New Season

I write from a brand new laptop, purchased for the purpose of ministry at my brand new call. As the sales associate told me about warranties and add ons, I got to wondering how long I would need this computer for. Would I be its only user? Will my stay at the church outlive this laptop?

I hope so.

Two weeks in and I'm in love. This little community has welcomed me in with open arms and optimistic hearts. They have offered ideas for what they want to see happen and have offered to make those ideas come to fruition. They know that as pastor I'm not going to rescue this church from demise. They take ownership and responsibility. They have a heart for the community that extends beyond the church walls. They want to be challenged and pushed beyond their comfort. They thirst for something more than the routine churchy life.

I don't know how long laptops last these days. But I hope my ministry lasts longer than this one. I hope to journey through the 3 year lectionary cycle and beyond. I hope to learn and be transformed as I grow with this community.

I can guarantee one thing: that my time at this church will outlive the cassette tape answering machine that currently records all church phone messages. That thing will be departing very soon.

This is why I run: Blue Bell Ice Cream

So, technically I'm taking a break from running because of a foot injury, but that isn't stopping me from hopping on the bicycle as a replacement activity. And I'm going to be logging a lot of miles now that Blue Bell has release a new flavor:

 

Photo courtesy of their website: http://www.bluebell.com/the_little_creamery/press_releases/press_cpb.html

Oh Blue Bell, you are one of my great loves in life. And now you have combined two of the greatest flavors into one of your brown rimmed cartons. Such a thing of beauty. 

I'm so glad the ten commandments don't explicitly state that a love for ice cream is a sin. It could maybe fit under the category of idolatry, but come on. That sounds like a stretch.