The day begins. The alarm clock reminds me that it is time
to get out of bed. I am usually already awake. I just need that extra little
push. I am the first one up in my household; so I listen to see if others are
stirring.

I stumble into the shower because that helps me get more
fully awake. Then I help to get breakfast underway. At my home we always have
breakfast. The menu varies but always contains fresh fruit. After breakfast,
lunches are packed and the lucky parent of the day gets to drive the kid to
school in Calgary’s morning rush. Our route – 24^th St. SW to 90^th
Ave. SW. to 14^th St SW to Glenmore Trail and all the way to Canada
Olympic Park where the National Sport School is located. For me, it is at least
an hour or more by the time I take my son to school and drive all the long way
to Deer Park.

I have learned patience. I listen to CBC and actually learn
a lot. Oh, I should say CBC comes on after Boz is let out. Before that, we are listening
to virgin radio or some other such programming that is more appealing to a
teenager. If CBC has nothing of interest (it usually does), I drive along
silently, and I have learned to just be present and drive (hard to drive if you’re
absent!).

At other times, I’ll make a few phone calls via my blue
tooth connection, but I have decided that too is distracting so I keep it to a
minimum. The late fall and winter months are best except when I wake up to
snow. On those mornings there is no need to rush. I’d rather sit at home with
another cup of coffee. I like those mornings because it’s dark. There is
something about “going to work” while it’s still dark. I rarely do that in the
summer!

I arrive at my destination – Deer Park United Church. I go
into the office, speak to whoever might already be there before me, get my
orders from our capable office administrator, and then I check my schedule to
see what I need to do. Sometimes I am surprised to see that I am to be at another
meeting at the same time I’m looking into the pages of the calendar. Yes, I
have a paper calendar, one on the computer, one in the cloud, and one in the gray
zone – my brain. It’s really gray – sort of like a white-out. I guess sometimes
it is grey!

So, after a bit I settle into to my work. Sermon and worship preparation are always first
before the wonderful (and I mean that) interruptions start. People calling, people dropping in
the office, a text here and a face book message there and I am off to the races
- Connecting with people, building relationships, listening, once in a while
offering advice and giving information.

When there is a lull, I remember that I need to check emails.
Sometimes I am astonished at how many come in overnight. I go into triage mode
so that I can respond to the most urgent of requests. And all the while those
wonderful interruptions happen. I think I actually pray for them to happen
because I really like to be with people.

After the morning has come and gone, I usually go to the gym
to work out for about an hour. I have a real need to be physical, to keep
moving, and to stay strong. It`s good, just plain good to do that.

Most days have scheduled meetings – our community partners,
colleagues, spiritual direction and counselling, lunches (Did I say that I`ll
do lunch with anyone for almost any reason? Call me.), broader church work,
worship planning, council and the list goes on.

Now some of these scheduled meetings and activities, like
Wing and a Prayer, take me into the evening. That’s when I realize that I might
have missed lunch if it wasn’t scheduled. Belly talk at meetings is embarrassing!
When my stomach growls, I always look in disgust at the person sitting beside
me – just kidding. I like Wing and a Prayer because I get to eat.

Then the day is done. I drive home only to discover that on
many evenings messages have been left on the phone. I check to see if any are
urgent and respond. The others I email to myself to remind me to deal with them
the next day. I love those phone calls that come in before I get around to returning
those calls and the caller asks, “Didn’t you get my message?” The answer is
always, “Yes, I was just getting ready to call you.”

Finally, I check in with the family. I have a snack and
perhaps a glass of wine. Walk outside; I always need to be outside at the end
of the day. I need to be with that that is bigger than me, breathe fresh air,
stretch, give thanks, smile and then I am ready for bed and the next day to
come. And in my work, I never really know what will come, so each day is new
and fresh. I am grateful.