One of my favorite things to do in ministry is to visit with church members who are getting ready to leave the church.
I’m kidding. It gives me an ulcer.
I remember, years ago in a previous ministry, meeting with a household that was very angry about a series of decisions the church leaders had made. I spent the hour in their living room, explaining the leadership’s actions and prayers leading to the decision, knowing the whole time that it was useless. They’d already made up their mind to leave. [Read more…]
The Lake of the Clouds Loop trail begins at the end of a road leading out of Westcliffe, Colorado. My husband and I arrived to hike it—or at least (we thought) the first few miles of it—on May 29. It was our 28th anniversary.
I’m a list maker. I love making lists. I make lists in my daily planner and my journal, on post it notes, used envelopes, scraps of paper, or even the back of my hand on occasion. It’s an organized thing to do. Problem is, I’m unorganized enough that I often lose my list. Still, it doesn’t matter. There’s something about just getting the list written that gives me a sense of satisfaction and control that is unparalleled by anything apart from the next anticipated action—crossing something off. Lists are good.