Tuesday, August 26, 2014

In the Still of the Night

In the still of the night it came to me.  Despite a household filled with furniture from two homes, 4 adults, two children, three cats, and a dog there was a stillness in the night.  I was reading a Navajo mystery novel, the lights were low, Max the dog was asleep in 'his chair', and a cat slid slowly through the shadows.  I was very relaxed and, no, I had not had a glass of wine.  A sentence about one of the main characters stirred my mind.  "He retired, didn't he?"

After a little more than 3 years since my official retirement I think the time has come for me to really retire.  I had begun to think about serving a small church.  What was I thinking! I had taken a step back from being Pastor Norm several weeks ago when I decided not to do children's messages at church anymore.  I enjoy doing this but I have been doing it for 44 years.  Others can do it just as well as me.

I am teaching a study group through November.  They are a great bunch with inquiring minds.  Together we are thinking about how the Bible fits into our faith journey.  And I have some friends joining us via an online study group.  I love teaching!  This morning I am thinking this will be my last study group.  Others can lead just as well as me.

Earlier this month I led a memorial service for a dear friend who died too soon.  It is a privilege and an honor to be asked to celebrate an individuals life. Later, I learned that several attending wanted to know what church I was preaching at.  I am grateful for the compliment.  I will do services such as this but I no longer have the need to do funerals.  Others can do it just as well as me.

I am scheduled for one wedding and possibly a second wedding in 2015.  I look forward to doing these as ,again, it involves significant friendships.  It will be a joyful time.  Honored as I am to be asked, friendships will decide my answer.  Others can do weddings just as well as me.

Finally, preaching.  I love preaching and have done so several times this year.  To engage the congregation in reflecting on our faith and how we live it out has always been a delight.  I will continue to preach from time to time but am content to more and more be a pew person rather than a pulpit presence.  Others can do it just as well as me.

IF you are still reading thank you.  I felt the need to move these thoughts out of my mind and into black and white on a page.  In the still of the night I answered the question "He retired, didn't he?"  YES