Vacation is over

Well now; my one week of vacation is now over and it is back to normal; if you can call it normal. 
I left off with the Saturday and Sunday of the vacation week, and now let's take a look at Monday and Tuesday.


Normally on a Monday I assume the duty in taking care of the laundry chores; however; being on vacation on the day before (Sunday) I completed the laundry chores so that I would not have to get up so early, which was very nice I might add. Monday, I have made plans to meet with another Minister from Haverhill, Ma. for breakfast, so we met at the Owl Diner in Lowell. We had been there before so a return trip was warranted. We had a good time and the food was very pleasing. After breakfast and chatting was over, I returned home for the rest of the day.

All the kids in the Massachusetts School's were off the same week I was on vacation, so that meant that I could do something with two of my grandsons, which we did. I explained that in an earlier vacation posting.

This week, my grandchildren who live in NH were off, so I took them out for breakfast on Tuesday and then spent some time with them at their house and returned home about 11:00 AM for the rest of the day.

In the general description of my Blog; I mention that it is a look into not only my family, but being a Pastor.

So now we make the switch back to the daily routine of being a pastor, but routine it's NOT.

I have been asked before if a pastor only works one day a week (Sunday) the standard answer that we give them is "follow us for a week" 

This past Wednesday was my first day back to the ministry (We do not call it a job) in nine days (7 days vacation; 2 days off). I had already scheduled one hospital visit, and a visit to see someone at a rehab center. Including these two visits, let me share what else transpired.

• Multiple phone calls; including one about someone being diagnosed with cancer and one being diagnosed with a brain tumor that was inoperable
• Went to visit the hospital and rehab center which took up about two and a half hours
• Someone came by the church to pickup some food for someone from our food pantry
• Someone else came by to have me order some books needed for a class starting in two weeks
• Someone came by to pick up a couple of applications for kids camp this year and ended up talking to them for about half an hour 
• Handled more phone calls, e-mails, and text's and of course talking to my peeps on Face Book answering some questions for them
• At 5:00 PM, I had an appointment to meet with a couple to go over their wedding plans that will be taking place next month. 

At 6:00 PM Bible Study started and ended at 7:30 PM; left the church about 7:45 PM to go home. So basically arrive at the office at 7:15 AM and left at 7:45 PM

Don't know where the time went, but the day flew by.

Today; being Thursday; leaving directly from my house at 8:45 AM, my first stop was a hospital visit in Concord, Ma. at Emerson Hospital to visit one of our dear Senior Saint who has been diagnose with cancer. Did not arrive back to the office until 11:15 AM. Spent the rest of the day (until about 3 PM) on the phone, e-mail and texting taking care of business. I wanted to leave the office and return home before the rush hour started, which I did and continued to work at home doing the following...

• Answering the e-mail of two individuals regarding questions on the Bible
• Generating a short Blog for our church web site ("www.lowellag.org") 
• Started to put a sermon together for a week from Sunday
• Writing this blog entry which I am done with
• A non routine day in the life of a pastor

Until next time; Blessings