The Big Rocks

Someone said that if you want to fill a container with rocks and sand, put the rocks in first and the sand will fill the gaps. If you put the sand in first, you may not be able to get the rocks in.

I guess that ideally the rocks in our lives are our priorities, but for me recently they have been the non-negotiables. So October saw my being away for three days on District Ministers Retreat. We had Prof Roderick Hewitt from UKZN speak to us. We also had Fees Must Fall protests happening - so our group work time was spent applying what Prof Hewitt was teaching to our understanding of the protests. We left the retreat a few hours early to go and be on the university campuses.

I also spent two days in Johannesburg on a workshop presented by the Education for Ministry and Mission Unit (EMMU) of the MCSA. This because I have been assisting with the School of Vocation in our district. The SoV is intended to help people refine their understanding of their own call - whether it be to full time ministry or otherwise. I think this is a helpful function.

It's strange how these total only five days, but in terms of ministry they mean the loss of almost two weeks work. I don't regret the time . . . Just some of the stuff I have been doing. Perhaps I will unpack some of it on the blog later.

Three Prompts and You're In

I said,

"When I have finished my PhD I'll get back on to social media."

I said,

"Until then no distractions allowed."

I'm not quite finished - but all being well it is just a matter of weeks. It has been a long and sometimes hard journey and so I don't want to speak too soon.

On Friday I wondered whether I should update my blog - if my thesis was close enough to finished.
On Saturday someone mentioned he had discovered my blog and had enjoyed it.
On Tuesday faithful blogger Steve Hayes left a prompting comment on my blog.

I guess that's three prompts and in (rather than three strikes and out.)

The last six weeks have been absolutely crazy - and not because of the thesis. There has been way too much crammed into my life. It is just the grace of God that there were no pastoral emergencies at the church.

The benefit of using time for writing that is not driven by deadlines (such as a personal blog) is that it fills space 'softly'. A church minister needs to have time built into his or her schedule to deal with the unexpected and to be able to get to a hospital when needed. Writing allows me to use time productively, but that time is still available if it is needed elsewhere.

I need to commit to keeping that space in my life and my days - and not to feel guilty on the many days that it is not needed for emergencies!