Happy New Year!  It has been a while since I have stopped by my own blog, but here I am.  Since Christmas I have been on vacation and have been a total bum.  Actually, I haven’t been a total bum.  My vacation consisted of some church related stuff and a lot of running around.  Last Wednesday I had a Celebration of New Life service (for those of you who do not read my blog regularly…a funeral).  I also have a parishioner who will be dying any day now, so I have made a number of visits to him.  Please keep Larye and his family in your prayers.

Last Friday my nephew, Michael, turned one.  We had a birthday party for him in Sioux Falls at his grandparent’s home.  I had to laugh because we got Michael his own personal cake to dive into.  As he was digging in with both hands, grandma (Connie’s mom), was having a fit and kept cleaning off his hands: "He doesn’t like dirty hands".  Come on…give me a break.  What kid does not like to get dirty?  After grandma finished spoiling Michael’s fun, he opened his presents.  Of course he did not really understand what was going on.  But wait until next year…

Connie and I came home on Saturday and hung around.  Every time the phone rang my heart would jump wondering if I was getting the call that Larye had died or was dying.  As of today he is still alive, but for how long…only God knows.  As for New Years; it was uneventful.  Connie and I managed to stay up until midnight and that was it.

Early this morning (just after midnight) the phone rang.  When the phone rings that late it is hardly ever good news.  Sure enough, a parishioner was being rushed to the hospital.  I got up there before the ambulance and family and finally got home around 2am when the helicopter flew him to Sioux Falls.  He died this morning at 5:30am.

Now it is 8:30am Wednesday morning.  It feels like Tuesday since Monday was a holiday.  It feels like I have more time to prepare for worship this weekend, but I don’t.  Now I have a Celebration of New Life service to plan and possibly one more before the week is out.  I hope the beginning to this new year is not a sign of things to come in 2007.  Who knows…only God does.

In the end all we can do is leave everything in God’s hands.  I had planned a restful week of vacation, but that did not happen.  Am I bitter?  No.  People needed me so I was there.  I will get my time off.  Will I up and leave if this week is a foretaste of the year to come?  No…because this is what God has called me to do.

God is in charge!

If we think we have it figured out then we are sorely mistaken.  Last night Doris knew she was not alone.  She knew God had everything under control.  Doris did not plan to make a midnight run to the hospital (who does plan that?) but in the end, God’s grace and love reigns supreme.  Doris knows that.  Do you?

Busy?  Yes I am.  But I know God goes with me and will not give me more than I can handle.  Please pray for Doris and her family on their loss.  Please pray for Larye and his family as he approaches his last days.  Please pray for me as I live out God’s call.  Please pray for yourself as God works through your life.  God is in control.  Never forget that.  Praise be to God and Amen! -EDH-