What Kind Of Day It's Been

Actually, what a extended weekend.

I've been feeling a little blue about leaving my hometown even though going to seminary is what I want to do, what I should do and what I am being called to do. One of the depressing things is leaving my family and friends behind and moving 10 hours away. What was piling on me was realizing that I have done a horrible job in keeping in touch with my high school friends and my college friends. I hadn't kept in touch and missed the people who were like brothers to me.

I got a flyer in the mail a week or so ago about a reunion that my HS football coach was putting together for July 7th. He coached at my HS for over 15 years, and coached a number of sports and was inviting all of his former players to a picnic. I was debating if I should go and ultimately decided to go. When I walked into the picnic pavillion, I saw several people who I had not seen since graduation night 20+ years ago. It was just like we had only seen each other a few days ago. I made sure to get email addresses and phone numbers so I can stay in touch. In fact, some people are getting this post emailed to them. We discovered that 6 of us from a two year span are ministers, youth ministers or going into the ministry (that last one's me). I left feeling so much better.

One of my friends stopped by later that night to see my parents. After talking with them, and sharing how much we meant to him while we were in HS, he stayed around my house and we talked for a few hours. He reassured me about my decision and talked me through my doubts and worries. I don't think he realizes how much I needed to hear what he said.

Last week, I got a phone call at work from one of my closest college friends. It seems he was at a calculus conference (he's a math teacher!) and ran into someone from my hometown. They talked, and my friend asked the other teacher if he knew me. He did, and told him that I was off to a seminary this fall. Which prompted the phone call. My friend wanted to find out what was going on. We talked for a while, and he told me he wanted to get together before I head to Gettysburg.
Well, my friend called me today. A classmate from college is having a party in a couple of weekends, and I should be able to get together with a bunch of fraternity brothers one more time before I head to seminary.

While I know, and have known, I am following God's call, I know I haven't been listening to the call. I am doing what God wants, but I've been doing it the way I think God has wanted. My HS friend pointed out that if I was Noah, I would have built the ark I thought God wanted, and not the ark God wanted. I've put myself in the driver's seat. I know better, but that hasn't stopped me. If I am truly turning my life over to God, I need to let Him be in charge.

I'm doing that. And God is removing my worries about abandoning friends by placing them before me. I am so happy that God provides us with our daily bread, no matter what form it takes.

Oh, BTW, I turned in my resignation letter today. When I got home, LTSG had a big packet of orientation materials for me.

God is GREAT!

Comments

David said…
You will be amazed at the number of times when God interrupts your life and gives you that pat on the back saying, "well done good and faithful servant."

My time at seminary has been so full of these little "God" moments jsut as you describe.

I now look back on my quitting a job I loved and a paycheck we needed and wonder what took me so long.

Grace and peace to you and your family. Hang on...it's a wild and exciting journey, but God doesn't promise to make it easy.
Law+Gospel said…
Like you, I am "leaving it all behind" to start at LTSG. When I finally decided to stop saying "no" to God's call and let God be God, I was, and continue to be, amazed. I worried how I would end my legal career, which involved a lot of litigation. Miraculously cases that I never imagined would resolve began to settle left and right, and in ways that could not have been seen. And the responses from both professional peers and friends, and others have been really reaffirming. I have found that when I let go of the steering wheel that I only think I am controlling, God does really great things. Whenever I am wondering how this is all going to work, a cool thing happens, like email from a fellow student, a comment from a parishioner about my assisting in worship. One day it was a totally random comment from a lawyer who I never really connected with who just had to tell me how great it was that I was traveling this new road and the respect he had for someone who is willing to listen to God. Whenever someone is just what ytou needed, there is God.

Popular posts from this blog

Oh Yeah, Football

Lutheran Carnival LV

Sermon + No They're Yours