I'm on Vacation....

....sort of. Perhaps I'll explain more later.

Suffice it to say that I am in a good place right now. I took a nap this afternoon.

Yesterday after the two worship services, I finished as much as I could of a funeral bulletin. I called three people, and emailed the interim organist. I went to the nursing home where one of my parish members had just died. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren. We did a short service for Comforting the Bereaved.

A little later we went to the nursing home where my dad lives. We got news Sunday morning that my dad's older brother had died after a struggle with cancer. My uncle had been a pastor in the Evangelical Free Church. He was also a wonderful pianist. When they visited us, he used to play the accordian, or entertain us with "Twinkle, twinkle Little Star" in the style of many different famous composers.

So we had a good conversation with my dad. I got him a riddle book, and he laughed at some of the riddles. When we told him about his brother, he got stoney-faced and didn't say anything.

For supper we tried to eat up the fresh asparagus and the fresh raspberries that a retired pastor from my church had given me. The raspberries were very sweet.

I took Scout to the dog sitter. She ran right into the house, out the back door into their yard and back in again. She does not seem to suffer any separation anxiety. She may not be a "good" dog, but she is emotionally well-adjusted, it seems.

I spent most of the rest of the evening packing. I wrote a brief essay to be read at one of the funerals this week.

We got up very early to go to the airport.

Oh, by the way, I have two more books on my "read" list: both of them are re-reads. I re-read a book by one of my seminary professors, 20. "Where is God in My Praying?" I personally think it should still be in print. I also re-read a book from my youth, 21. Little House in the Big Woods. It's the one I remembered the least. I got an old, worn-out copy with the original illustrations by Helen Sewell.

Now I am reading a book called In the Sanctuary of Outcasts. I'm reading on my nook, which is still a new experience for me. The book makes me want to go to Louisiana.

I will report on this one when I'm done.