musing in a quiet church office

I've had a great time here in Cabot Arkansas, with my old friend Dennis Phelps and my new friend, Ken Holland.

 It's been quite a while since I laughed as much as I've laughed this weekend. All kinds of great stories and remembrances about ministry... Ken is a real kindred spirit and I must say i'm a bit envious of the quiet environment in the church office. Everything is always so loud at lifeway.  Not that I have anyone to blame- it's just the culture of having 40 people on one floor and all of them dynamically immersed in their work and their passions. The small town life of five minute commutes and lunches at the house sounds so wonderful.  I'm sure it has plenty of down-sides but i guess it's healthy to dream and idealize every now and then. 

I spend about 2.5 hours in the car every monday - friday.  And Nashville is so conjested, sprawled and competitive. If i get fired, let go or downsized out of the building i definitely see the potential of a non-lifeway life way. Not that i'm planning on being let go for anything but perhaps it's the old school baptist in me that's a little paranoid about leadership changes and so forth.  I also don't want to be the irrelevant guy who people are trying to get to retire. I've seen that happen many times through the years and it ain't pretty or nice. There will be a day when my voice will be irelevant to mostpeople, i know.  i just hope that i'll know when that happens at lifeway. I want to finish strong or be let loose before that happens.  Then I'll work on my little poems, stories and journals because it is what i do and i like it more than golf. (i'll also seek to find a place in a church that i can love and grow.)