I have plenty of time

Life changed a lot about 4 weeks ago when I met with the Bishop. It seems that I will have to study a least one year at an Episcopal Seminary. This was not always the case as there were plans for local formation – however it is the case now. My family and I have talked about this and prayed about this.

We reached a consensus that my commuting to Virginia or New York City would not be good for any of us. Taking a long story and making it short, we are selling the house and moving to Alexandria Virginia where I will complete my final two years of seminary training. It is a big adventure for all of us and a bit scary and it certainly is stress inducing.

We signed with a realtor two days ago. For the last two weeks we have started to prepare our home for the sales market. Oops, it is no longer our home, it is now a property to be marketed and sold – that is taking some getting used to.

What strikes me is that much of what we have been doing, and will be doing in the prep work are all things we have talked about doing before and just never got around to doing. The walls that I have painted needed painting before. The microwave needed to be replaced before and now it has been replaced. The clutter that is being tossed or donated could have gone away long ago. It is a long list of to-do items none of which are surprises or revelations. It is just now we have a deadline and so they are getting done.

How often is this the case for the important things in our life?

What about the friends we intend to call? Or the musical instrument we want to learn to play? Or the family member we have not spoken with in so many years? Or the person we need to look at and say “I love you” or “thank you”?

Well these things can wait because the deadline is kind of fuzzy. We don’t know when we will die, or when they will die so there is no hurry. Right? After all the realtor needs to get the property (not home) on the MLS system so that deadline is coming quickly. The other things can wait.

Each year we walk with Jesus for the 40 days of Lent and then Holy Week. All so that He can die and be resurrected. We know precisely when this will occur and our schedules can be adjusted accordingly. It is our own mortality that is not on our schedule.

In the last week I have painted, replaced a microwave, and fixed little items here and there. I am glad to have done these things; but I also told my family that I was sorry I did not do these things sooner so we could enjoy them. There is other unfinished business too. I guess I better get them done now so we can all enjoy them for what I hope is a long time.

Diane, I love you. Parr, you are my son, my beloved, and with you I am well pleased.

Shalom,