A vacation is a wonderful thing or as they say in London "on holiday". However, trying not to sound pessimistic, I often return to find that in my absence things come just short of a nuclear meltdown. Now allow me to alliterate, and bear with me. I promise I will be positive in the end.

• My student minister led a bible study that encouraged our youth to embrace a radical form of doctrine. (I would rather not divulge the subject of his teaching, just let me say that it would merit immediate termination).

       My board leaders called, actually a full 12 hours before "the holiday" was over, to inform me of this and that we had several frightened youth and angry parents.

       When I arrived at the office I discoverd His resignation letter on my desk. I love the boy to death but he had heard the backlash and vanished before my return.

• My guest speaker in my absence ask the congregation for financial assistance. A double, tripple no no. He was here as my rep. In His defense, he is a missionary that has to solicite funding, but he did not ask me for authorization. He apologized, but I feel used.

• One of our recent attendees at Trinity died. I did not know him well. He was a Christian and a member of another church but had been coming here for a couple of months. He was only 48. He had a myriad of problems all of which I believed the Lord could heal and mend. From friends that knew him he appeared to have had a lifetime of trouble. I made it back just in time to attend his memorial service. A guest soloist sang a requested song that was a favorite of the deceased, "I did it my way". I thought, uh huh, thats why were here, you did it your way.

Now allow me to share a perspective. 

It's not about me!!!

Thank God he has refreshed my spirit, and restored my soul.

I went this morning to visit a saint who has been is a rehabilitation hospital for 8 months. complication from diabetes and crones has cost her both legs. As I was leaving this unpleasant hospice where there are several hundred patients, an older man stepped outside as we headed to our cars. I said, "wonderful day isn't it?"

   He paused and looked up at me and said, "Every day is wonderful when you can walk out of a place like this"

WOW - talk about a wake up. Lord, forgive me when I whine.