snapshots
Tuesday, Jul. 18, 2006 || Do I have it in me?

Nicole feels The current mood of nacwolin at www.imood.com

I guess I am in another writing funk. I don't even know when I last wrote in here. I do read others' stuff almost daily.

But then I try to think of something to write, and I come up dry.

Last week was extremely busy with VBS every evening, Monday through Friday. The turnout wasn't that great, but the kids (preschoolers) were adorable. One little one, Ana, insisted that our game leader, Jesse, was Jesus. Oh did his wife have some fun with that one. And of course we all about peed our pants when he looked sternly at Ana one night, as she ignored several requests to sit down, and said to her, "Ana! Jesus is not happy with you right now."

Little booger plopped right down on the carpet after that, quiet as a mouse.

Saturday we drove down to MD for a cookout/birthday party. We stopped to see Pirates 2 on the way. It was okay. Not as good as the first, but still entertaining ("Hide the rum...").

It was a scorcher that afternoon, sitting out by the parents' pool, so Janie, Tam, and I walked down to get my favorite summer treat: snowballs. I love those things. Icrecream flavor with marshmallow cream. Lovely.

And yes, we snuck down there and did our best to finish them before we got back to the house so we didn't have to share with the kids. We are nice like that. Puts us in the running for mom-o-the-year awards.

Isn't it interesting that you can't get snowballs anywhere but the Baltimore area? Does anyone know, is this where they originated? Janie can't even get them in southern MD, and up here, an hour northeast, it's all about the Italian ice.

Before we came home that night, went up to get some white zin at the store at the top of the parents' street. The young man at the counter asked for my ID, which is always nice at my age. I looked at him as I pulled it from my wallet and said, "You know, I think I used to babysit you."

He paused. "Janie?"

I told him who I was. Little (well, not so little anymore, obviously) D grew up next door to my folks' (still lives there with his dad and brother; mom passed away from breast cancer last year). His little brother works there too, and he quickly called him over. "Hey, P, it's Nicole! She used to babysit us!"

So, I went from feeling young (can I see your ID?) to feeling kind of old (I used to change these kids' diapers!).

But, hey, he gave me a discount, so I'm not going to complain.

Anyway...

Yesterday, the boys and I were invited out on our pastor's boat. Actually, his wife called to invite P@rker because he and her grandson are best friends. Then she said, "Ask N@than if he wants to come." That moved into, "Well, why don't you come too! And if Rob can get home in time..."

So, the boys and I threw our suits on (Kay is in MD with my mom this week.), loaded up the sunscreen and some snacks, and spent about 2.5 hours on the C&D canal. It was hot, but somehow you don't feel it when you are flying across the water. I even got into one of those tubes they drag behind the boat. I didn't really have a choice ("It's Nicole's turn!!"), but at least they didn't try to flip me out of it.

Tentative plans to do it again with the whole family on Saturday, including a picnic on the shore. I know Rob will love it if it works out, and I think this time they will bring the skiis too.

It's also nice to see your pastor and his wife just being. I mean, don't get me wrong, this couple are pretty much "what you see is what you get", but there is still a certain bit of "need to act a certain way in certain situations" that comes into play in a church atmosphere. Been there, done that, got the tee (go back to entries in my first two years here to see that).

The PW asked me if I thought Rob would ever pastor again. Life has taken us on a much different road that I think either of us planned. When you spend four years getting a Bible degree, and then pastor for 4.5, how exactly does one end up in management for an up-and-coming telecommunications corporation? But I think we can both say that this seems to be more training ground. He's done the military gig. He's worked in IT for mom-and-pop type companies. He's been in vocational ministry. Now he works in a very Office-esque environment.

How's that for well-rounded? Or at least on the way to.

Do I think he will return to pastoring...? Perhaps. And my answer to her was, "I think so. But you know, one thing we have learned is that ministry happens in so many more ways than just vocationally."

Rob ministers as much now as he did when his main paycheck had T- A- Church on it. Sometimes more so, I think. At least on a more personal, one-on-one level. I think we are going to see the landscape of church and how church is "done" change a lot in the next decade. And I hope we can be a part of that, no matter where our daily bread is coming from.

Hmmm. I guess I did have some writing in me today after all.



~ ~ ~

test - Saturday, Oct. 01, 2016
Just a reminder - Friday, Aug. 10, 2007
Rockin' Girl Blogger - Wednesday, Jul. 18, 2007
A good end - Friday, Jun. 01, 2007
Moving on? Yes and no. - Monday, May. 07, 2007

All entries (c) Nacwolin 2001-2006. These are my words. Use your own, m'kay?

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