How long to Saturday?

I am a whupped puppy!

After you have been away from your work for a day you don't have to worry about having plenty to do when you return. That was my case Wednesday. As I continue to piece together the spreadsheets for past months I am very diligent about entering current month data as it becomes available. One of my biggest fears is that new data comes in and is filed away without going through my hands.

I had an interesting conversation yesterday at work. There are three of us working in the office, two women and myself. I am the oldest by quite a bit. The women usually ask how my day had been, how my weekend was, how my trip was, just little courtesy inquiries. The conversation yesterday began with an inquiry about Rene's funeral. Was it a nice service? That led to more and more detail as I answered each question. During the course of the conversation I made the comment that the church where the funeral service was conducted, was a very spirited congregation. Lots of "Amens", "Praise GOD", and "Thank You JESUS", were sprinkled through the service. A long quiet pause took over the conversation. Finally one of my co-workers quietly asked me "where" I go to church. "Highland", I replied. "Church of Christ, right", I was asked. "Yes", I replied. Another long silence filled the air. This co-worker finally spoke up and said, "You are just going to want to roll over and die when I tell YOU where I go to Church"! She looked up from her work to see if I shuddered and had a "fit". I didn't. I immediately countered to her that I have no problem with "where" she chooses to worship, that GOD is all things to all people and we aren't all alike and we are not from the same mold, and if her church was a good fit, good for her! In a rather quiet voice she said, "You know, more and more of the younger Church of Christ people seem to have that view, and it is so different from the old hard-line Church of Christ". Later in the day I told her of the push for unity, the missional move, the emerging roles of women in worship, the inter-denominational activities that are taking place, of the different churches in Abilene that came to minister at Highland after the accident, of the many exciting things taking place at Highland. I even rolled the dice and told her of the dynamic, swashbuckling pulpit minister. Now it was my turn to look and see if she shuddered and had a "fit"! We have a long way to go before we overcome this horrific, pre-conceived image. What were some of our ancestors, spiritual guru's thinking? It's not the cover, its the book!

Later in the day my co worker asked me if it would bother me if she played some music. I told her no and she left the room. I had told her about the Jeff Carson song that was performed at Rene's funeral, I can only imagine. When she returned she had a hand full of cd's, all of them "praise" themed. She had a different version of the song we had talked about and it appeared her favorite cd's were "Wow Worship". I was not familiar with "Wow Worship" (at least not consciously, I will have to ask Rian, I may have been exposed through osmosis) although some of what she played seemed very familiar. While I don't think she owns any, she did seem to be familiar with Zoe. (Million seller albums get there one sale at a time!).

Interesting day to say the least.

FATHER, thank YOU for all YOU do. I ask that YOU help me to finish the week. Help me to be steady as I move toward the goal. There is a lot going on, I pray for focus, to be deliberate in choosing my actions. I ask that you continue to fill us with YOUR spirit, that we not be judgemental and condescending but to be filled with YOUR love and purpose. I continue to lift up those in need of YOUR physical healing. I pray for YOUR gift of healing for them. I pray for those hurting from loss. I ask YOUR comfort for them. I pray for those of us in spiritual need. I ask that YOU please fill these needs. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about YOU, JESUS.