Back to work!

It's good to be in the office this morning. I'm going to share some personal frustrations that I hope you can relate to. (otherwise, I'm just a really goofed up individual if no one else ever feels the way I feel.)

I stayed home yesterday to get some things done around the house. Managed about half of what I had set out to do. I spun around in circles for much of the time feeling overwhelmed by all the "stuff" I feel is urgent and needs attention.

I worried about the fact that I haven't picked out our Christmas Musical yet. Not because I've been lazy about it, but because in listening and listening and listening some more, I've not found one that is really good. (That puts me about 2 weeks behind)

I worried about some of the upcoming things at church, feeling like we don't have a good handle on it all. We have a great "campaign" coming up that was supposed to be introduced last Sunday, but the "clip" wasn't completed, so we're behind a week on that. I will be working on that this week.

I worried about our upcoming pulpit series because it's coming quickly and we don't have a firm grasp on what will be done there.

I worried that there are only 2 weeks of summer left for my kids and then it's on to the year I have looked forward to and dreaded since having my kids. Avery will be a Junior, Ashley, a Senior. My last "normal" year with my babies.

I worried that maybe I haven't done everything I should to prepare them for what's to come. I hope their hearts know God intimately...I hope they serve Him in all they do...but the truth is, they have to make their own decisions now.

I worried about our Children's Ministry. We need to throw it up in the air and let the good stuff come down and the fluff blow away. I am reading a book that has some good points..."Postmodern Children's Ministry". One of his statements was "I am concerned that all this emphasis on making our programs fun is eclipsing what I think the church should be about in its children's ministries, the spiritual formation of children."

I worried about people in general. Without telling you their names, I'll tell you their circumstance. People who have lost their "zest" for God. People who are struggling to stay married. People who will stay married but won't be happy. People who are managing difficult health issues. People who are lost.

I worried about finances.

So basically, I allowed my worries to over take my productivity.

Satan has a way of getting under my skin in that way...causing me to scramble around not really accomplishing anything but throwing myself into a mental and sometimes physical tizzy.

So, today, I start by saying that I need to depend on God. I will trust Him to give me clarity of vision so that I can take each thing in the order He gives it to me.

I hope you all don't struggle like I do, however, I think people in ministry, paid or not, feel an enormous burden at times that is bigger than us. Fortunately, we don't have to carry it all. We just have to do each thing as it comes and give the worry (and the glory) to our Father who sustains us.

Whew! I feel better.