"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow

We're eating dinner at "The Crazy Norwegian" in the tiny hamlet of Port Orford, about 2/3 of the way down the Oregon coast. We're camping four miles up the coast at Cape Blanco State Park. At both places the wind is howling at a good 30 mph and the temperature is in the mid-60's. The only difference is that at the park there's a layer of marine fog covering everything as it flies by. I asked the guy at the gas station if it's always like this, and without missing a beat he said, "No, sometimes it rains."

I asked if he'd always lived here. No, he was born here, moved away for about 7 years, and then came back.
"Why??"
He said, "Because I was born here and all the people I care about live here."
Good answer!

Pam asked if we should stay here the full three nights we'd planned and we quickly agreed - no question. Camping, especially in a tiny teardrop, isn't about ease and comfort or even good weather. It's about getting out in nature, seeing different things, and living simply. This place has some cool things to see and I promise pics tomorrow night. Yep, cool stuff. And if the wind lets up 5 mph or so we'll walk some of the trails here.

This little joint is hopping, but probably because it's one of the few places in town to eat. So this will be a brief post lest we occupy a table longer than we should. Which is too bad, 'cause I got stuff in my head that needs to get out.

Real quickly, a friend who used to be in one of the churches I pastored, and whom I don't see as often as I'd like, suggested I apply for the pastoral vacancy at their church. I'm pretty sure the suggestion wasn't serious, just a way of saying they wished I was still their pastor. I appreciated that a lot.

To make the suggestion sound more enticing I was told the church runs about 1,000 people and has two Sunday services. As it turns out, that made it sound a whole lot less enticing. I'd run the other way. In my response I said I've learned that I want to be a pastor, not an administrator. It's about the people. They're the best part.

I'll play with almost any idea in my head, trying it on to see if it works. That's how I've ended up restoring two dilapidated 100-year old houses, restoring... at latest count... three old cars, riding a motorcycle solo across country, doing two marathons, (the list goes on).

So when I got that email I pictured myself leaving Pathway and taking a large church. That mental experiment lasted about two seconds, just long enough for me to think about telling the people at Pathway I was leaving them.
Because that's what it would be. Leaving them.
Couldn't do it. Anymore than a loving parent could leave his/her kids.

That's all. (for now.)