When I’m not out preaching, our family attends Pathway Church in Palo Alto. Pathway is an 8‑month old church plant. Good things are happening there–a Mormon lady converted last week, for instance.
But anyone who’s ever started a ministry from scratch knows that some days are just painful to be a part of. Things go wrong that you would never imagine could go wrong.
This was one such day.
- Good News: guest shows up based entirely on our internet ads.
Bad News: while chatting with the pastor before the service she is struck solidly in the neck by a frisbee and has to go home, take some medicine, and lie down. - Good News: I brought five students from Stanford to check out the church.
Bad News: every single one of our regulars who wasn’t helping missed church today. Every. Single. One. During worship it was me and the students in the congregation. - Good News: the songs were really cool songs.
Bad News: two of the microphones stopped working between the sound check and the start of service and somehow the keyboard became possessed by a demon. At least, that’s my best guess. It sure moaned as though possessed. - Good News: Scott’s sermon was thoughtful and well-presented.
Bad News: the translation that was shown on the screen was different from the translation Scott was reading despite being purportedly the same (further investigation reveals there are two editions of the New Living Translation–our pew Bibles are the first and our computer Bible is the second–who knew?). The effect was disconcerting and distracted from an otherwise excellent message.
I’m not one to hyperspiritualize things, but I see a correlation between the success our church has been enjoying lately and all the “nobody’s fault” glitches that popped up today. The Bible teaches us that we have an enemy, and sometimes he leaves scat behind.
This is clearly going to be one of those services we spend a lot of time laughing about in a few years… especially the frisbee in the neck bit. How random is that?
Very funny story. I am in ministry as well.
I have a little story of my own. Only this story consists of information that happens on a daily basis.
I am a pastor’s wife and have a 7 and 2 year old. This was my day.
-Woke up to my 2 year old’s diaper. Clothes soaked through.
-Oldest son 7 couldn’t find his wallet which he was frantically looking for in order to give a boy at school a one dollar bill that he had stolen earlier in the week. It never was found.
-Two year old went in room and empties out a basket full of books onto the floor. He then used the basket to climb up to his older brother’s dresser. He then grabbed a box of marbles and ran to the living room. After showing me the marbles I began chasing him only to have him throw the marbles down the hallway and they go in every direction.
-Oldest son was late for school.….…
-Visited a church with my husband. 2 year old ran up and down the alter at the front of this very conservative United Methodist Church. He jumped off choir lofts and kneeling pews. Speaking of pew, I had to take him home to change another diaper. It’s O.K.! I couldn’t wait to get him out of there.
-Continued my day by Grocery Shopping in the pouring rain.
-Tryed to call my mom on the phone while putting away the groceries. 2 Year old kicked and screamed to eat.
-Had to hang up. Couldn’t hear to think. Found many of my appliances in the garbage.
-After feeding child, I layed him down and cleaned my house for 5 hours. Yes it is possible and no my house really wasn’t that messy to begin with. Just normal sweeping and pick up, laundry, etc.
-Cooked supper, made brownies, did oldest son’s homework with him.
-Youngest child gets up only to reject my food crying for toast. I refuse and he eats half.
-Locked myself in my room for a half hour of prayer while the 2 boys ran through the house destroying my 5 hours of hard work in 20 minutes.
-Went to prayer meeting only to find out there was no nursery workers. Watched my child and 2 others for an hour. Finally a nice lady came to releive me.
-Went to prayer.
-Came home to a house full of teens who were leaving from a Bible study my husband was leading.
-Ate pizza and brownies and then felt guilty.
-Helped husband clean up.
-Got kids ready for bed, read stories to them, prayed with them, loved them.
This is a typical day in the life of a young Pastor’s Wife. Welcome to real Ministry.
Sincerely,
Over worked and under paid,
Rebecca
PS Did I mention that yesterday morning I woke up to a box of Rice Krispies all over my kitchen floor??????