Ready....Set.....

It is 4 p.m. on the eve of my sabbatical. You can see my desk blotter for the first time since I claimed this desk as my own 8 years ago. In the last several weeks, between pastoral duties, I have sifted and sorted and tossed. If nothing else, a sabbatical encourages a pastor to clean out the debris that has collected in one's office.

I expected that I would skip and giggle through this whole day. I am so very excited about the adventures I have planned for the next 11 weeks. But I think pensive would better describe my mood today. I feel like I do right before the Christmas Eve service. My mind is filled with details and I so desperately want everything to go well. I am praying and hoping for sacredness to seep through all the details. Plus, people keep saying "Good-bye" and I am so embedded in the life of the church that it seems awkward and clumsy to disconnect from that, even if just for a short time. It all seems so surreal and strange. I am guessing that it will take me several weeks just to let go, relax and allow my sabbatical to be what it is and to lead me where I need to go.

Besides traveling to wonderful places with wonderful people I now have a stack of books beside my bed. I admit it...I started into the stack early. I already finished a book by Tana French. I think she is my new favorite author....sorry Stephen King. This morning I started a book by Peter Gomes entitled The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus. His premise is that we need to preach what Jesus preached, not preach Jesus. I have jotted down several sermon ideas and written all over the margins of the book and I just finished Chapter 2.

I also have a couple projects planned. I want to create a cookbook of my mother's favorite recipes...a gift for my siblings. I began this book earlier but it amazes me how time consuming it is and what large blocks of time are required for completion. Brett and I have some painting projects to do. That boy brings color into my life! And I want to do another doodle I brazenly call art.

Tonight is Commission night and I still have some work to do but mostly my mind is on tomorrow.....a wide open day. Imagine that!