Sunday Night

Actually, the post title is a lie -it is really now 12:20 something Monday morning, but for me it is still Sunday night. Last night (Saturday) at work was nearly my last night on the job as all kind of crap occurred. First, I discovered that my going in early on Friday (at management request) had screwed up my time and showed a missed shift for Friday -- not fun. I finally got a note to the manager on duty about 10PM and he promised to fix it so that my pay will be correct on Friday -- we shall see. I didn't get my lunch break until I had worked nearly six of a seven hour shift and then I almost had to beg to get it. On top of that, I had a problem at the register I was on and called the appropriate person -- who came over (finally) and talked to me as though I were an idiot (in front of the customer). This is a "kid" (probably about 20) whose rear end is immense (I mean when this girl walks past all I can picture in my mind is "slosh, slosh, slosh"). She does not handle the stress of her job well and takes out her stress level and her physical discomfort (an ass that wide has to hurt to carry on two legs) on the rest of us. It was -- shall I say?? -- nutso! Tonight was a bit better at work and big butt was a bit nicer.

This morning I did the church thing and it went okay I think. The past three Sundays have been kind of a free flow sermon series encouraging the congregation to a sense of ownership and purpose. I preached on "Possess the Land" (It's not enough to arrive and sit down, but we like Israel need to POSSESS it). Last week I preached "Press on" (keep striving forward and don't rest on the accomplishments of the past). Today's message was from Proverbs "Without a vision the people perish" (It dealt with focusing a vision for self and for congregation and in the light of the previous two messages, moving forward to take ownership of that vision and "become" that vision). I was quite pleased with it -- now if only it will encourage some folks to step into the batter's box and take a swing at being church. We shall see. We have two outside guests (denominational powerhouses) coming to visit in the next few weeks and that may build on what I preached. I have four more months on my contract to help them get in shape for a healthy future -- a real challenge.

Now I sit here having arrived home at 11:45PM to a sleeping Ben and a dark house. I kissed him on the forehead and he didn't stir, so I let him sleep. Soon I will join him. I don't go to work until 4PM tomorrow so I pretty much have the whole day to get ready.

That's about all for now from this locale (as Ben puts it -- twenty miles from Hell). Hug someone and get some sleep. That's where I'm headed in a minute.