Author and Inspired Writer

Well now, let’s review, shall we?

Since the beginning of January, I have written five sermons and five orders of service, prepared my year end statement (a vile task that generates copious amounts of cursing), and made the arrangements for The Mister and I to go to Stratford for our 25th anniversary.

What’s that last one, you say?

That’s right, folks! On our anniversary, we’re off to the place we honeymooned 25 years ago to celebrate a quarter century of unending bliss…uninterrupted happiness…joy unbounded…sorry…can’t type…laughing too hard…

OK. Better now. For one reason or another, The Mister and I have not been away together in years. The last time we did, it was on doctor’s orders, (I love doctors who recommend vacations, don’t you?) as something to lower stress and hopefully help ease the chronic fatigue thing. Well, we did try, we did. But the end result was BOTH of us came home tireder than when we left. A week away generates its own kind of stress, and we’ve decided never to vacation that long again, unless of course, it’s in Maui.

Our anniversary trip will be very short, but very relaxed. We’ll take in a play – Midsummer Night’s Dream, which we also saw on our honeymoon – eat pretty much constantly, and browse a few shops for a souvenir or two. This is the first time I’ve made vacation arrangements on line, and although I was a wee bit nervous about it, I girded my loins (what does that actually mean anyway?) and got ‘er done, and was none the worse for wear. Felt ever so grownup too!

So, with all that done, NOW, finally, I’m free to turn my attention back to The Magdalene Poems. I’ve ignored you long enough, MM. Please forgive me and tell me more of your story.

Very nice week just passed.

My nephew, who had been looking for a job for ever so long, has landed himself a dandy! Great rejoicing all round!

I finished ALL my sermons and orders of service for summer, and am still wondering what to do with all this free time on my hands! I exaggerate. It’s interesting how quickly and easily free time gets filled in spite of ourselves. But starting next week, it’s back to The Magdalene Poems and I’m so excited – got three poems duking it out in my head now. Be good to get them down on paper.

Went for my yearly physical with a nurse practitioner this time. I love NPs. Whereas a doctor might take 15, possibly 20 minutes to a physical, my NP took an hour. She listened to my concerns and questions and changed the blood requisition when I suggested a good rationale for additional tests. And the blood work was very good too! Confirmation that my exercise and diet routines are paying off. And speaking of which, yes, The Mister and I are still on the Fast Diet, only we’re fasting one day a week since we both reached our goal weights…and then some! (I got into my first pair of skinny jeans this week! Woo hoo!) The NP was very positive about the diet, took down the name of the book and said it was something she might try and suggest to her clients. She said it sounded like the fasting “reboots” the body. I think that’s a very good description.

Also got my teeth checked yesterday, and discovered that my gum recession has not only halted, it’s reversing! A couple months ago I learned the vision in my left eye has improved. It would seem parts of me are growing younger. Can’t wait til the rest of me catches up!

And to top it all off, I’ve sold three copies of “holy cards: dead women talking” in two weeks! And received a sterling review on amazon.com from a sister poet. Not bad for a book that’s four years old! I am grateful and pleased beyond words!

All in all, a VERY good week! Hope yours was the same!

Very productive week!

To begin with, all my sermons and orders of service are done! Woo-hoo! And by done, I mean they’re written, thought not all of them are on the computer yet. Next week I’ll get everything entered. It feels like it’s finished now because all the thinking is done. The rest is just copy typing, a lovely little job that takes practically no mental involvement at all and is actually a pleasure to do. (Note to self – remember to cut your nails beforehand, or this lovely little job will involve a lot of cursing.) And I am so proud to say that a job that should have taken 10 weeks, by the end of next week will have taken only six! And why? Because, (say it with me folks) I am AWESOME! And oh yeah, God helped too by keeping the inspiration flowing and keeping my butt in my chair until the job was finished. Thanks, God! You’re the best!

In an earlier post I mentioned I wasn’t sure if I’d even be called on to preach this summer what with us being between ministers and all, but last Sunday we called our new minister, Rev. Joshua Kang from Toronto, to the pulpit. I’ve only met him a couple of times, but he’s made such a good impression on me. At the Meet and Greet I took him aside and asked him what is was about our church that attracted him, made him want to be our pastor. After all, he lives in Toronto for pete’s sake, and as much as I love my church and my town, we really are small potatoes in comparison. His response took me aback.

“It’s the love,” he said, “the love you have for each other, the way you care for each other and look after each other. That is the grace of God working through you, and that’s what I want to be a part of.” He also said that he wants to be our “student” for the next year, learn how we do things, what we need, and our hopes for the future. Whoa! Gotta tell ya, he had me at “love”!

In any event, he will be taking a vacation this year sometime, so there’s a good chance I’ll be asked to sub for a few weeks anyway. If so, I’ll be ready. And if not, the services go back on the shelf until needed. It’s all good!

So now you’re up to speed. Oh, and I sold a few books as a result of the Black Moss Press video of Yours Ever Faithfully reading a selection from my book “holy cards: dead women talking.” The video is still up and I do have a very few copies left, so give it a look and if you’re interested drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do to get you your very own autographed copy! What could be better? Here’s the link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgOyGN8yV-0

I’m supposed to finish that line with, “I got a little behind in my work.” But although I’m in my fiercely busy season, my work is actually up to date…almost.

In addition to all the usual stuff I have to do day by day, January marks the time when I start writing my sermons for the summer, though I’m not even sure I’ll be asked to preach this summer. On Sunday, the candidate selected by our search committee as their pick for our new minister will “preach for the call.” He will lead worship and give the sermon and then the congregation will decide whether to confirm him as pastor. It’s all very exciting, but since he’ll be starting in February (if confirmed), he may not be taking a summer vacation. I’m not sure how that works, but no matter, I need to start getting organized now in case I’m asked to take some services this summer. Yup that’s right, I need MONTHS to prepare to preach. I mentioned before that I could NEVER turn out a sermon a week of any quality. It’s simply not my gift and I do so envy those who can. But we must play the hand we’re dealt in life, and for me that means getting a start in January to be ready for July.

But now let me say, in complete contradiction to the above, that I just finished my last sermon yesterday, meaning I completed not four sermons in four weeks, but five! Be amazed! Be very, very amazed! Mind you, that’s the sermons only. I start writing the corresponding Orders of Service next week. But the biggest part of the work is done! Hallelujah!

I’ve also kept up with the housework! I know, right?! In every room but my office. There will be a major cleaning in that area when the Orders of Service are complete. (And by then it will probably need it!)

But alas, The Magdalene Poems were put on hold whilst I worked on said liturgical and domestic matters. Next week should see their return though, as I’m dedicating two hours in the morning to the liturgies, and the entire afternoon to the poems. It will be so good to get back to them!

And come the Spring (and oh yes! please come Spring!) I will have one more day a week to write. The Mister and I go to a greenhouse out in the county every Thursday morning to bring back veggies for our Food and Fellowship Mission. We were just discussing how long we’ve been doing this, and as near as we can figure it’s been at least a dozen years, likely more. I confess I’ve wanted to retired from “the run” for years now, and I’ve been dropping what I thought were some pretty hefty hints about it, but The Mister has remained oblivious…until this winter, this dreadful, dreadful winter. Having to rise early in the morning, clean off the car, drive to the mission, clean off the Mission van, drive out the greenhouse (on county roads, mind you – there’s a saying around these parts that if you drive off the townline, they don’t bother trying to pull you out of the ditch. They just throw a handful of dirt over you and say a prayer.), load up the van, drive back to the Mission, unload the van, drive home and lately all this in sub-zero temperatures or dodging snowstorms, has worked to change The Mister’s perspective somewhat. He’s ready to give it up. He suggested we quit end of September. I suggested August. And then somehow the time frame kept getting shorter and shorter until we finally decided on the end of March. Eight weeks. Two months. Plenty of time for them to find another driver.

He will be so grateful not to have to face another winter, and I will be so grateful to get my Thursdays back! Oh my! It’s going to take some getting used to, but I’ll happily adjust! The “run” took place in the morning, but our whole day was structured around it and shortened because of it. I have to get up at 6 a.m. to get my exercise in before we leave – not something I anticipate with relish. The Mister heats up some soup and tea to take with us so at least we have something warm to eat on the trip, but it doesn’t take the place of The Mister’s breakfast. (He makes THE BEST breakfasts!) And it seems we’re playing catchup all day long until we have to go out again in the evening for choir practise.

So, it’s time to step down. And I can’t wait!