Sabbatical

No, not I. Though I wish it were. Hey, Mom, wanna take 'em, for say 5 months? I'll start in Monaco and work my way West. On second thought, maybe I'll just stay in Monaco. It's fresh on my mind after seeing Ironman 2. It must be one of the most beautiful places ever. But it really doesn't take much when you live in a place like Houston. And even worse than that is Summer in Houston. Rich has started his yearly groaning already. I know, I know, but the alternative, I tell him, is frigid cold for 6 months. My blood is thin, and I will NOT shovel snow. It appears we have a dilemma, don't we?
Our church, Grace Pres., The Woodlands, is trying to send our pastor on a 5 month sabbatical. I was drawn to being a part of the "sabbatical team," aka "the A team," because David's and my dad's pastoral histories are pretty similar. David and his family came to The Woodlands 14 years ago to being their ministry, and my dad did the same over 30 years ago in the Big Easy. Neither man has technically had a vacation in that many years, respectively. It's one thing to appreciate what your pastor does on a weekly basis, but it is another one entirely to SEE what he does on a weekly basis. The church, no matter how smoothly the body works together, is essentially, another member of his family. He eats, sleeps, lives for his church. A man of God who listens to and accepts the call, says yes to a life of much sacrifice. Much, much sacrifice.
I am encouraged by that fact that David has expressed to us what he would like to do on this extended vacation, and we know that one way or another, grant or no grant, we will send him, while praying for renewal, and peace to brim over. I have hope too, that one day my dad will be in a position to be able to get away for an extended period. While we are glad that my parents' vacation is coming to visit for Memorial Day weekend, it's hardly a vacation. God continues to be faithful to both of these men, and I will continue to lift them up in times of much rest and in the busy times. We take our pastors for granted more often than we should. Their labor for the Kingdom is,well,laborious, but God is pleased and continues to rain down blessings.
I look forward to seeing how we as a congregation will grow while David is away, and when he does return, we will welcome him joyfully.