Move minus four

So we're down to about four days - literally 96.5 hours as I write this - before the loading crew arrives to put all our stuff in a truck and to head to Watseka, Illinois. Are we ready for the move? Yes and no. Packing is going well. I think we're right on target for that. We may even find ourselves with very little to do the afternoon before the move. We had a nice meeting with our realtor two days ago so the house will be on the market and she's ready to start showing it next week. We have someone coming to clean and do some touch-up painting after we leave. We're moving into a parsonage which I'm told will be cleaned and put in order for us. I'll confirm the truck reservation today, as that's pretty important in making Monday's work go over. Friends have been dropping by to say farewell through the week. It's been good.

Are we ready for what lies ahead? To speak realistically, we probably are not. When you're going to make a major shift in the way your vocations are carried out you are unlikely to be truly ready. Starting next week I'll be both a pretty much full time pastor and a pretty much full time teacher. The upcoming year will be very busy. But it isn't the level of activity that concerns me the most. I want to be sure I'm faithful to the people who have trusted me. Am I ready for that? Sure. But there's always some uneasiness. Who am I going to fail? Surely lots of people. Am I going ti sin against people? Doubtless. Will there be opportunities for reconciliation? Surely there will, and I have no doubt that I and the other people involved will take advantage of some of those. What about the others?

Way back when, as one of the members of the elder board at Grace Fellowship Church, we would interview people who wished to be recognized as members of the church. One of the questions we would have for them was what they would do when we sinned against them. It's a good question. All right, Watseka. Here I come! as Martin Luther would put it, I'm one of those hard-boiled sinners in need of serious forgiveness. When I transgress against you, are you going to call me to account and be God's instrument to call me to repentance? I sure hope so. I'll need it. And I'll try to do the same for you.