Final Countdown

Here it is Saturday night and I am getting ready to go to bed. Colleen and I finished cleaning out the office today, keys are handed in, I just have to lead communion, preach, read my resignation and do the benediction - it is a big just! Although, I am excited about being done, my heart is heavy. Heavy because I have seen pain to those closest to me - for Colleen, the boys, our parents and our friends. I still wonder why and I guess that i always will, but it is God's church and people will have to deal with Him.

I am preaching tomorrow from Philippians 3:10, one of my favourite verses - I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection - for resurrection, there must be death, tomorrow a dream is dying, but I believe that God will resurrect something far better than I could ever imagine.

It is in times like this, you realize how much you are loved and as I am typing this, tears are coming down my face because of all the kind deeds and words that our friends and family have spoken - my friend Carol called me on Friday at the office to tell me she was thinking of me - thank you Carol, you made my day. Other emails have reminded us just how deep some of our relationships have been in places where we have lived - thank you God for your love and the love that we can experience from others.

If you read this before 10 am Mountain Standard Time, would you please pray for me, and our family. I am doing my best to finish well, to ignore threats, unkind comments and words and to embrace God in a fuller and deeper way through this - I believe that God is doing that in me - I have come this far, I do not want to change anything now.

I will update tomorrow after the service - probably late afternoon or early evening our time and let you know how things went from our perspective. As we break bread with our church family for the final time tomorrow, may it be a time of peace, reflection, love and joy. Amen and amen.
And for my good buddy Paul, "Good night men!"