A Day in My Life

As I was speaking to someone on the phone earlier this evening they asked what I actually do and I realised that there are likely many people who simply don't know.  My title, Pastor of Children and Youth Ministries, brings some assumptions with it as you think it through, but how it turns into a tangible job is probably a mystery to many.  

So here goes, here is a picture of my day today.  For the most part, I think this is more interesting to me than anyone else.  This may become a semi-regular feature of my blog.

530am | Awake with Reuben who needed to be changed.  Unfortunately, I'm a morning person so once I was up, I was up.  

5:45am | Catching up on blog reading, working on gaining control of my GMail inbox by responding / filing the 45 or so emails from the day before.

700am | Family is all awake,  Breakfasts all round and making lunches are my morning chores. Today was a lunch of raisin bread, muffins, etc.

800am | Quick shower.

815am | Leave the house in the director of Wolfville.

830am | Coffee with a university student who is interested in volunteering in youth and children's ministry at our church.

1000am | Appointment with our mortgage broker - we're looking into buying a house [once we find one].

1100am | Conference Call to plan Oasis 2009.  I'm leading Oasis Kids again this summer.

1145am | Technical support call to Dell.

1200pm | Lunch with Jeff, the coordinator of children and youth ministries on our church leadership team.  

145pm | Travel back to Wolfville

200pm | Coffee at Just Us [where else?] with a different university student who is interested in being baptised.  Great conversation!

345pm | Arrive at the church for the first time today to fix the wireless Internet access on the main office computer, work on the next printed Solid Rock Youth calendar, and answer phone messages and emails [like 30] from the day.  

415pm | Work on federal government grant applications for summer staff.

500pm | Return a computer part at Staples.

515pm | Supper & Family time, including the movie night that Reuben earned by being a toileteer for the past few days.

800pm | Meeting with someone from our church about a possible Children's Easter Choir.  Great conversation which jumped around from that topic to many others.

1030pm | Catch up on email [10ish this time]

1100pm | Bed [I'm tired!]

What does your day look like?

Keeping Life Interesting

Things that make life more interesting:

1. Jordan has learned how to go up & down the ladder to the top bunk where Caleb sleeps. Reuben learned this skill at about the same age. We just didn't remember the joy / fear. Perhaps we've blocked it out.

2. On Saturday we were privileged to have a screening of the newest VeggieTales video, Abe and the Amazing Promise, at our church. As we prepared we planned to be excited if 100 people attended. We were overwhelmed by 175! Fantastic!

3. Mocha, our lab / terrier cross puppy, has grown and learned to jump the baby gates we've used to keep her in & out of the kitchen

Grumpy Reubenism

Yesterday we were doing some errands as a family and Reuben was whining really loudly about his hat.  This was about the millionth whining moment of the day for him and Sharalyn and I were being driven nuts.  In my frustration I resorted to sarcasm - which I know most 3 year olds do not comprehend.  Here's the conversation:

Reuben: [Whining / crying about his hat]

Me: Reuben why don't you whine about it, cry some, throw your hat on the ground and stomp on it!  Maybe that will help.

Reuben: [Crys & whines some more] I can't! My seat belt is on so I don't know how!

Sharalyn and I started laughing.  It made for a lighter moment in a the midst of frustration.  Sarcasm wasn't a helpful parenting technique in the moment [is it ever?]. Sometimes 3 year olds are exasperating.

Fireproof

Tonight Sharalyn and I took a break from the norm [you know - laundry, computer editing, cleaning] to watch the movie Fireproof.  It's the third film [second to garner a larger audience] by Sherwood Baptist Church, the same folks who created Facing the Giants a couple years ago.  

It was really well done.  Fireproof is a film that takes a hard look at marriage and challenges people to fight for the marriage.  I was really impressed.  The Love Dare book [watch the movie, it will make sense] is now available in stores and is bound to have an impact, along with the move, on many marriages.  

This is a movie not to be missed my married couples or singles who desire to become married.