returning from vacation . . . what to do first

i've always thought that there should be some formula that one attaches to the computer screen that gives retiring vacationers a 'step by step' plan for what to do when returning to the office. i didn't get the memo for what to do first. so, i start trying to do everything first . . . try and remember the alarm code for my office . . . switch the air pump to a/c rather than heat, and turn it on . . . turn on the fan . . . turn on the computer to start the 'techie' stuff . . . pull out the pitcher to water the plants that are dying of thirst . . . check in with the office and pick up my mail, check the prayer board, and chat with staff . . . return to my cooler office and open up the e-mail; wait for the incoming mail; close the computer because there are too many e-mails to deal with -- ok, i didn't do that . . . start reading e-mails.

now, my latest/best discovery is to find the last responder to an e-mail 'chain', and scroll down and end up reading all the responses in one setting! that way, you can start deleting all the rest....great idea, except for the folks who do not 'reply all', and then you miss some responses.

delete the adds/junk mail. i've got that one down pat!

after checking my calendar to see if i've already missed a meeting or two, and taking a walk around the campus to see where we are on the remodel, i return to the office to 'reply all' to the chain of e-mails.

funny enough, i have somehow gotten on 'incredimail', and so in the middle of something, a man, dressed like a butler, walks across my screen and says, 'you have mail, sir'. who invited him into my office? i guess, somehow, i did! now, how do i invite him off of my computer screen...the first time shocked me; the second time (i was watering) he scared me -- honestly, i thought someone had come in through my other door! what's worse is he stays on my screen until i figure a way to excuse him -- he makes funny faces, stares at the silver platter with mail on it and says 'hum' and honestly, i sense he is about ready to clear his throat and speak again, until i acknowledge him in some way. so i 'left click on his faces (seems rude, i know) to which he makes a face, turns and walks away.

so, it is nearly lunchtime, and i have to restart my computer to do a software upgrade. after lunch i have centering prayer (yea!) and then i prepare for a meeting tonight, do some worship planning, finally get to my snail mail, and by that time, i'll have a whole new list of e-mails to respond to -- and my 'butler' will have walked across my desktop several times.

how does anyone get anything done when they return from vacation? maybe god is trying to tell me something .... 'go back home! finish that book you were reading! put your feet up' .... oh, i guess some people might call that 'wishful thinking'. i know i would!!!

so, what have i learned after a week of vacation? maybe i need to plan to include an 'ease on back into work day' when i return from vacation. the aim of such a day is simply 'catch-up'. that's the memo i need to publish! do you think it will catch on?

day 2 of my vacation . . .

for those who are wondering, no, i didn't post 'day 1 of my vacation' yesterday. as the a/c in the house wasn't working properly, i went to see "pirates" yesterday with 14 other people. nice and cool...and a great movie!

so, today, i waited for the a/c repair to be done, and it is a nice 80 degrees here...which beats the 107 degrees that are expected here in merced today. i don't mind the heat so much during the day if it cools down at night. but it was 85 in the house when i attempted to go to sleep last night.

and for those that wondered why i am staying home during my vacation, i am happy to report that i spent my vacation money fixing my breaks...but, you know, i feel safe, now, and thankful that i had the money for the repairs....

so, what does one do on vacation in merced? review last year's trip to europe! you may recall that this blog started because i was going on my wesley trip to england and a side trip to paris! well, i decided to review my photos this year. and, i've spent most of the morning laughing, with the recurring phrase, "I have no idea where (and sometimes what) that is!" ok, you can laugh too, because it seems "everyone" has photo stories to tell about their vacation trips.

all that to say, I'm going to take a short trip into 'the city' -- and if you have to ask 'which city', you didn't grow up in san francisco! now that the a/c is fixed, i'm heading to cooler sidewalks! i'm not sure if i'll go today, or another day, but, i'm having a nice vacation -- wish you were here!

isn't that why people send postcards -- just to say that phrase? i'm being "green" and having you read it here! hope you are finding coolness for the heat, and a change of pace for your summer...and if you have any helpful hints on how to speed up putting your vacation photos in folders, let me know....what a hoot....

heading to annual conference

united methodists make a yearly pilgrimage to annual conference. annnual conference is our 'annual meeting', and this year, once again, we head to the convention center in Sacramento. our 'conference hotel' is the hyatt, just in case you need to make contact, and we'll be doing such exiting things as electing representatives to general conference -- a meeting that happens for the entire church every four years. we'll also eat regularly, and listen to reports, pray and worship, renew friendships and do other assorted business. the last thing we do our service to ordain and commission people who will serve professionally in ministry.

so, my usual thing to do before i leave is to, of course read my reports, but more importantly, get my house ready. i hate returning to a messy house...so i clean, refresh the bed and towels, move the plants, which are not on automatic sprinklers, to a place where they will get watered. i've watered the indoor plants and paid the bills. ironically, i don't have to go into the office today -- a first for me. but some time, i have to do laundry and pack.

aren't you glad you checked my blog today? where else would you get all this information?!

i hope and trust that you will have a good day. and when i get back home, it will be just in time to plan worship and get ready for vacation....do i have vacation plans??? you'll need to tune in next week to find the answer to that question! but in the mean time, relax and enjoy.

oh, by the way...we received 15 members on sunday through confirmation...a very spirited pentecost service....lots of people wore various 'fire colors' -- reds, oranges, blues and greens, yellow. A powerful experience!

and, on top of everything else, we have a new website...check us out by going to your search engine and looking for united methodist church of merced.

blessings....

centering prayer . . . .

i've just returned from 'centering' with my centering prayer group. daily meditation is such a helpful way to remind me what is important in life. do you know centering? 'simply' let yourself be with god; try it for twenty minutes in the morning...and why not try it for twenty minutes at night?! create a word that will bring you back to your center (god) whenever your mind wanders -- and your mind will wonder! mine is 'shalom'. our minds are generally so full of chatter, it is difficult to focus; it takes practice. meditating allows us to simply try to be with god, and listen for that still small voice.

our group gets together on tuesdays at 1 pm. we check in for twenty minutes, center for twenty minutes (we use a song bowl to begin and end our centering time), and then we reflect on a reading from a book -- in this case, everything belongs; the gift of contemplative prayer, by richard rohr. if nothing else, i can just be for 20 minutes; i even turn off my phone! amine!!

we have been reading and discussion rohr's book for quite some time now. we've found his writings rich with thought-provoking things. the chapter we are currently on, don't push the river', has many sub-parts. but rohr says (p. 143), 'faith does not need to push the river precisely because it is able to trust that there is a river. the river is flowing; we are in it. the river is god's providential love -- so do not be afraid. we have been given the spirit. . . . the fears that assault us are mostly simple anxieties about social skills, about intimacy, about likeableness, or about performance. we need not give emotional food or charge to these fears or become attached to them.'

sometimes i can get focused on "pushing the river". i miss out on all the other 'stuff' around me, and i neglect to simply be in this moment, and not "make" the river be anything other than what rivers are; my trying to change the flow of things is like trying to get a river to change direction.

i can get so focused on completing the task that i miss out on enjoying the moment. completing the task may be glorious, but if one does not feel good about the process, than it's just a task that got done. what's so good about that?! other than the fact that i can now go onto the next task. and believe me, there is always another task that waits my attention. is that true for you?

so, why not spend a little time every day with god?! this 20 minute slice of heaven is, if nothing else, an opportunity to focus on nothing! and yet, it is not a waste of time. and besides all that, there are no calories involved! Now THAT is even a better reason to stay centered, don't you think?

memorial day . . . wearing white . . . and new movies

memorial day. a time to remember those who have served our country. this is also a time to be actively praying and working for peace; in our hearts, our lives, and our world. american movie classics did an entire week-end showing of war classics. what a painful reminder of our history. . . .

memorial day. we can now wear 'white' for the summer. does wearing white help us, psychologically speaking, to think we are really cooler than we are, temperature wise? if so, we all needed non-white sweaters this past week-end! memorial day may be the 'beginning of summer', but we're still in spring!

memorial day. bar-be-qued meat; an american past-time. back-yard events. a more relaxed time of the year. i continue to work on my lawn and yard. i've moved my garbage cans to the side yard, with easy access to the street. flowers are in bloom. the backyard tree is BIG, and none of my plants died over the winter! and, more importantly, the weeds are very happy! but the best thing about taking care of my yard over time is that the weeds aren't deep; they grow in last year's mulch, and are easy to pull!

memorial day. summer box office smash hits. i had someone drag me to 'the hangover part 2'. i went kicking and screaming...explaining that i hadn't seen 'the hangover part 1' didn't seem to matter. "you don't need to see one to see two", i was told. i tried very hard not to go...but, not hard enough. so, what happened? besides not enjoying this 'free ticket adventure', we arrived 7 minutes into previews, and ended up having to sit in the third row. honestly that wasn't SO bad, but, we sat in front of a family with 3 children under twelve. here was the problem....

this movie was rated "r". i googled the rating scale when i got home..."r" is restricted. children under 17 are required to be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. WHY, you ask??? "r" rated films have adult themes, adult activity, hard language, violence, nudity, and drug abuse. if you'd like to see all these features in one place, go see 'the hangover (either 1 or 2, i suspect -- they're probably alike, except that 1 takes place in las vegas, and 2 takes place in thailand). BUT, when you go, leave your under-age children at home. what was that parent thinking???

it was not the movie that made me uncomfortable (repulsed, yes), but sitting in front of young children...o my god! i wanted to offer to child sit them outside...i would have gladly bought popcorn, soda, ice cream, pizza, you name it! notice i didn't tell you the content of the movie. use your imagination. and sit in your yard instead!

so, my memorial day advice for the summer is this: save wearing white until after you do yard work. actively pray and work and live peace, and encourage others to do the same. and when you choose a movie for entertainment, invite someone who is of age to attend the experience and share the moment. and if you have children who do not fit the correct stats for the movie -- call me. i'll be happy to provide child care!

most of all, be safe, be grateful, and enjoy times of renewal and care. take a leisurely walk, and bar-be-que more fish and veggies and less red meat. and always say a prayer of thanksgiving as you share your bounty with somebody else! let the warm weather begin . . . .

a spring walk -- with hope

perhaps i was just inspired by the beauty of the day, yesterday. but i woke up with the sun, and went for a walk around my neighborhood. i went a different route -- always a good thing to do, at times. try changing the route you go. you will be amazed at what you see!

so on this spring walk, i was filled with hope, and i was inspired!

first, the hope. when i moved to merced five years ago, after i bought my house, i began to see 'for sale' signs popping up like weeds all over. this was NOT a good sign for a first time home buyer, or for our community! but things got worse! for sale signs turned into foreclosure signs. our neighborhoods looked like a blight had hit them. building stopped; vacant lots became more visible, and a depressed mood began to inhabit our community.

not wanting to appear too 'pollyanna-ish', yesterday's walk gave me hope. while there are still some empty houses, the vacant lands have been well cared for, and the empty house signs are back to 'for sale' instead of 'foreclosure'. many more yards are being kept up, and families are putting back down roots. my neighborhood is more pride full, with the empowering kind of pride. hope. and now for the 'i was inspired' part.

i have been slowly getting my own back yard into 'welcome' order, and i was inspired, after my walk-about, to get a few 'color spots' and bring my fountain out of hibernation, and settle in. i'm not done yet, but i did take some time just to sit and enjoy part of the day. read a book; sipped on fresh brewed ice tea; listened to the sounds of my quiet neighborhood.

inspiration doesn't have to zap you like a lightening rod. a simple walk around the neighborhood did it for me. children were playing in their front yards; people i don't know said 'hi'; the weather had a slight breeze and was the perfect temperature. i was inspired. and grateful that hope seems to have returned this spring.

there's more to be done at my house...they've discontinued my shredded bark, so i'll have to go on a hunt for something that doesn't float away when i water. but, it's a small price to pay when hope and inspiration come together. actually, i can hardly wait for memorial day week-end! let the summer begin.

iced tea anyone? and why not share what inspires you with the rest of us....

weddings and making a discovery

i had the distinct pleasure to officiate at a wedding on saturday. the location was about an hour north east from merced, so i ended up staying over both friday night (for the rehearsal) and saturday night (for the wedding), and getting up bright and early sunday morning (well, it would have been bright if it hadn't been raining!) to get to worship by 9!

but it was a great time to be away from my usual routine; i brought work to do during saturday, but life seemed so much more inviting than if i had stayed in my office doing that same work! i love computers for this reason -- and laptops, especially! i parked myself in front of a renewing view, and worked and listed to balls whizzing by me (ok, we were at a golf and country club, and i was on the 'green', but i didn't have to worry about my 'putt' -- good thing; i can't golf!)

so, i enjoyed watching and working and when i had a mind to take a break, i walked around the area and discovered this great picture above . . . the area is filled with unique sites and beauty. and i have always loved poppies. so, in the midst of this recreation-living community, i was able to be renewed with the sights and sounds of god's creation.

the wedding. the bride was beautiful; the groom cried. the family was happy; the guests, while very diverse, found that the common link to the week-end was love. love is the deepest, most common thread in our lives. and when we discover love . . . it is as if god reminds us to 'take no chances; embrace that love'. and for the sake of this couple, everyone did! love flowed as surely as the wine! (oops, i mean grape juice! we (united) methodists are filled with the un-fermented love of the vine!) i trust that this love will only grow more strongly as time goes on for marc and amy. they are a delight to witness -- and, because they are my neighbors, i will get to watch their love grow and mature.

love is not simple in this day and age. and each person must make their way to find such love and nurture its development. and all i can do with any couple is to support them and pray for them and be there for them...such a little investment on my part, but what an impact supportive family and friends can have on an evolving relationship. never underestimate your impact on another human being. love is as delicate as the poppy. but see how that poppy stands out when it is nurtured and appreciated.



the discovery i made was returning home in the wee hours of sunday. pretty much around the corner from where i live stands this marker of safety. this emblem -- monument, really -- has been in that spot since the 1930's! i've lived here for five years and noticed it and kept meaning to stop and see it; honestly it is so 'out of place'; this stands on a busy highway, in front of an abandoned house near the edge of the road. the company that received this recognition is no longer there, but the saying is all well and good for today: "safety follows wisdom". notice, i stopped and finally looked!

safety follows wisdom. what a perfect metaphor for beginning a new life together. in love, we promise to be faithful no matter what; to be supportive, to honor and respect one another; to laugh and cry and to be there for one another. love must be protected in safety. and those who are wise and successful in their relationships know the great cost of love. wouldn't it be a powerful tribute to love if we could place a monument somewhere to remind us that the cost of this 'hard work' was worth it?!

amy and marc know that; for as much as they tried to have the perfect wedding, unforeseen things happen; the wind blew out their unity candle. they know, however, that the real flame is the one shining within. those could be meaningful words on a monument, don't you think?

what phrase would you want the world to live by in this day and age, that would have lasting meaning in the years to come? 'safety follows wisdom' and 'love never ends' works well for me!