Best Intentions

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It dawned on me this morning that between all the work I did preparing for last Sunday's service, and the amount of time I've spent reading and commenting on Other People's Blogs, that I've pretty much neglected my own blog here, and the sixty-some faithful folk who apparently lot in just about every day to see what I've been up to. So here's the deal:

Sunday's Mother's Day service was truly special: Lebanese Marionite hymns and a belly dancer (both the dancer and the soloist are church members), wonderfully contextualized as a women's art form for our indroit and children's story, then a baby dedication, and finally (if I do say so myself), a very moving HOMILY which concluded with one of my favorite hymns, "For All That Is Our Life/we sing our thanks and praise/for all life is a gift/which we are called to use/to build the common good/and make our own days glad."

Then, not having my own mother available any longer, I took my colleague and "affiliated minister" out to lunch...at Friendly's, no less (you will understand the irony if you read the sermon), which she swears she loves and has loved since childhood.

Monday was pretty much taken up with medical appointments -- all is well, but time is fleeting...only six weeks now til I fly back to Seattle, and before then I need to make sure a) that all my health insurance change-over is in place; b) that I have new Docs lined up in Sacramento, and c) that everything else I own and want to keep is all packed up and ready to go on the truck. Six weeks, and me still desperately dependent upon the kindness of strangers.

Tuesday was mostly a church day -- staff meeting in the early afternoon, and then the Governing Board that evening. The latter in particular was very depressing; like everyone these days it seems, we are looking at some pretty harsh financial realities, and still trying to fulfill our mission while living within our means. And I really can't say too much more than that.

Today is another church day -- the monthly UUMA (Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association) Maine chapter meeting is being hosted at First Parish for the first time in recent memory; we've got a very interesting program planned on the subject of worship, but also a lot of logistics to deal with...most of which I've also been able to delegate to the members of my ministerial "team." And then tonight, a small and informal dinner party at the home of some of my parishioners, who just wanted this chance to say goodbye more personally. Still, it's a long day. And I can't even look forward to having a drink at the end of it....