Keep the Shiny Side Up

I just said good bye to a friend for a second time this week. He was a local pastor and he's leaving for Hawaii. Not for vacation, but to continue his ministry as a pastor. His father has been the pastor of this church for the last 15 shiny years and because of health reasons he is having too retire. Ever wondered where someone who works in Hawaii goes to retire? Try East Tennessee. Ironic isn't it, where we live and leave as often as we can is where many others come to stay. But that's not my point. The point is that my friend had been at his church for several years and was some one I could pick up the phone and say, "Meet me for coffee. I've got some venting to do." He was the kind of guy who would listen. It's not that I did that very often, but it was in the back of my mind that I could. And sometimes that is enough.

Being a pastor is not as easy as some people would make you believe. I am almost always around my congregation. I'm not complaining because they are great people. But when I want to vent about a stubborn committee or pray for a wayward friend I can't share that with them. Everyone is connected with everyone else in one way or another. So pastors often turn to other pastors for friendship. Most of the time they are not even in the same denomination for the same reason I mentioned above. All the pastors of one denomination are connected in one way or another. The last staff member we hired I was informed about it by a pastor from across the county. The thing was, I hadn't even offered the guy the position yet. Plus, I am branded by some of my own denomination as a rebel. And you know I probably am. So if they were to have a coffee with me they would be guilty by association and I wouldn't want that.

So where do others go who need to vent? Some go to a bartender, but I'm a rebel not an idiot. Some people cuss. Naa, that's no good either. Cussing is for people with limited vocabularies. Some people with public speaking gigs take it out on their audience. If I were pushing mutual funds or time-shares I probably would release a red hot molten lava of frustration on my listeners. But, I am sharing the "good news" not the "I've got the blues." My task is way too important to steal God's time with those he's given me to teach. So I guess I'll do what I've done in the past. I strap on my helmet and ride. I ride on the bike until I clear my head and I pray. The cool thing is the Lord rides too. Well, I believe He would have if Harley's or Honda's had been around. For now I have to settle by knowing that He rides with me. And on the long rides He speaks peace into my being and calms my spirit. If you ride you know what I mean. If you don't, think about that one thing you can do that you can take the Lord along for the ride. Somewhere that there is no room left for anyone but Him. And when the pressure mounts, rather than spewing all over those you love, take a ride and talk to Jesus. Just remember, don't go too fast. He hasn't promised to be with you when you fly. Jesus said "Lo, I am with you always.." Matthew 28:20 Keep the shiny side up.
In His Shadow,
Pastor Ken