It’s late. I can’t sleep. It feels like there is something gnawing at my soul. Sometimes I feel like my tombstone will say “unrealized potential.” There’s this hump I can’t(or won’t) get over. Am I working hard enough? Am I working smart enough? Why can’t I get things done? Why can’t I get what’s in my brain and on paper into reality? My feet are cold, too. That makes it even worse. It’s not enough that I’m racking my brain, but my feet are freezing. I know that I will eventually lay my head down to sleep and things will go whipping by in my mind. But before that happens, I will look at my two girls in their bunk beds. I’ll make sure their feet aren’t cold and they’re covered up good. Then I’ll look in on the Drake. Make sure he’s breathing. Make sure he’s covered with 5-7 blankets. Then, I’ll lay down next to my beautiful wife who hasn’t realized how much of a raw deal she’s gotten. I will sleep. And, Lord willing, I will wake up in the morning. I may not have all the answers. I may not “feel” right. My feet may still be cold when I wake up, but with every new day, there is hope. There’s another chance to do what I didn’t do today. A chance to laugh louder. Sing sweeter. Play harder. Love better. And get my dang blackberry fixed.
Monday Night Stuff
Well, it appears that my main fantasy football team will win it’s first game of the season tonight. We will be changing the name from Southern Invasion(southern comfort got vetoed) to Southern Spoilers. Here’s what happened this weekend:
1. Got to preach on Sunday. Talked about John 9. Lately, I have been digging deeper into the gospels and trying to find how Jesus relates back to the Torah. It has been eye opening to see all the symbolism and hints that the gospel writers left to point to him as the Messiah. God is really opening my heart and mind to challenge me.
2. FUEL went well last night. The youth and I are getting to know each other better. Sometimes I feel like some of them aren’t really into growing spiritually, which isn’t unusual for people, but I am guarding against getting frustrated with it. I want our youth meetings to be more effective, and God is helping that take place. By the way, the kids think I say “Tootsie Roll” funny.
3. How bout them COWBOYS?!
4. Does anyone know if Pendleton beat Chesnee in football? If so, I’ve got to call James and the Chesnee crew and let them have it.
5. We’re taking the girls to see the BEE movie tomorrow. It’s their first trip to the theater. I think I am more excited than they are.
6. Seinfeld season nine will be mine in about 12 hours. Did you see the video of Seinfeld on the Larry King show? Hillarious.
7. God is doing amazing things in our lives. He is providing for us financially in ways we haven’t seen before. His faithfulness blows me away even though I ‘m reminded of His power every time I look at my wife and kids.
8. Finally, I miss the Grapevine, the Inner Circle, The unnamed Secret society that I haven’t started a membership drive for yet, project mayhem, Monday night wrestling at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium, 5 am basketball with 60 year old men, Circle M BBQ, Java City, being able to drop into a SWU chapel whenever I wanted to, highspeed internet in my office, Panchos(our mexican restaurant is horrible), Amstar Stadium 14, and the many of you who make me who I am. Fight the good fight. Remember that passing the baton is not a moment…it’s a movement.
Updates! Yay!
So, I should probably change the name of this blog to monthly dose of Heath. Sorry, I just haven’t felt like writing. Well, I did blog for an hour one night about the presidential candidates, but my computer locked up(bet a Mac never did that) and I think that bummed me out. So, I’m back and here’s what’s up.
1. Gotta be at the church in about 7 hours for the pancake breakfast/yardsale. I’m having deja vu. Hope it’s as good as the one in April in Central.
2. Halloween is better when you have kids. Just think, you have people getting candy for you. All you have to do is get em a costume. Sign me up again!
3. Some guys up the street were running around with chainsaws. Needless to say, Halloween is different when you live in a neighborhood and not in the middle of nowhere.
4. NBA 2k8 is the exact same as last year. If you’re in the paint, you miss every time. I traded it in for Guitar Hero 3.
5. My mom was up last weekend for a nice visit. I’ve been homesick since she left.
6. I gotta be honest. I don’t think Books A Million has a million books. Plus, I don’t think people are reading. We’re buying books because we have book shelves at home that we have to fill. We don’t want to look like a moron with an empty book shelf. Come on. We all know we’re not reading any of them.
7. My fantasy football teams are horrible. Plain horrible. I don’t think my basketball team is going to be much better. As long as I beat Timmy in both, I’ll be fine.
8. I’m preaching Sunday. God is really opening my mind to His word right now. I am getting deeper and seeing how things connect so much better than I used to. Plus, I’m using a Mr. Bean clip which leads me to…
9. If you like Mr. Bean, then you have to get the Whole Bean which includes every episode of the TV show. I laughed so hard watching them today. (I was looking for my clip so it was work.) Rowan Atkinson is a comic genius. I first saw him on my flight to London in 95. By the way, Palmer, tell Prince Charles I said hello. Give him my best.
10. Taking the girls to see BEE movie next week. Their first theater trip. I’m more excited than they are. Then, Seinfeld season 9 comes out on DVD the next week. “Starting Now!”
11. Didn’t think I’d have eleven things to say.
12. Is it bad that I go to work every Monday hoping my pastor will give me a rematch at Madden after our staff meeting. Do you know how awesome two person staff meetings are?
13. Hope to go the Sixers home opener tomorrow night.
14. Going to see Rob Bell in Philly with Adam Jones(yes, that Adam Jones), Dan Riddle, and Brian Dalbow. Should be good.
15. Off to bed. God Bless you all!
The Busy Life of a Wesleyan Pastor
I’m sorry for the delay in posting. It has been a crazy few weeks for this Wesleyan Pastor. Here is what I’ve been doing.
1. My dog bit me last Thursday. Not sure why. There was one bad puncture wound, but it has healed. I think he was sick, but he just kinda snapped on me. We can’t do anything with him until Monday and I feel that we need to give him up. He will be eligible for adoption because the animal control officer did not consider him vicious. However, I don’t feel like I can take that chance with small children in the house. Sadly, Zorro, who has been with us for almost 7 years will no longer be with our family. My prayer is that he brings as much joy and comfort to another family as he has to us. It is a relief that we don’t have to put him down, but still very difficult for Karen and I.
2. Had to move the rest of our stuff from the storage unit to our house.
3. Trying to get our Sunday night children’s ministry off the ground.
4. Working to get a group from our church to Set Apart 07…
5. While trying to finish my work for the activities at the convention.
6. Finishing up my sermon for Sunday morning. What good Wesleyan Pastor isn’t?
7. Held our grand re-opening for the youth center with over 25 people attending. It was a night of DDR, Tim Hawkins, Guitar hero, and a fridge full of soda.
8. Had our first Sunday pm youth meeting, FUEL, that didn’t involve painting and moving stuff.
9. Drake got shots.
10. Charis and Milena get shots tomorrow.
Whew.
Any other Wesleyan pastors who are this busy? Am I the only one who’s having trouble sleeping?
When a Wesleyan Pastor Can’t Sleep
I’ll be honest. I don’t know that I necessarily have anything important to say, but it is 3:34 am and I can’t sleep. I started getting a head cold on Saturday and have felt kinda yucky all weekend. There’s a busy week ahead with our grand re-opening of our youth center on Friday night. The floor needs to be painted and the room needs to be decorated. I have an idea of the look I’m trying to achieve so it’s exciting. I’m hoping I can get all of this done so I can play golf on Thursday. I am addicted to this game once again and found a nice cheap set and putter the other day that I’m interested in. My problem is I’m terrible and am just getting used to my clubs again. My putting has been tremendous, but it’s the other 80 or so shots that kill my score. I started hitting the ball better than I ever have at the end of my last round so I’m anxious to get out. I will probably always be the worst Wesleyan pastor golfer on the planet. The last time we played threw off my whole schedule for the week [Read more…] about When a Wesleyan Pastor Can’t Sleep
Day at the Philly Zoo!
Well, the girls’ birthday is Sunday so we’ve been doing stuff with them everyday this week. Monday we took them to Chuck E. Cheese, Karen has taken them to the park, Thursday we went to the Philly zoo(and bought a membership), and Friday is a tea party. The zoo is a tradition that started on their 2nd birthday at the Greenville zoo which is great is in its own right. Last year, we went to a “zoo” in Wilmington, NC(never thought I’d be living in Wilmington, DE then!) and the Serpentorium which only has [Read more…] about Day at the Philly Zoo!