Pretty, isn't it?

Yes, I have always...WAIT! WHO SAID THAT?

It's Me, Larry. The Lord.

WHAT! Really, where are you? Who are you?

I am the Lord, Larry. Since you could not handle my actual self, I am in your head. But you are not crazy or anything. You are actually talking with Me.

No, no, no! This is Mary Earle's thing. You know. Mary Earle from Indiana. She is the one who talks to You.

Yes, about that. That woman's brain is racing in four or five directions at once. Sometimes I have to actually talk to her to get her to listen. You are very much the same way, but when I put things in your path, you can usually slow down and perceive Me. Mary, well Mary is a special case. I had to put Bill in her life to rein her in a bit.

So, my mind is racing so fast that You need to verbally talk with me?

HAH! Don't flatter yourself, my son. No one's mind races like Mary's. No, today I am just sitting here looking out over Lake Erie with an old friend.

Okayyyyy. But I have sat looking out over this Lake hundreds of times. You never talked to me before.

Of course I talked to you! You would come in anguish or confusion or despair. Each time I talked to you in the wind or the waves or the silence before the rising of the sun. Do you recall ever leaving the Lake disappointed?

Well, actually, no. But You have never had a verbal conversation with me before. This is different.

But still, you are here today with confusion and despair. Why are you offering care to a woman who left you for another man? Why are you so mentally preoccupied with the church in Indiana? Why isn't there a ministry just waiting for you here where you ministered for so long? Did I miss anything?

No. No, You pretty much have it all. But still, You are talking to me! This is just....weird!

Mary might not think so.

Oh, for goodness sakes! Mary has Norman the Frog that she takes advice from! 

Stormin Norman is actually a pretty good croaker. The point is, we are having this conversation because we need to clear some things up. To answer the questions that are vexing your soul, let's start with the first one. You are offering care to Marsha because you are made that way. I made you that way. You are helping your son, you are helping Marsha and you are being a witness.

Yes, I get that. But this is not how I wanted to spend retirement!

Oh, My goodness! You didn't even want to retire! How many times did you say you wanted to finish a sermon and then fall over dead? You don't know the answer to that, but I do. You have no hobbies and no real interest in anything but the ministry. Well, now you are retired anyway and you are doing exactly what you need to do. And then, there is the preoccupation the Yoke.

That is true. I don't ever remember leaving a church with so much concern on my heart.

That is because you never have left a church with so much concern on your heart. You have gone on to the next ministry and plunged right in. Here you are still praying for the congregation every day. You are concerned for Kim. You grieve for Phyllis. You are prayerfully anticipating the new pastor. Listen, this was expected by Me. I put a special love in your heart for the Yoke. You have stood by them and they have stood by you. There is a napkin from McDonalds on floor from that coffee. wipe your eyes. I have more to say. You are experiencing grief. In time you will learn to live with it, but they will always be special.

Now I want to talk with you about this last thing. Why hasn't a place of ministry opened up? The church with the poor Power Point, the church with the sound man who couldn't work the sound, the song leader who didn't know what page the songs were on. Yes, you could be of help in all those places. This is Northeast Ohio! Every church has serious problems here! However, each step brings you pain. Each day is a struggle for you. You need to rest for a while. You need to soak up some preaching other than your own. Remember when the church in Geneva forced you to take a two month sabbatical. You didn't want to, but it recharged your batteries. That is what is going on now. And NO ONE can force like I can force! I already know your next question. No, I will not give you a hint about the next ministry, but you will do it with all your heart. Now, just sit here and watch and listen to the waves. I have to go.

Wait! So soon? I have so many questions!

No. Mary is talking to Norman again and is expecting him to answer. Oh my!

Ok, I guess. I'll just sit here a spell.......