Returning to life at home

Pastor's Log -Sabbatical Date: 2-1-8 - 20:30
(Taken from Day Five at the Hermitage)

This morning, I decided to join in the corporate morning prayers which were very monastic in nature.  I'm glad that I did prayers on my own most of the week, but also that I experienced doing this corporately before leaving.  After breakfast, I worked on packing.  I tried to avoid "getting ticked" while doing it, but I discovered a couple of more "tick stow aways" in my dirty laundry pile that I needed to flush away.  I guest that I am just a "tick magnet."

Once I had things together, I spent time reading scripture and working on my Bible memory.  I cleaned my room and packed the car.  After a lunch of yummy black bean and sweet potato tacos, I said good bye to the director, got in the car and began the drive for home.

I arrived at home around 5PM and enjoyed a wonderful meal with my family that Beth had prepared for us.  We spent the evening together and had a wonderful time of reconnecting.  It was a great experience to be a way and a very good way to begin my sabbatical, but it was also so good to return to my loving family.  I am VERY blessed!



Pastor's Log - Sabbatical Date: 2-1-9 - 21:15 (recap)

2011 Caring for Carrie 5K

Today was a full day that began early in the morning.  We got ready, loaded the van, and once a couple of our friends arrived, we carpooled over to Flechter for the Caring for Carrie 5K.  It is an annual event in honor of Beth's cousin, Carrie, who died of cancer a few years ago.  Funds raised from the 5K go toward a scholarship in her honor.  It is a nice event and we had a very nice day for it.

Me, cheering a kid along

Beth walked the 5K with Silas in the sling alongside her mom and their dog Jackson.  Alex and I walked a little over half of it and then jogged the second half.  I really hadn't planned on running any of it, but was glad that we did in the end. I finished pretty strong and encouraged a kid that reminded me of myself at his age.   I came in with a time of around 43:45 and placed 105 overall and 6th in my age bracket.

Erin Dye

Alex Dye

 
After the awards ceremony, we went over to Beth's uncle and aunt's house for lunch with the extended family.  It was a nice time to be together, especially since we haven't all been together like that since Thanksgiving.  Beth is very blessed to have a wonderful family and I feel very fortunate to be a part of it as well.

When we got back to West Liberty, we had a couple of hours to clean up and recover before going to a graduation party.  The oldest daughter of a friend of mine that I went to seminary with graduated.  We went to her party to congratulate her, the valedictorian of her class.  It was a full but very good day.



Pastor's Log - Sabbatical Date: 2-1-10 - 22:45 (recap)

This was a different Sunday morning for us.  We did not need to be at Bethel this morning so we decided to go to worship with one of Beth's friends at a local church in West Liberty.  Obviously, we are rarely able to do that since most of the Sundays that I am off, we are out of town on vacation or with friends or family.

We were able to sleep in a bit and take our time getting ready for the 10:30am service at Quest.  It was a nice service with a good message.  They are in the midst of a sermon series based on Zondervan's "The Story." It is a condensed version of the Bible that captures the over arching story of the Bible in 30 some weeks.

After a nap, we went over to Bethel to set up for Vacation Bible School.  Beth is chair of the committee this year, so we needed to get some things set for Monday morning.  The theme this year is, Take me to the Water: God's Love Flows.  I really like the materials that MennoMedia comes out with.  They are Biblically solid and thematically grounded in the Word.

From there, we walked over to the Dye's for Alex's Birthday party and dinner.  We had a good time celebrating with them and a circle of friends that we don't normally interact with.  We knew a few other people who were there, but we also got to know some people that we hadn't met before.  It was a really nice way to end the day and take a breath before a FULL week of VBS.