Rest Assured...

`
Amidst all my idle summer daydreams of sailboats and red convertibles, the anticipated return of my One True Passion is looming just over the horizon. It's hard to believe it, but Labor Day is just a few weekends away, and that on Sunday September 7th our regular Church Program Year begins again at First Parish with the celebration of our Annual Ingathering Water Ceremony. My travels this summer have been more of the metaphorical/inspirational variety, but I have a great title for my homily that first Sunday which reflects that inner journey: "From the Banks of the River Jordan to the Sheep Pool at Bethesda, God's Gonna Trouble the Water."

And then the following Sunday, September 14th, I'll be preaching on a topic I suspect may very well prove the theme of this entire year: "Progress, not Perfection." This was a motto one of my Oncology Nurses wrote on the white board in my room at the Gibson during my month-long hospitalization there last Spring, and it has certainly inspired me many times in the many months since. The progress that I've made since those days is considerable, yet "perfection" is certainly still a far sight down the road. But I'm not going to try to preach that whole sermon now. You'll be hearing it in church (or maybe reading it on the web) soon enough.

Another thing that happened over the summer was that I filed a Long Term Disability claim under the terms of my UUA group insurance, which I recently learned has been approved. This basically means that I am now free to work as much or as little as I can, while at the same time freeing up payroll money that would have otherwise gone to compensate me in order to bring in other ministers and additional outside help to assist me with the overall ministry of the church. Again, I won't try to go into all the details here, but we are now in the final stages of assembling a fantastic team of clergy, program and support staff, and volunteer lay leaders who will not only allow us to continue "business as usual," but also represent a real opportunity for us to "take it to the next level." For my own part, for years I've boasted that I have a perfect job -- one of those jobs I can hardly believe I get paid to do, and which I would gladly do for free if I could afford to. Now I actually get a chance to prove it in front of God and all of you. And with your help, I'm confident we can make it happen.

Finally, there is one other important player on this team whose return to the line-up I eagerly await. Although I'm still not quite nimble or frisky enough myself to care for her full-time, we have found time for regular visits and the occasional "sleep-over," which have naturally boosted my spirits considerably. The Adorable Parker is looking quite fit after her summer sojourn with alternating pet-sitters Jane Cox and Jeanne Mullen. She appears to have lost about 5 lbs (or 20% of her body weight), and even though she's no longer a puppy (her 14th birthday will be in January), she still has that alert look that lets you know SHE knows what's going on. Of course, she also sleeps most of the day these days as well -- which is kinda what old dogs do for a living -- and remains an excellent reminder to me not to push myself beyond my limits, while at the same time working as close to them as I can. With Parker on watch, we can all rest assured that I will get my rest as well, and remain capable of giving my best to all of you, who mean so much to me.