Our Story So Far ...
It's been a while.
I mean, a really long while.
For those who regularly still have checked this, wow.
Since you're probably friends, gee, get a life.
If this shows up on a feed reader, you probably forgot about this blog. I did.
The last real post from me goes back to March of 2011, and was about waiting for ELCA Regional Assignments. I think I stopped blogging because I was "concerned" about the wonderful Synod staffs & congregations sniffing this out and hitting the big DENIED button.
Well, too late.
Since that last post, I got assigned to Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, the UP of Michigan and Wisconsin). Then I was called to the North West Synod of Wisconsin. I flew out to meet the Bishop & the Synod staff on my birthday. Got profiles of the churches which eventually called me.
Just before graduation, on the day I was putting on my play, "Four Voices, One Passion" (I'll get back to that in a future post), my mother was hospitalized. Turns out she had a heart attack and would need a defibrulator put in. But she wouldn't let them do that until she came out to Gettysburg to see me graduate.
Went back to Michigan to be with her through the surgery. Drove out with her to my graduation. Travelled back and forth from Gettysburg, Saginaw and Wisconsin. Got called to the communities I'm now serving in Wisconsin. Got ordained in my home church on my mother's birthday.
She came out here with me initially because she was still recovering. Mom stayed here until Fall, then we drove back to Michigan, with my car breaking down along the way. (Forgot to include that before moving out of Gettysburg, I had to have the rack & pinion replaced -- twice). Eventually got her home, got to go to Homecoming for my 25th Year class reunion from college. Came back to Wisconsin.
Mom came out for Christmas and was getting ready to go back in February (Wintering in Wisconsin -- she was a trend setter) when she called me at church that she fell and didn't remember what happened. She had passed out before her defibrillator fired. So she went into the hospital. Between her heart failure, COPD and kidney failure, the doctor's did all they could. But she passed away on Easter morning.
Went back to Saginaw for the funeral and to start to take care of her estate. I was too numb to deal with most of the stuff, so a lot got left up in the air. I'm still taking care of some of that stuff. I guess I've pissed off some relatives & friends who have been questioning my decision to go into the ministry and leaving my parents, then my mom, on their own. I say I guess so, because I don't hear from anyone, and when I do, I hear people are upset/disappointed with me. But as for not hearing from people, my dad used to say that the phone rings both ways, so I must plead guilty as well.
I only started to come back to what passes for normal during this fall, but then Christmas came up. Mom loved Christmas and so it was hard for me, especially being alone for the holidays.
But I'm getting my act together. Lent is going to be a challenge because I spent all of it last year driving to the hospital which is 40 minutes away. I really don't remember last year's Lent services. I know I was there, but I really wasn't.
Easter services are gonna be a challenge. Fortunately, I've got a bunch of them, so I'll be busy.
So to sum up, since I last really posted, I've been dealing with a lot of stuff.
I'm hoping to post more regularly. I've started writing manuscripts for my sermons, even though I rarely refer to the printed word when I give them. So I'll try to keep posting those. I will try to post other stuff here as well, and from time to time, I'm gonna talk about me.
You've been warned.
I mean, a really long while.
For those who regularly still have checked this, wow.
Since you're probably friends, gee, get a life.
If this shows up on a feed reader, you probably forgot about this blog. I did.
The last real post from me goes back to March of 2011, and was about waiting for ELCA Regional Assignments. I think I stopped blogging because I was "concerned" about the wonderful Synod staffs & congregations sniffing this out and hitting the big DENIED button.
Well, too late.
Since that last post, I got assigned to Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, the UP of Michigan and Wisconsin). Then I was called to the North West Synod of Wisconsin. I flew out to meet the Bishop & the Synod staff on my birthday. Got profiles of the churches which eventually called me.
Just before graduation, on the day I was putting on my play, "Four Voices, One Passion" (I'll get back to that in a future post), my mother was hospitalized. Turns out she had a heart attack and would need a defibrulator put in. But she wouldn't let them do that until she came out to Gettysburg to see me graduate.
Went back to Michigan to be with her through the surgery. Drove out with her to my graduation. Travelled back and forth from Gettysburg, Saginaw and Wisconsin. Got called to the communities I'm now serving in Wisconsin. Got ordained in my home church on my mother's birthday.
She came out here with me initially because she was still recovering. Mom stayed here until Fall, then we drove back to Michigan, with my car breaking down along the way. (Forgot to include that before moving out of Gettysburg, I had to have the rack & pinion replaced -- twice). Eventually got her home, got to go to Homecoming for my 25th Year class reunion from college. Came back to Wisconsin.
Mom came out for Christmas and was getting ready to go back in February (Wintering in Wisconsin -- she was a trend setter) when she called me at church that she fell and didn't remember what happened. She had passed out before her defibrillator fired. So she went into the hospital. Between her heart failure, COPD and kidney failure, the doctor's did all they could. But she passed away on Easter morning.
Went back to Saginaw for the funeral and to start to take care of her estate. I was too numb to deal with most of the stuff, so a lot got left up in the air. I'm still taking care of some of that stuff. I guess I've pissed off some relatives & friends who have been questioning my decision to go into the ministry and leaving my parents, then my mom, on their own. I say I guess so, because I don't hear from anyone, and when I do, I hear people are upset/disappointed with me. But as for not hearing from people, my dad used to say that the phone rings both ways, so I must plead guilty as well.
I only started to come back to what passes for normal during this fall, but then Christmas came up. Mom loved Christmas and so it was hard for me, especially being alone for the holidays.
But I'm getting my act together. Lent is going to be a challenge because I spent all of it last year driving to the hospital which is 40 minutes away. I really don't remember last year's Lent services. I know I was there, but I really wasn't.
Easter services are gonna be a challenge. Fortunately, I've got a bunch of them, so I'll be busy.
So to sum up, since I last really posted, I've been dealing with a lot of stuff.
from Bull Durham - NSFW (language!!)
I'm hoping to post more regularly. I've started writing manuscripts for my sermons, even though I rarely refer to the printed word when I give them. So I'll try to keep posting those. I will try to post other stuff here as well, and from time to time, I'm gonna talk about me.
Toby Keith - I Wanna Talk About Me
You've been warned.
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