Typical Friday, and not

Today was a good day.  Today I finally felt like I was getting more organized for the new year, although I have been back from my vacation since like, January 10 (?).  Why do I feel like I have been lurching into the future at top speed without any control?

Finally today, I did some more long-range planning.  I especially examined some possible Continuing Ed opportunities throughout 2012.  Here are a few that I might attend:

Red, Green or Christmas? Phyllis Tickle speaks in Albuquerque at Covenant Presbyterian Church February 6

Mountain States Wee Kirk Conference; May 22-24 in Albuquerque - some interesting-looking seminars available for small church ministries (laypeople might benefit from this!)

"Preaching, Teaching & Living Justice...in an often unjust Society" with the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson at Ghost Ranch 7/30-8/5, part of the Kaleidescope Biblical Preaching series

Bold Word 2012 - an affiliation of the Society for Pastoral Excellence and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary has set up this event with presentations, etc. from some fantastic pastoral leaders, dynamic preachers, who also happen to be special people from my seminary days.  That's 10/9-10/12.

I still haven't figured out the whole thing, but these should be the big education opportunities to plan my life around.  I am kind of excited about the ideas of going on some trips and getting out, meeting folks.  I look forward to "gleaning" whatever I can from these programs.  If you're going to one of these, please drop me a line and we can meet up for coffee or something.

Experimental blogging

The name says it all.

By reading this, you are now viewing the results of experimental blogging.

Right now, the experimental aspect isn't so out of the ordinary.  The only experiment is writing with nothing absolutely at all to say.

I would like to think that I am special because of this, that somehow by not having much at all to say I am unusual in the "blogosphere."  Although, in a way, by my saying even that, I at least have just a little something to say.  Just a little.

So this is the result, in part, of "experimental blogging."  There are no standards in this kind of experiment, no ethical controls, no data restrictions, nor data coll -

No.  Wait.  Maybe there are.  Data is being collected right this second.  And... right now!  And now.  They're watching you read this crap.  "They" are those who we quote as being the experts in just about everything out there.  "They" are watching you right now and taking note that you are reading this drivel that I am currently writing.  Why are you still reading it?!!

Are you wondering why I have bothered to this?  I'm warning you.  This experiment isn't necessarily being conducted by ME on YOU.  I never promised it was.  It's on US!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
(imagine scary sound like you're falling down the stairs)

Sabbath? Huh?

I haven't posted anything since the entry called "Sabbath 2."  Is that because I haven't had one since?  I forget when I wrote that post, but once Advent was in full-gear, I believe I did get something of a Sabbath, oh about every 1.25 weeks or so.  Not too bad for a new pastor during a crunch time of year.  I was even getting enough exercise at the time.  It's just finding time for that "day of rest" required a whole different approach to figuring out what a "day" is.

Sometimes I guess you have to resign yourself to finding portions that add up to a day.  It takes a little more attention during a time when you are experiencing an overload of other tasks.  But I think the "intention" is as important as the "attention" you give to ensuring you have a Sabbath.
The "dream Sabbath" to me begins as:

• I luxuriate in restfulness between 5:30 and 7:30/8:00AM, 
• listening to the radio and 
• not thinking about anything I have to do that day, 
• then making coffee, 
• sitting down in the easy chair, 
• the cat jumps on my lap, 
• I flip through a book, 
• read the Bible,
• eat some cereal, 
• watch some CNN, 
• check e-mail, 
• surf the net,
• get some exercise, play some silly games on Wii, 
• cook something free-form, like soup or stew or a tossed pasta thing, 

and after that who knows?  That's a good start of the day but I always lose track of time on days like that.  I think that's a wonderful aspect of Sabbath for me is I can lose track of time.

If you cannot have that sort of Sabbath day, it's okay.  It's worth taking a moment to work it into your days.  I plan longer breaks in between stints of work.  I try to plan my work in 4 hour time chunks.  It works best for people who work out of their home.  I set my mind on a set of "tasks" that will work in that amount of time and plan to do it all in 4 hours.

Sabbath?  I need to be creative sometimes, especially during busy high church seasons, but a Sabbath is possible.  I believe in it!