Family Day...

With everything that's changing in my world, one thing remains the same (ok, besides God's faithfulness)...Monday is still family day. I don't go into the office and I don't take work phone calls...we usually let all calls go to voicemail and leave them there until Tuesday. I love Mondays with my family.

Today, Izak and I ran some errands in the morning while Libby and Mommy took a little snooze. When they woke up, we all went out again. After KMart, we had lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings -- a little taste of home.

Then I got a little work done around the house, ran another errand, and then Izak and I played in the back yard while Mom and Libby prepared dinner. It was a good day together...that always get's my head and heart callibrated for the week ahead.

The worship gathering went well on Sunday. I feel like I'm starting to get some sort of groove there.

I've discovered one of the challenges of not having multiple services. When I would preach at Hamburg, I would "work" on Saturday night (tracking the time, flow, all the things that go into leading a worship gathering) and then on Sunday, I would be pretty engaged in the worship. With only one gathering here, I have to choose to be either engaged in the encounter with God or "work." No doubt that my work is an act of worship, but I focus on different things. At some level, I need to allow myself to engage with God even while I'm paying attention to the details. It will come.

Shaun is the ministry intern at Northwest. Having studied to be a history teacher and done that for a couple years, he is exploring a sense of calling to full-time leadership in the local church. He's exploring that at Northwest. While he's here, he's giving some leadership to our worship gatherings and is doing a good job. He seems to have a good feel for the people he's leading and how to help them encounter God together.

Tomorrow is a day full of meetings -- which I generally love. Staff in the morning. Lunch with Jerry, one of the elders. Then home to be back for a full night of the elders' regular monthly meeting. I'm looking forward to it. God is up to some great stuff at Northwest and it becomes even more clear as we talk about important issues and how to honor Him the best.

That's the scoop.

Peace,

M@