be a real challenge. Writing a blog for the congregation to read comes right up against that struggle. How authentic ought one to be on the internet? How honest is honest enough and how much is too much when journaling about private experiences for a public audience? I guess we'll find out as this experiment chugs along.
I want very much for this sabbatical to be a time of renewal in me, in my spirit. Over the twenty years of my ministry I have had a lot of youthful idealism and enthusiasm threshed out of me. To be honest, in the last couple of years it has been hard, really hard for me to generate and maintain much energy for my work. As I write this blog about my sabbatical experience, it is likely that I will reveal some of the holes in my soul, and that's a little scary. I hope that such revelations will come as I describe the ways those holes are being filled, but who knows? So does being authentic mean being completely honest and open about those sorts of things? I don't know. It would be a lot safer just to log the activities without comment, but that might also be pretty boring, and as I have suggested, it might be less than honest and authentic.
Well, if you find what I am writing to be appropriate, insightful, even helpful, I'd love to know that. If you find that it is Too Much Information and inappropriate, I'd like to hear about that, too.
Right now, I am authentically tired, so we'll have to take all this up again some other time.
Keep it real!
--D2--
I want very much for this sabbatical to be a time of renewal in me, in my spirit. Over the twenty years of my ministry I have had a lot of youthful idealism and enthusiasm threshed out of me. To be honest, in the last couple of years it has been hard, really hard for me to generate and maintain much energy for my work. As I write this blog about my sabbatical experience, it is likely that I will reveal some of the holes in my soul, and that's a little scary. I hope that such revelations will come as I describe the ways those holes are being filled, but who knows? So does being authentic mean being completely honest and open about those sorts of things? I don't know. It would be a lot safer just to log the activities without comment, but that might also be pretty boring, and as I have suggested, it might be less than honest and authentic.
Well, if you find what I am writing to be appropriate, insightful, even helpful, I'd love to know that. If you find that it is Too Much Information and inappropriate, I'd like to hear about that, too.
Right now, I am authentically tired, so we'll have to take all this up again some other time.
Keep it real!
--D2--
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