Yes, it's been far too long between blog posts yet again. We will avoid the usual promises at good intentions. We all know where that road goes. Let's just chalk this one up to an unusually crazy week around here. Somewhere in the collection of blog posts is my stereotypical statement about ministry. It says that my work is on occasion fairly easy and routine. However, when a crisis happens then there is not enough money in the world for what a minister earns. That sentence defines the last week. We won't dwell on it other than to say it had a month's worth of demands packed into a single seven day period.

It wasn't just work stuff that caused the week to seem unusually long. My daughter turned 17 yesterday. It was also one of her best girl friends birthdays also. It was hard for me to just enjoy her day with all the other events of the week circling about. But make no mistake, her Dad loves her very much. He has loved her from the first sonogram years ago. He will not ever stop loving her no matter what. She is my fellow baseball fan that I can talk all the trivia of the game with. We are both in a foul mood tonight after "our" team lost today. That's why we play another game tomorrow and hope for better.

I made a discovery today. When younger school age children see me in a swimming pool it becomes a full contact body sport. Perhaps it is a good thing that they see me as yet another toy in the water but it is painful! The main thing is that a good time was had by all. My favorite time was getting out to go home! But there was still the three mile run/walk for me to do. For some odd reason it seemed a good thing to try and finish it in record time. Tomorrow will be a follow up report on my ability to walk or move after today.

Our students had a terrific weekend. They held a conference that finished up tonight. In the old days we might call it a Youth Led Revival but today it is referred to as a conference. Our young Student Minister did a superb job pulling everything together. Tons of food was consumed over the last three days. The students even had all sorts of contraptions inside and out to keep them entertained. Our service tonight was very much oriented toward teenagers. It wasn't too bad if the truth is told. I had a headache going into the service from all the swimming and running. When the service ended my head and brain were just numb. But I am very proud of the students and their leaders for making such a great weekend a reality.

This week begins with a clean slate. Oh, there are a few things already written down on the schedule but it is a new week regardless. In someways, what happens this week is determined by my choices along the way. Decisions born out of discipline and devotion will go a long way in what is accomplished. There will as usual be moments that are beyond my control. Some of them will be God moments one would hope. Perhaps some will be moments where others make choices that affect me. My hope is your week as well as mine will take on the shape of God's presence in our lives. One last hope might be for better blogging also. That will be something to aim for along with the rest for the week.

Bro. Trey