Blessed

Over coffee yesterday a friend asked what did I like best in parish ministry?  The answer was easy, 'teaching adults'. "What did you teach?" "bible mostly but that includes a variety of issues; theology, hermeneutics, history, archaeology, etc." 
   There were many other things that I enjoyed about ministry and high on the list was working with seminary interns. Relationships continue with most of those I supervised. Today I'm posting early because I'm eagerly anticipating a visit with a former intern, Sara, who is on sabbatical. Sara's ministry has all been out of Minnesota so it has been years since I saw her. We'll have much to discuss and will not require any outside help to keep the conversation flowing. 😊

   Continuing with the thought of death as sabbatical I'm including the following paragraph from the article I quoted and length yesterday.

"A deacon visited as the sun set, bringing sabbath prayers and peppermint oil lotion to anoint her, the foundation of spiritual care as taught to us by Mary Magdalene and Jesus. Sunday darkness arrived, and I had learned the secret she’d known all those years. Sabbath turns our worlds upside down, and asks: How do we gain something by doing nothing? How do we refill ourselves by emptying? I caught a glimpse of God and the beyond."  J. Dana Trent in the 8/14/2019 Christian Century p. 11.
   Less is more is hard lesson to learn isn't it?  A concentration camp  survivor said "I couldn't believe how free I felt when they took everything from me."  Every thing we possess also owns us.

Takk for alt,

Al