Wednesday, February 21, 2007

A person in overdrive

I feel like a person on overdrive. Can I give that up for Lent?

Thursday had early morning meetings and phone calls, then I went to Huntsville for a meeting. Dealt with a death in a church member's family.
Friday I finished up preparations for my practice talk for the Walk to Emmaus on Obstacles to Grace, and worked on my sermon, and saw my kids somewhere in there. I think I fell asleep next to my hubby.
Saturday, drove back to Huntsville for the Emmaus Team meeting, did my practice talk. Came back to deal with family and then finish for Sunday morning preaching.
Sunday, preached. Dealt with family. Worked on my homily/meditation for Monday Morning Minister's Meeting on the second word from Jesus on the cross. Dealt with some church member's needs. I think I saw my family a little bit.
Monday morning finished up homily which included power point presentation, and then presented it. Then we discussed it and added our ideas. Came home around 2pm to work on my report for Board of Ordained Ministry for one of the candidates for Elder's orders in the Methodist church that was due that day. Nothing like working at the last minute. Got it in that evening. Went to a meeting that evening.
Tuesday went to Memphis to the Shea Ear Clinic to see what they could do about the ringing in the ears. It was an all day adventure. lots of testing. He does think he can treat the ringing, but I have to set it up since it is a three day outpatient treatment. Recommends hearing aids also. Came home, missed the eating out with the women once again. Spent time with my family, and then worked on things for today. Set up the church, the kids helped me set up the altar it looks neat for Ash Wednesday.
Today, I have been here since 7:30am for Ash Wednesday.I have had 3 people come at 10am. We had a brief yet meaningful service. So I have been working on the liturgy and sermon for tonight. Finishing emails that were delayed. Taking care of phone calls. Doing the bulletin for tonight. My secretary is out with her son who has the flu. Zachary is sick, Bob took him to the Doc, but she was not overly concerned. He took him to school, but then they called and said he had green snot coming out his nose and for him to please come get him. Zachary was glad to be home. He can't blow his nose yet, he breathes in instead which has made a simple cold worse.
Whew. I'll be glad when today is over. We have a Ash Wednesday worship service at 6:30pm. I am done when it is done.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a little less intense and busy.
I am coming out of overdrive and resting.

Oh and my 101 year old Grandpa is in the hospital in Jacksonville, and they don't know why yet.
And Bob is applying for Social Security. He actually seems relieved.

4 comments:

zorra said...

Whew! I hope you can turn off the phone and hide this Saturday. Prayers for Zachary and your grandfather.

I loved my Walk to Emmaus. I hope you'll be refreshed and renewed by this upcoming Walk.

Theresa Coleman said...

Thinking about you!
I think it was Songbird that had the ringing in the ears thing a couple of years ago.
And I know I need hearing aids. I've been putting it off. It gets somewhat better, then a lot worse then somewhat better again....
Just seems like a pain in the patootie.

Unknown said...

No ringing, just vertigo. (*Just* vertigo, she says.) And damage to the eustachian tube, but with no damage to the hearing. When it feels congested, my hearing is similar to when you have water in your ear after swimming.
Abi, I hope you can slow down. I am thinking a lot about what I can give up or away, not just in terms of tidying in my house and in outer commitments, but on the inner level as well. No one can keep up the overdrive schedule indefinitely. Bless you in this busy season.

seethroughfaith said...

:( it's too much!!!

and as songbird says I too am trying to cut back / give up things now - because we aren't meant to work full out for long - and our families and our own spirituality suffer.

I'd love to go on a walk to Emmaus in the US - we have had them here but in Swedish it's not the same :(