RUNNING AROUND LIKE A NUT

“Let all things be done decently and in order.”  (I Corinthians 14:40)

I absolutely LOVE that verse.  Specifically, it deals with the use of the Gifts of the Spirit in a public service.  (And, nowadays it’s only Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that even ALLOW the use of the Gifts of the Spirit in a public service, anyway!)  But I like to apply that verse out of context and more broadly to everything in life because I just plain like things to be done “decently and in order”.  For you fans of, “The Odd Couple”, people have called me “Felix Unger”.  I’m actually less formal than Felix Unger and I’m just a tad messier than Felix Unger, but I AM much more of a “Felix Unger” than an “Oscar Madison”!  

About eighteen years ago, I watched a documentary about modern Japan.  The documentary focused on the Japanese work ethic. It showed how the Japanese are fastidious about being on time and doing an outstanding job.  It showed how they strive for excellence and conformity.  A young man who was watching the documentary with me said, “Ugh.  They can have it.  I would HATE to live like that!”  I was thinking, “What a WONDERFUL PLACE!  Too bad I wasn’t Japanese!”

I’m very systematic.  I operate off of “To Do Lists” and I USUALLY get the stuff done no matter what.  I have  a regular routine that I stick to “religiously”; and that has nothing to do with me being a minister.  I’m using “religiously” like the guy in the late 1960s Rolaids commercial who said, “I take Rolaids, religiously!”

My wife and I are going away to Missouri for the first couple of weeks of May.  (For anyone who is thinking about breaking into our residence while we’re gone, FORGET IT.  There will be adults living in the house the entire time we’re gone and it will probably be watched more carefully than it usually is!)  Our daughter Amy has TWO graduations in May.  She is in a joint Nursing training program with Evangel University and Cox College of Nursing- both schools are in Springfield, Missouri.  On May 4, Amy receives a B.S. in Health Science from Evangel, and on May 11, Amy receives a B.S. in Nursing from Cox College of Nursing.  Amy is graduating Summa Cum Laude!   (In my day, I graduated from college Cum Laude, and I though THAT was a big deal!)

Amy has an apartment in Springfield, Missouri with a friend and has a serious boyfriend there.  She’s been hired as a Pediatric Nurse at the local medical center.  I enjoy visiting Springfield because I graduated from Central Bible College on Springfield’s northside in 1979.  I actually get a little emotional every time I hit the Springfield city limits...kind of like the Beatles’ song, “There are places I remember all my life,  though some have changed...”  In fact, I’m seriously thinking of my wife and I retiring out there in about fifteen years.  

BUT, right now I’m “running around like a nut” and I HATE IT!

Between now and leaving for Rhode Island’s T.F. Green Airport on Tuesday morning, I have to literally do the equivalent of at least seven days worth of work and activity.  Yesterday, I prepared my sermon for this coming Sunday.  It was a “from scratch” sermon on Genesis 42.  Sometimes I do “pull an old sermon out of the files” which is what I’m doing for Sunday, May 13 (although you’ve got to PRETEND you didn’t read that or know that).  This morning, I made service appointments for all three of our cars for after I get home.  I also prepared tonight’s Bible study on “What the Bible Says About the Church” which is drawn from the Books of Ephesians and Colossians.  This afternoon, I will be working on preparing this Sunday’s Adult Sunday School class.  Back to the morning, I got handouts and “stuff” ready for my 23-year-old son that he will need as he teaches the Adult Sunday School class on May 6. Yesterday I got the tapes and tape labels ready for this Sunday, next Sunday, and the following Sunday. Sometime I have to prepare the May 13 Adult Sunday School class, also.  At some point, I have to write an instructional/reminder letter to the church leadership just reminding them of certain things that have to be done while I’m gone- like picking up the night deposit bag from the bank, for instance.  I also have to get attendance sheets ready for the midweek prayer meetings.  Tomorrow (Saturday) morning, I’m hosting and leading Men’s Fellowship.  I need to make sure I pick up doughnuts, have the coffee made, have enough cream and sugar, etc.  AND, we’re having a special day of prayer at our church tomorrow.  Although that will be going on for most of the day in the church’s main sanctuary, I doubt I’ll be in there for more than an hour.

Oh, did I tell you I have to get a bunch of my laundry done, and I have a bunch of stuff to bring Amy like her car title and other stuff.  I’m honored that at her “pinning ceremony” I am leading a Prayer of “Blessing of the Nurse’s Hands”. I found a great prayer in one of my “little black books” and I need to remember to bring that.  I need to pack everything I will need for the trip.  I’m flying NorthWest.  You may recall, I had a bad experience on NorthWest last August so I’m frankly nervous about that.  AND, I’m saying “I’M” because Mary Ann is flying out on May 2 and I’m flying alone on May 1.  We fly back together on May 12 which also happens to be Amy’s 22nd birthday.

Tomorrow night I have to drive my son to a play performance in Worcester; and I’ve got to hang around out there for about three hours.  He doesn’t drive and that’s a topic for another blog.  (My wife’s brother did not get his license until ge 37 so that not driving stuff kind of runs in the family!)  

The church’s finances have “stunk”.  Right now the church is under enormous financial pressure and that’s making it a little hard to feel comfortable about going away.  I was also supposed to get a double paycheck to go away on, which probably won’t happen, so that’s a tad dicey, too.  But by far the worst stress is this time stuff!  

I know, I know, I’ve got to trust God and put all this in His hands.  That’s exactly what I would tell someone else if they told me everything I’ve just written on this blog.  And IT’S TRUE.  And I know I GOTTA DO THAT.  I just kind of had to sit and let this out!

Obviously, there will be a couple of weeks in which there will be no entries on this blog .... I hope you’ll pray for me while I’m gone and I hope you’ll check the blog again after May 13.  (I may have another entry or two before I go away!)

I’ve actually been eating my lunch while I’ve been writing this.  Oh well, back to running around like a nut... !