Life has a way of surprising you. You begin the day with one schedule and find that by lunchtime that it's out the window. The things you thought were priorities get
displaced by other things that take time and energy to resolve. Over the last few weeks, that’s how it’s been
for me.
Here’s a sampling of what's been going on:
The primary elections in the recall efforts for governor,
lieutenant governor, and various state senators were held yesterday here in
Wisconsin. It has the feeling of the
calm before the storm. Last night, I
heard the victory speeches of both Scott Walker, Republican governor, and Tom
Barrett, Democratic challenger. They sounded like commanders, preparing their armies for a crusade. We’re going to be in for quite a time between
now and the general election on June 5.
And even that isn’t likely to signal the end of the drama.
At the same time, I’m wrapping up things at church and home prior my sabbatical. Starting May 26, I’ll
be gone for three months, with three weeks of vacation tacked on at the end. Stephanie and I will spend the first month
traveling in England. Steph returns to
the US on June 29, but I stay behind for three more weeks, one at a retreat
center in Scotland and the other two in the city of Leicester, my family’s
ancestral home. The final eight weeks
will be spent back in Wisconsin, with weekend trips and other side excursions
to be planned. I'm planning to use this blog as my trip journal. Stay tuned!
Simultaneously, my mother is in the hospital. She’s almost 92 years old, still quite hale
and hearty, but with a variety of health issues that keep cropping
up. On the one hand, it’s to be
expected, given her age. On the other,
she’s my mother. You never want to see your loved ones sick. I’ve spoken to her several times on the
telephone and plan to drive up to see her on Friday.
And as if that’s not enough, since my last post I’ve had to
deal with yet another personnel matter at the church. Those of you who’ve read this blog before
know that my secretary resigned very abruptly last December. That proved to be a major distraction for
some months. The most recent situation
wasn’t a resignation, but required several meetings and consultations to be
resolved. We’re not quite out of the
woods, but at least we can see the clearing.
And so it goes. That’s
how life is sometimes. Elbert Hubbard once
said that “life is just one damned thing after another.” I believe it, although sometimes it’s one
thing piled on top of several other things.
My sabbatical begins in 16 days. I’m ready.
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