Back

I haven’t been writing for awhile, and this week I am back at work after three months on sabbatical, so I am thinking my first post should probably be something deep and profound, spiritually hard-hitting and theologically thought-provoking.

Alas, there was a mouse in my office this morning, and ever since its squeak-filled, untimely death at the hands of our Church Administrator, Paul, I just have not been able to concentrate on worship planning.  Or anything else remotely spiritual, for that matter.

Faced with this profound spiritual paralysis I naturally did what any sane person would do: I logged on to Facebook.  After I therapeutically expressed my outrage through my status update, several kind church members chimed in with comments hoping to put a positive spin on the rodent incident (including the very sweet “even the mice are glad you’re back!”). 

These sentiments are most kind, but I suspect the mice didn’t really miss me all that much.  (Especially not that one particular dead mouse.) 

I did get to thinking, however, that this experience was probably just the right one to grace my first days back in the pastorate.  Lest we pastors ever go away on sabbatical (or anywhere else for that matter) and forget that the work of God happens much more often in the mundane occurrences of life, we are welcomed us back to the work of Gospel community with all the gritty reality of life. 

And, in my case, with the church staff alternately screaming, climbing on furniture, laughing hysterically, or murdering rodents. 

So far since I’ve been back in the office most of my time has not been taken up with contemplative prayer, deep theological discourse, or cutting-edge worship planning.  But, I am happy to report that, as of today, there is one less mouse in the church building

And the work of ministry goes on. 

Thanks be to God, Amen.