Vacation Reading...

On vacation this week and enjoying a change of pace!  Yesterday, I read a book that Caroline gave me for Christmas.  It was a GREAT read and I HIGHLY recommend it to you.

The book, "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.   Randy was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and at a young age was disgnosed with pancreatic cancer.  The book is one way he used to share who he was with his three young children, who likely would not remember him much if at all.  In it he tells about how he acheived many of his childhood dreams.

Early on in his life, Randy developed a mantra that served him well in life right up to the end.  His mantra "Brick walls are there for a reason.  They give us a chance to show how badly we want something."

I have lived my life with this mantra as a guide, even though I never spoke it that way... I am not one to let brick walls stop me from pursuing things I want or feel called to do.   My latest brick wall came in early December.   I had applied for a grant to help fund a sabbatical experience.  In our denomination, pastors are encouraged to take a sabbatical after 7 years of service.  I am now in my 21st year of pastoring and have never had a sabbatical.  But really feel the need for one.  The word came back from The Louisville Institute that over 400 applicants came for 40 awards of $15,000.   I was not one of the receipients.  SMACK... right into the BRICK WALL!

When I shared my disappointment with our District Executive, he was concerned that I not do what lots of pastors in my situation do... get the break they are looking for by changing congregations. 

I have NO desire to do that, however I do want to have a sabbatical... so I am working on an application for another grant that would fund up to $50,000 for me and CoJ to have and cover a sabbatical.  Purchased two books from Alban Institute on Sabbatical planning and will read them shortly and begin the work of prayerfully putting together a plan.

I have also inquired of a pastor in Indiana whose blog I read, who put together a request last year and was granted this funding from Lily Foundation for a sabbatical experience that he just returned from.  Some of the things he did have real appeal to me.  Hope he will share with me some of his plan... not so I can copy it but to give me ideas and to see what a "winning" plan looks like.

"Brick walls are there for a reason.  They give us the chance to show how badly we want something."  And they give us the chance to improve our approach and wait on God's timing...   Not about to give up!