It’s hard to believe. I am still in “re-entry” mode to a large degree…even blogging again is a little therapeutic. The past month has been so full…so busy…that blogging has taken a backseat. But I’m back now. And I need a place to work through my thoughts and feelings…and God’s workings. And He has been working, I just haven’t been writing about it.

Now that school is over there is The Big Question: What’s next?

I started reading Jeremiah this week and came across this passage:

This is what the Lord says:
“Stop at the crossroads and look around.
Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it.
Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.”
(Jeremiah 6:16, NLT)

That’s how I feel right now..like I am standing at the crossroads looking around. And I want to take the “godly way” and walk in it and find rest for my soul. So I have been praying for God’s leading and direction for the “What’s Next?” question.

Here’s what’s clear: My education may be done, but He’s not done working on me yet. There is more internal work left to be done. I may have some book knowledge but God wants my heart…He wants me. And He has more to do within me. As His child. As a father. As a husband. I need to take some time to be sure my heart and soul are ready for whatever is next.

And I am ready for this part of the journey as well. I get the sense that it will be this way for a couple of months. I submit to this process. I need this. So I stop and look down the crossroads. I ask for the Godly way. I will walk in it. I will travel its path. I will find rest for my soul.

But that simply leads to the next question: What’s Next? And God has finally released me to start praying about it…about what’s next. No answers yet—but at least I get to pray about it and start looking toward the future. So that’s what I’ve been doing over the past week. Not in large doses of prayer, but in simple prayers where I just ask God, “What’s next? What do you have in store for us? What should we be preparing for?”

And then I listen…

This morning He gave me an answer I was not expecting: “No matter what happens…enjoy the process.”

Enjoy the process. Hmmm…

Interesting. Not exactly what I was expecting. But I get it.

Don’t worry. Don’t fret. Don’t get your undies in a bunch (I might have added that one myself)…just enjoy the process regardless of the results. During the process…whatever that ends up being…I get to learn about myself. I get to learn about God. I get to connect with God and share thoughts and feelings with Him. I get to walk with God and hear His voice.

I should say…WE get to walk with God and hear His voice. I’m not alone in this process. Anita is in it with me. The kids are in it. I have no idea what’s coming down the road but I will enjoy the process. And I just might end up with exactly what He wants for me in the process. Wouldn’t that be a bonus?

So blogging has taken a slight back-seat this week…but I haven’t gone anywhere! And in the midst of all this chaos, stress, and workload God has been very close. And I couldn’t be more thankful! I am learning (slowly) to turn to Him in these times instead of turning to my false idols…the things I used to turn to when things got rough.

And He has come through in spades! This morning He gave me gentle reminder of just how much He loves me and how much He has done for me already…

 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
   And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
   He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
   Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6, NLT

What more can I say besides:

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

I think that says it.

That said…let’s talk about a word that is getting out of control lately. It came up this week as I was building a salad at work on the salad bar. Nothing spectacular…just your average salad with the typical salad topping options. That’s when I saw it and had to shake my head once again. It was a sign over one of the topping options that said:

Organic Carrots

OUT…OF…CON…TROL! Can someone please tell me what an “Inorganic Carrot” is…and would you eat it if you were offered it? Aren’t ALL carrots organic? I think this is one of the dumbest language changes we’ve seen in a while…and I think it’s stupid. I know it’s cliché but here’s the dictionary definition of the word organic: “of, relating to, or containing carbon compounds”. That pretty much covers every single item on the salad bar!

But the word is changing thanks to marketing (a stupid reason to change the meaning of a word!). It’s coming to mean “untouched or pure”. For produce that means it’s grown with no man-made fertilizers or chemicals. It even has a growing meaning outside of produce or other food items…another example of the definition getting out of control.

Here’s the example I’ve been hearing lately: “We need to develop this plan organically…just let it develop on its own without too much outside influence.” Its not that I disagree with the new meanings but we are starting to dilute our language so much that you never know what someone really means.

And no…I don’t really care if my carrots or other food is grown with or without pesticides, antibiotics, or fertilizers. It’s all “organic” and I can’t stand paying more for something that is using LESS to make or grow it. That doesn’t make sense! So just like wanting to outlaw pennies…any time I see these “Organic X” signs I think I’ll just pass.

But that’s just me…getting off my soapbox now!

We are also preparing and planning for our annual Memorial Weekend Camping Trip to Como, CO. The trip is a blast (assuming the weather holds out), but it’s one more thing on top of an already busy week. Frankly, I can’t wait for it to get here so we can all relax a little and spend time with family and friends in God’s country (just wish Bill and Cindy could make it this year, won’t quite be the same without them)!

In the midst of all this busyness and craziness, God gave me these words of encouragement this morning. I hope they encourage you as much as they do me:

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these?
If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Romans 8:31, NLT

No excuses, but I’ve simply been too busy with school, a new job, Band of Brothers, Elder meetings, teaching a new class at church (which I love!), and my standard husband and dad stuff.

But I now have a week off of school (which is the biggest time consumer of them all) before I start back into my next class. Thank goodness!!  =0)

We had a great President’s Day weekend. Mainly took Saturday off…laying around the house, some cleaning, and finishing up a little homework. Sunday was typical…church in the morning and a fun Life Group at night. Yesterday was especially fun…just hanging out with the family. We went to my office and unpacked it (I know, not much fun…but the kids love going through security) and then we went and say The Spiderwick Chronicles. Good movie (bordering on great). I highly recommend it, especially if you can catch the matinee (not many movies now-a-days worth the full price).

So this week I am determined to take a little “brain rest” and spend some quality time with God, my family, and hopefuly blogging a little bit more. Next week it’s back into the frying pan!

The plan is to have my Bachelors Degree completed within 2 or 3 years (really planning on 2, but sandbagging by throwing in the extra year). If all goes according to plan I will have a major in Christian Education in the Local Church with a minor in Pastoral Ministry (the minor I basically get for free because of the classes I’ve already taken).

Like I said, this is all online and will be taken through Nazarene Bible College–the same college I started with (and just never quite finished). I started my first “class” this week, if you call it that: Online Orientation. I’ve actually learned a lot about the online college experience and it wraps up after this next week.

After that, I will be taking 2 classes per 14 week semester (one at a time, 7 weeks each). First up is Youth Ministry followed by Multiple Staff Ministries. Already have my books (3 for each class…yes, that’s a total of 6 books…all of which must be read within the next 14 weeks). Good thing I like to read!

Keep me and the family in your prayers. It’s not going to be easy balancing everything, but God has a master plan and we’re following it. I have a strange feeling school will be the easy part. Making the transition from well-paid professional to not-so-well-paid associate minister will be tough–but again, it’s God’s plan and we’re following it. The ultimate plan is to be in full-time (I think) Discipleship Ministry (or Family Pastor, or Small Group Pastor, or ???) in about 3 years.

Like I said…be praying for us…