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Hoosier Musings on the Road to Emmaus

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Tired

My, there's a lot to love about these places and people. And a lot of challenges, as we begin to know one another well enough for me to begin hearing what my Pastoral Care professor used to call "kitchen stories." These are not the the tales one tells when putting one's best foot forward, rosy images cleaned up for company. Those are "parlor stories." No, these are the Let Your Hair Down, Tell It Like It Is tales. They are good and bad, joyful and heart-rending stories of saints who are sinners, and sinners who are saints-- and even More Complicated Than That, because of the inherent nature of human relationships.

My reflex, of course, is to want to "fix" stuff: right the wrongs, heal the relationships, and tidy up the kitchen, all before suppertime. Yes, I know I can't do that. And though I do believe that God can, I also know that it won't happen overnight.

And so I listen, and learn, and pray. And that is exhausting work, sometimes as much as any physical labor.

Of course, other demands on my time continue:
  • Visiting shut-ins and hospital patients (thus far, a uniformly delightful lot!).
  • Meeting other local clergy of various stripes and traditions.
  • Digging through closets and cupboards and files, finding parish records and supplies.
  • Pushing around the piles of paperwork required to sate the powers and principalities of this world, all of whom want their pound of flesh Filed In A Timely Manner.
  • Phone calls, phone calls, phone calls. . . 'nough said.
Additionally, the sermon for Sunday is proving to be stubbornly elusive this week. Ephesians, swirling around with John, and nothing speaking clearly. Tomorrow is supposed to be my day off, but I think that part of it will be spent seeking some focus.

But not tonight. Tonight, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is approaching catatonic.

All done now.

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm thinking of that line about anger. It has been a while since I've told people that there's nothing wrong with being angry... As long as it doesn't consume you or cloud your judgement. Anger's an emotion like any other, neither good or bad.

That's probably where I'm headed with this sermon.

August 10, 2006 11:22 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reginald H. Fuller said, "If (the preacher) is following a course on the Ephesian parenesis, the homilist should first expound the indicative (Christ's life love for us in offering himself to the Father for our forgiveness), and then the imperatives that follow from it (forgiveness of others as we have been forgiven; cf.the Lord's prayer)."

From Preaching the Lectonary: The Word of God for the Church Today. The Liturgiacal Press. 1984 (Revised Edition) pp 334-336

August 11, 2006 2:10 PM  

Blogger Tripp Hudgins said...

I am finally goingto talk about food. I have been meaning to for this whole Johannine romp.

August 13, 2006 5:31 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Glad you are settling in.

August 14, 2006 8:19 PM  

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