Changes

No poem today!
My life has been full of changes and big events recently.
Thelma and I were married 46 years ago yesterday (June 16).
We celebrated big. We shared a Triple Chocolate Meltdown at Applebee's.
Sunday was the farewell service for my pastor, Brian Roots. He was the founding pastor at North Star and has been a great pastor. This was unusual for me because this was the first time my pastor has left me since 1960.
I'm gearing up to serve a church after having a year off. I will be sharing the pastoral duties with another retired pastor at Paradise United Methodist Church. This will give me the opportunity to preach but still not be completely tied down. I'm looking foward to this experience. God keeps sending me new experiences.
This Sunday, June 22, I will preach at North Star. It will be between the sermon of our outgoing pastor and our incoming pastor. Pray that I will be able to help the congregation move forward in our transition.
I am now in my 49th year as a pastor. Wow!

I guess the lesson in this is that change happens. We can either fight it and complain about it or we can embrace it and look at where God is leading. I think I'll do the later.

One final comment. I was greatly grieved at the sudden death of Tim Russert of "Meet The Press." What a witness he has made. He has been given well-deserved tribute by so many. Only Fox (we might expect) said negative things about him. As I watched the tape of his son standing at his empty chair on the set and hearing him say he would keep the chair, it reminded me of the "Old Metal Desk." I know that chair will bless him as much as that desk has blessed me.

Larry