It is Wednesday afternoon and that means that our vacation is drawing to a close rather rapidly. Tomorrow morning we will close up the suitcases, have the valet bring up the car and head north towards Indiana and reality. It has been a really relaxing vacation. We haven’t done much of anything except find some good places to eat, go to a coupe of casinos, sit in our room and watch the shoreline and enjoy the sunshine and read. We had talked about going to New Orleans and having some good beignets and maybe some oysters on the half shell at the Acme Oyster House but —— nah, we changed our minds. We brought along our beach shoes and our chairs to sit it on the beach and soak our toes in the water, but —— nah; that didn’t happen. It has been hot and muggy most of the time we have been here. So, we have just rested and played, and read.

 Brought along a Stephen King book of short stories that Julie gave me two years ago for Father’s Day and I finally got round to reading it. I think I will be able to finish it tonight so it can finally go on the shelf when I get home instead of on the table beside my sunporch recliner where it has sat since she gave it to me. Unfortunately, it hasn’t set there alone. I had four new King books stacked up there. Two of them are half read. Fortunately, I have the ability to pick either of them up and start where I left off and be immediately back in the story. Sometimes I may have to back up a couple of pages, but never more than that. Too bad I couldn’t do that “back in the day” in high school math.

The one downside of our vacation has been that yesterday I was woken early by my phone with a text that one of our parishioners had passed away. I have been back on the job for eight months now and we haven’t lost anyone but sure as I take a vacation, someone dies. It seems to be that way. This was not an unexpected death and I am glad that the man is no longer suffering in any form. He was a truly dedicated church member and a true worker for The Lord. It does however, validate the churches decision to have Art and I as co-pastors of the church. At. My former parish I would have felt that I needed to terminate my vacation or a “stranger” would have had to do the memorial. This way he is being buried by a pastor that he knew and that the family knows. The viewing will be tomorrow evening and the memorial/funeral will be on Friday morning. I’m sure Pastor Art will do an excellent job. He’s been marrying and burying folks a lot longer than I have.

Things have been going so very well at the church. We are gaining new members, and we are completing projects that have been on the books as a “some day” project for several years. People are seemingly very happy as a Faith Family and for the first time in many years there isn’t any strife and struggle going on. It is a great time to belong to our particular church. That being said, —- people tend to either credit the pastor when things are going well or blame the pastor when things aren’t going well. As I have said before, Art and I are supposed to be interim pastors while the search committee does its job. Maybe they are doing more than I think they are but I’m not hearing any forward motion in that area. What I have heard is;  “no need to fix something that isn’t broken”. Sigh,  I may be employed longer than I had planned. But —- it is all good because I’m loving life and honored at the chance to share the Gospel.

Alright my friends. It may be Friday or Saturday before I’m back on. Stick with me and wish us safe travels on the way home. Also pray for all of the folks along the eastern seaboard as Hurricane Florence bears down on them. Peace.