Two years ago at just about this time, I wrote, "There are dear people we're leaving behind. The list, I'm afraid, is much too small, those folk who we will never, never forget. But one can't lead if one is too close to the flock, someone said. I've tried hard to believe that, failing at times, becoming too close on occasion. I pray I did all I could in this ministry, but I leave it, literally and figuratively, on Sunday. But come Monday everything changes. We drive like some modern Gypsies, headed not into the unknown as someone told me, but into the mission, into the calling that is what we do as ministers, pastors, preachers, teachers, lovers of the flock, leaders of the flock, shepherds of the meandering, murmuring, flock. Come Monday, we see if what has worked, works again; or do we change as the environment changes? Come Monday, we keep on keeping on keeping on. I'm writing these final words of the blog from the 42-year-old desk in Blond, La. I've written blogs read by persons from all over these United States, to Russia, to Australia, to Nigeria, to the Solomon Islands, to Turkey to as far as I know Mars and the outer planets featured in Firefly.
I thought, I really thought, we would be here till they made me quit preaching. At most that would be 12 more years, realistically eight. It didn't happen. Two years after swing into town on a strong vine, full of myself and ready to conquer the world, I -- we -- move again.
Since we came to Eunice, we've had North Korea being a pain in the collective butts of the world in 2012. But we also had a summer Olympics, Apple has unveiled IOS 6 and 7 as well as I-phone 5 and 5s, and the world didn't come to an end in December of 2012 as some who believed in the Mayan Calendar said it would. Hurricane Sandy beat up the Eastern seaboard. We got a new pope in 2013 even while the previous pope was still alive, we had hot spots pop up in the world, and North Korea was a pain the collective butts of the world in that year. Who knew that could happen? Two of our cats passed on, and we took in a baby to save it from the world outside our doors.
The more things change, the more they really, truly stay the same. In the end is our beginnings.
Look, if you really believe you are called by the most Holy God, then these things should fit together like clockwork. My clock continues but its a few minutes slow, kind of like me in the mornings.
I quote from my favorite prophet, Isaiah, this morning about what he felt about his "calling." "Listen to me, distant nations, you people who live far away! Before I was born, the Lord chose me and appointed me to be his servant. He made me sharp as a sword with his own hand he protected me. He made me like an arrow, sharp and ready for use. He said to me, 'Israel, you are my servant; because of you, people will praise me. ... Before I was born, the Lord appointed me; he made me his servant to bring back his people, to bring back the scattered people of Israel. The Lord gave me honor; he is the source of my strength."
Before I was born, the Lord appointed me; he made me his servant to bring back his people...
I've written more than 1,000 blogs now. I've had more than 38,000 page views in four plus years. Time continues to rage down life's corridor like someone on one of those raft rides at the amusement
parks we go to from time to time.
And through it all, I know I've stayed true to the call.
Not perfect in my living, but as near perfect as I can be toward my call.
I've preached as well and as hard as I can every time I've gone into the pulpit. I've tried to be the people person an introvert has difficulty being. I've tried to visit, tried to heal with prayers, tried to do all I could.
Now? Now we leave again. In the end is our beginnings.
This is my last blog from Cajun land. My last blog from the parsonage in Eunice, my last blog from Eunice Period.
We go on to the next adventure, a church re-start in a 100-year-old building on Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans, a new living place (in Jefferson, a burg of New Orleans), a new life with a co-pastor as we try to breathe life into what is on life support as we speak.
We go with less confidence than we had when we rode in, less assurance, less energy perhaps. But all those things have done is break me down to the point where I must, absolutely must rely on His teaching, His direction, His power, His way, His truth, His life. Not my own won't get 'er done in the new adventure.
I closed with these words two years ago: "But somewhere down the road, I know there will be tremendously strong arms reaching for me. And we'll start all this again. And the wisp of strength that I have will be supplemented by the Hulkish strength He has and together we can transform a church, churches, charge, community.
See, I'm just crazy enough to believe that. That's all it really takes, you know. Just a bit of crazy. Just a bit of "I can't, but I know You can." The next thing you know, you're flying.
Seems like it still holds true.
No blog Monday, as the movers get the most attention. See you again Tuesday.
To infinity, and beyond someone once said.
Before I was born, the Lord appointed me; he made me his servant to bring back his people...
I've written more than 1,000 blogs now. I've had more than 38,000 page views in four plus years. Time continues to rage down life's corridor like someone on one of those raft rides at the amusement
parks we go to from time to time.
And through it all, I know I've stayed true to the call.
Not perfect in my living, but as near perfect as I can be toward my call.
I've preached as well and as hard as I can every time I've gone into the pulpit. I've tried to be the people person an introvert has difficulty being. I've tried to visit, tried to heal with prayers, tried to do all I could.
Now? Now we leave again. In the end is our beginnings.
This is my last blog from Cajun land. My last blog from the parsonage in Eunice, my last blog from Eunice Period.
We go on to the next adventure, a church re-start in a 100-year-old building on Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans, a new living place (in Jefferson, a burg of New Orleans), a new life with a co-pastor as we try to breathe life into what is on life support as we speak.
We go with less confidence than we had when we rode in, less assurance, less energy perhaps. But all those things have done is break me down to the point where I must, absolutely must rely on His teaching, His direction, His power, His way, His truth, His life. Not my own won't get 'er done in the new adventure.
I closed with these words two years ago: "But somewhere down the road, I know there will be tremendously strong arms reaching for me. And we'll start all this again. And the wisp of strength that I have will be supplemented by the Hulkish strength He has and together we can transform a church, churches, charge, community.
See, I'm just crazy enough to believe that. That's all it really takes, you know. Just a bit of crazy. Just a bit of "I can't, but I know You can." The next thing you know, you're flying.
Seems like it still holds true.
No blog Monday, as the movers get the most attention. See you again Tuesday.
To infinity, and beyond someone once said.
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