8:05am — Debbie and I finish breakfast and say the morning office from Celtic Daily Prayer, a tradition we try to keep everyday.
8:35am — Preparing to visit a homebound member when I receive a call at home from her daughter that she died this morning some time in her sleep. Went to the home to be with the family.
10:00am — Returned to the church in time for a construction meeting regarding the community center. Meeting addresses some design challenges and lasts much longer than I had planned.
11:45am — Phone conversation with an editor who is publishing a short article I wrote. Back and forth by email on a couple of corrections. Final draft approved.
12:40pm — Going out the office door, someone from the community pulls me aside regarding a project that just fell through.
12:50pm — Home for lunch and take a couple of calls at home. Check email, talk to Debbie about when we might actually do some Christmas shopping. Maybe not this week.
2:30pm — Return to office to work on the Bible study for tonight. I have only two weeks, tonight and next week, then we’re off on Wednesdays for two weeks. Decide to review the Christmas story in all the gospels, and use a harmony for the outline.
4:15pm — Back to the member’s home to check on arrangements for the funeral, visitation, and how we can help the family.
5:15pm — Pick up Debbie and head to church for Wednesday fellowship meal.
5:45pm — Fellowship meal. The caterer has no extra help tonight due to Christmas parties elsewhere, so we all have to pitch in to serve and clean up, which everyone does willingly. I have to make a quick trip home to find more white bags for the children to decorate for Christmas. Back to the church with bags in hand.
6:30pm — Lead prayer and Bible study. The Christmas story “harmony” goes well.
7:40pm — Home. Check email. Think about funeral sermon. Read our weekly paper that came in the mail today. Update a couple of things on my blog. Call a member to cancel our horse-and-wagon caroling for Saturday because the weather is expected to be cold and wet, maybe freezing rain. This person is a children’s Sunday School teacher, and asks me to come into their class on Sunday morning and talk about how you become a Christian. Several kids have been talking about this, she says.
9:30pm — Writing this. Done for the night. I think.
How does debbie deal with your life? it seems like your work is never ending. Aren’t you tired of all the tasks?