Silence, Solitude and Ticks Galore

Pastor's Log - Sabbatical Date: 2-1-6 - 20:30
(An excerpt from my third day at the Hermitage)

This morning, I decided that I should check my clothes from yesterday again to make sure that there weren't any ticks that I missed.  As it turns out there were several, one of which was on the door waiting for me.  I started taking them to the toilet and flushing them to be rid of them.  Counting the one that I flicked off last night before coming in, I think I had found 8 so far.  Thankfully, only one of them imbedded in me.

After getting ready, I went down for breakfast.  While eating in silence, I looked out the window and saw a cat stalking something.  After it pounced, it came prancing up to the barn with a chipmunk in it's mouth.  It dropped it on the sidewalk and then left.




I did my morning prayers using the Anabaptist prayer book and chatted a bit with Merle Hostetler, a youth ministry friend that I had not seen in a while.  He was up for a day retreat. Then during the afternoon, I spent time reading and discerning about Bethel's structure.  It seems like our current structure is designed for a congregation of 150-200 when we are currently running more like 100 on a Sunday morning.  It seems like it might be time to consider making some adjustments.  It was good to have some space to consider some possibilities that I can flush out more during the summer and then process with leadership when I return in the fall.

Dinner was in silence with Steve, Cathy and Kelly.  There have been people coming and going throughout the week, but the four of us have been the consistent ones.  Even though we didn't talk, you learn things about people just by observing.  Cathy eats gluten free.  Steve uses a walker due to some type of a disability.  I feel a bit like the Mentalist, but not nearly as gifted.

After dinner, I had planned on taking a hike.  This time, I sprayed Deep Woods OFF! on my shoes and the lower half of my jeans.   I was hoping that it would protect me from more ticks.  Unfortunately, within 50 yards of entering a different meadow from the night before, I looked down and saw ticks crawling on me.  I went back to the edge of the meadow and flicked off about 8 ticks.

I decided to just sit on the bench near the edge of the meadow, read and reflect.  Later in the evening, I did a saduko style puzzle called "Cross Me." "It is a Japanesse Crossword (Nonogram) where you discover a hidden image marking cells or leaving them blank according to the numbers on the side of the grid."  I also did my evening prayers, scripture reading and Bible memory before taking some time to work a little more on the picture that I am drawing.