If last Sunday was unusually good as far as services go then this week will be tough.  Everything just came together last week for a genuine service of worship.  Every so often you can have one of those should you remain in God's guidance.  Here is the problem for the next one.  You can be tempted to duplicate all you did in the prior service in order to have the same experience.  I know because it is one of those early pitfalls common in the early years of ministry.  My tendency was to mimic whatever seemed to work in a service even though the results often fell very short.  Now that problem is less but it does still exist as potential reality.  You run up against a wall a few times and you learn the hard way what to avoid. 

Another issue is the message last Sunday did seem to have more effectiveness than normal.  I do not claim much credit for that at all.  This does not mean my part wasn't important but you learn over the years where real credit is due.  There is probably a real need to do some follow up on what was said.  Several questions or issues are still needing to be addressed.  We will try to do just that without appearing to just be reviewing old stuff.  All of this is to say that this week is completely new and different than the last one.  One can only pray for an attitude of openness to remain on Sunday morning. 

Sometimes it does seem as if a service or sermon just writes itself.  This week is not one of those times.  To say that moving my daughter to college is a distraction just doesn't cover it.  Every normal pattern of life is pulled up by its roots during such an occasion.  This is no apology should it all fall flat this week but it is just an honest statement on reality.  We live or work in one reality yet still declare our focus is eternal.  How we put those two truths together determines our spiritual health.  This is what God seeks to do each Sunday.  It is part of my process each week.  Let's hope that all of us meet at the same place when that time arrives.

Bro. Trey