Cracks

I've noticed that things 'fall through the cracks' more often when we're too busy. No deep revelation, there, I know, but here's a humorous(?) story to illustrate...

It was my last full week in the minsitry in Auburn. I still needed to pack my office, help pack up the house, close accounts, notify utilities, fill out change of adress forms... Lots of stuff to get done.

Merle had been gone for a leadership conference at Southeast the week before, so the week started with me leading our two morning services and preaching for my last Sunday. (Also, it was Pastor Appreciation Day and the day of our Annual Congregational Meeting.) Sunday night, we had the Slingshot57 concert and Mike got home late feeling very tired and a little scratchy in the throat.

I woke up Monday with my throat swollen nearly shut. I went to the Dr. and he prescribed some antibiotics and a cortizone-steroid that helped out a lot over the next few days. But Monday, which was supposed to be office packing day, was spent in bed.

On Tuesday I woke up feeling mostly better physically, but not looking forward to the day emotionally at all. This was the day I did the funeral for a young man who'd died in a 'suspicious' fire. He'd been involved in our Jr. High ministry several years ago, didn't always make the best choices, but seemed to be gaining his bearings lately. The funeral was difficult to say the least.

And so, my last Wednesday with my kids in Auburn came. On the last night some of the students had planned a farewell party - that was awesome. But we had our 'regular' time together first. My plan was to have a game night and just relax with the kids and play ps2 & xbox games... (We actually ended up with a great spontaneous time of worship and music.)

But first... Shayne was to be baptized to begin the evening. And that's where the cracks show up. Not in Shayne... Not in the baptism... In the ceiling of the church basement!!! Some idiot who had too many marbles bouncing around inside his little pin head had turned the water on in the baptistry, went home to pack a few things, got distracted, ate dinner, and showed back up at the church to realize he'd left the water on! So with about 20 minutes before the children's ministry was to begin, we had a flood from an overfilled baptistry running into the place where the children meet. Oops.

I guess if you've gotta go, leave them with something to remember you by!