Looking out the window....
Our quilt group met this past weekend. Each of us has our specialty role when we tag team on creating a quilt. Miss Sue and Miss Kathy almost always hand stitch the binding to quilts. I machine stitched the binding to the couple of quilts I finished, but I was never satisfied with it. Not matter how well I pay attention, I still tend to veer off from the binding and have to go back to fix mistakes, So at our meeting, I asked Miss Kathy to show me how to hand stitch my binding. I didn't quite get it, but I think the technique will click as I continue to practice.
I'm thinking about...
Doug.
Doug Carlsen is the Executive Pastor at Colorado Community Church. Three years ago, he started experiencing some troubling symptoms. After going to doctor after doctor and having test after test, no one clear diagnosis was found. Even after taking a sabbatical and extended medical leave, Doug didn't get any better. On the contrary, he grew worse. We got an email this week that Pastor Doug died Wednesday.
That is where the heaviness of heart comes from. Sunday, rather than having a regular service, we prayed, worshiped, and grieved together as a church family. It was beautiful and weighty at the same time.
Pastor Doug made a huge impact on our church, our leadership, our congregation--heck, anyone he came in contact with. His kindness and his in-depth sermons made an impact on me as well. However, his unique position in the church was what impressed me. Being the Executive Pastor of a church isn't unique, but the fact that Pastor Doug was not married and had no children and being allowed to serve in that position is. I know that as a general rule, single childless women in the church (and everywhere else for that matter) have the most difficulty being accepted into roles of leadership. However, once we all--regardless of gender--reach a certain age, we're pretty much in the same boat. Not because of skill or education, but simply because of marital/parental status. Doug was a few years older than I am, so we were in the same "dingy" of possible rejection and discrimination.
As I wrote here, I wish we could have had a conversation so that I could get some insight into how he handles humanity's incessant need to pair any and everybody off, and treat those who refuse to be coupled as if they have something "wrong" with them. Oh well, he has now moved on to his great reward, and I'll have to soldier on as the lone unicorn.
What I read this week...
- Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Burton ✮ 1/2
- Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
- Faith's Checkbook by Charles Spurgeon
- The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
- The Wisdom of Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton
- Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff
This week's blog posts...
- The sickness from Christmas break is nearly gone.
- I finally had the energy to take my Christmas decorations down and put them away.
- A new year full of new possibilities.
- The life and ministry of Pastor Doug Carlsen.
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