in the...

...now-and-then. Every now-and-then, which is where I find myself these days, I contemplate ministry, family, relationships, God, the church, etc.. I'm not sure why the "now-and-then" isn't a place I've decided to spend more time, but I guess that's why it's not the "now" or the "then," it's both. Well, since I've found myself in the now-and-then, I thought I'd write some things down. As I think about all of these things I'm still trying to figure out how they all work out in the life of a pastor. That's right, I'm admitting I don't have it all figured out. I doubt I had any of you fooled in the first place.

For a pastor, the lines between these subjects (ministry, family, relationships, God, etc.) become blurred. There's a lot of tug-o-war, when it comes to balancing these things and making clear lines. Sure, it's easy to look at them it notice there should be some overlap, and that's true, but there must also be a distinction between them as well. If you're a pastor, you know the importance of your family and their support, but you also know they are affected the most by the time constraints of ministry. If you're not a pastor, but someone who loves your pastors, then you know the life they live (and we thank you). Being swamped by the church means the family is being affected and vica versa.

So here I am in the middle of this now-and-then, trying to find the balance. The demands of ministry have become more intense and it's going to take some time for me to get used to. This will be a growing process for both my family and the church, but I'm glad that I have a family both in church and at home who understand the demands of this job.

Now it's simply up to me to figure it all out so I can minister to my family and my students with balance. I think a vacation would help...and I got one of those coming up.

I guess it's time for me to get out of the now-and-then and start living in the here-and-now.

JM