August 30, 2017

“How was your day?”

“Fine.”

“What did you do?”

And so begins a typical conversation in a typical working-household on a typical night around the county after everyone has regathered at home following the work day.

What did I do today?

That can be a difficult question for me to answer because sometimes this job isn't necessarily about results or accomplishments or checking things off the to-do list. There are things that certainly have to get done . . . I have to make sure hymns have been selected; I have to make sure the bulletin is proofed; I have to make sure a sermon gets written. And those are the days when I know I'm doing something.

What did I do today?

I drove. A lot. I had four conversations. All important.

I met with the wife whose husband is dying and we discussed funeral plans. This is always good work, but it is also always hard work. It was a good conversation and I believe that she is in a place where the stress of worrying about the funeral service is now one less thing to be worried about. And we prayed.

I met with the husband. Due to timing, I wasn't able to spend very long with him, but the conversation was also good. He, too, is in a place that, for at least today, seemed to be fully aware and comfortable with this stage of life. And we prayed.

I talked with a friend of the above who has been asked to participate in the funeral. He had some good insights, for which I am appreciative. I gave him an update, for which he was appreciative. And together we will work to honor God, the husband, and care for the wife.

And I talked with the Chair of the Stewardship Commission about the upcoming pledge drive. We laid out a timeline. We set some goals. We bantered about the overall theme of the campaign. We came away feeling positive about where St. John's currently is and where we are headed.

What did I do today? Not much; just talked to a few people. But sometimes it's the conversations that make for good days.

How was your day?

Blessings