If vegetarians eat vegitables, beware of humanitarians!

I heard a quote last week and went looking on the internet for the source, but to no avail. I found the quote several places, but all with a statement something like, “It’s been said that....” And as we know, if it doesn’t show up on the first page of a Google search it doesn’t exist.

I went looking for the original source because I had reason to quote the line in an email to a friend. Since then I quoted it again, this time to one of my daughters who paused our conversation long enough to write it down. So I guess I’m not the only one who found it potent. Accordingly:

“A parent is only as happy as their saddest child.”

Note: age has no bearing on that statement.

It’s going to be a busy week. Wednesday night the elders meet and Thursday morning I’m out of the house about 4:30 a.m. to catch my flight to Seattle. I’ll spend Thursday with my folks and then drive up to Stanwood Friday to meet with JR and Emily to plan Saturday’s funeral for Eloise. Back to Seattle for Friday evening and return to Stanwood for Saturday’s services. Viewing is at 10 a.m., the funeral at noon, then a brief lunch followed by a graveside at 3:00. I’ll drive right from the graveside to SeaTac airport in order to make my 8 p.m. flight. That puts me back in Phoenix at 11:50 p.m. and home a little before 1 a.m. Up at 5:00 for the Sunday routine.

Given that schedule I spent most of today working on next Sunday. I want to have everything pretty much wrapped up by Wednesday afternoon - bulletins printed, sermon and lesson in the can, the whole ball of wax. That way I can “be” where I am instead of having part of my brain occupied with Sunday issues.

I haven’t worn a suit or sport coat in something approaching five years, so this morning I got my 16-year old navy suit (my only suit) out of the closet to see if it still fits. Nope, it doesn’t. It’s too big. So I got my 18-year old navy sport coat (my only sport coat) out of the closet to see if it fits. The good news: yes! The bad news: it’s a 39 long. At some point the word skinny is appropriate, and I think we’re there.

A friend who also blogs wrote yesterday about a meeting she attended after the morning’s church services. It went for over four hours and was followed by an “optional” work session for those who wanted to help with craft prep, copying, etc. The handout for the meeting, laying out that agenda (on Super Bowl Sunday!) said, at the bottom in bold print: “Our Team Motto: Nobody is done until everybody is done.”
Can you spell “guilt trip.”
Her blog post ended with the line, “Lord, give me the strength to survive church.”

I wonder if my friend realizes the import of her “prayer,” the statement it (correctly) makes about what church can become. There comes a point when what’s expected of volunteers goes way past reasonable and actually does a disservice to people who really do want to live out a life of gratitude for so great a salvation. More than a few Christians have been taken advantage of by leaders - both pastoral and lay - who think their particular ministry or program is the most important thing anyone can do with their time. Disappoint them with anything less than total commitment and the message is clear: “You’ve got issues with priorities and your spirituality is in question.”

The result in some cases is Christians who walk away from a church that always wants more. Others, in an effort to please and to be the spiritual Christian they’ve been told this will make them, keep answering the bell long after they’ve lost the joy and value of service. Tragic! Too often a family, children, pay a high price for this, too.

“Lord, help me, help Pathway never to be a church people pray to survive. Give us the wisdom to see the line between challenging people to be active in service and putting programs before people.