Back in the Swing of Things

I am back in the office full time this week and for the most part I am feeling like I did before the surgery except for I don't have the anticipation of surgery hanging over me. Next week i hope to go back to the gym and give working out a try, I really miss it because it enables me to level out the negatives and work toward some reachable goals in a physical manner.
I am glad i have most of my energy back because today begins the season of Lent. It is Ash Wednesday and today I am beginning to head towards Easter in the hope of moving closer to in my relationship with God. Last Sunday I passed out a booklet called the Lenten Challenge in which I challenged the people of the church engage in some serious spiritual direction as they move down the road toward Easter.
There are six challenges , reading the scripture, praying daily, worship regularly, develop accountability, Bless others daily and give sacrificially. These are not easy challenges but are present in order to make me intentional about my Lenten journey of faith.
In each of these challenges God takes a part of our life and turns the focus on the spiritual side of things. A side that if taken seriously, we will be able to move toward a deeper relationship with God.
This will be a challenge for me as well because these things are often pushed aside with a busy schedule. I just need to be faithful in my life and move forward.
It is nice to be back and take the focus of my surgery and place it towards God and drawing closer this season.

Glad to Be Back

A little over two weeks ago I had surgery for prostate cancer. I am happy to say I will be back preaching this Sunday, Valentines Day 2010. While I am not yet back at 100 percent (I still tire easily) I feel it is important that I get back to church and the art of pastoring because that is what I am called to do. While it is easy to get bogged down in the day to day work of the pastorate in some ways these two weeks off have been like (for lack of a better description) a mini sabbatical with pain.
The weather has played havoc on us for the first few week of 2010 and my focus has been on my health rather than the church so we have gotten off to a slow start this year. But with my good report from the doctor and putting the surgery behind me the past few days have been a time of refocus for my calling. I have been able to reflect on the direction the church is heading come up some new approaches and get back into things with some renewed energy and I am ready to jump headfirst back into things.
With Lent on the horizon with special services and activities I will need to remember to pace myself as my energy builds toward the future.
With all that said life is good and I am glad to be back.

The Gradual Approach

Each day I am gradually able to do a little more and that is how my recovery is going. For example yesterday I went out to breakfast with some guys from the church, then after coming home I worked a little on Sunday's sermon and decided to work a little in my glass shop. After putting some things in the kiln I was able to rest for some time over lunch. After lunch I read a little and then it was time to check the kiln. I then took some time to organize my glass tools and parts and finished a bracelet. I posted some new pictures on my Facebook page and that was about it.

It was by far the most I have been able to accomplish since my surgery and a good mixture of activities. I feel I really need to get back to the gym but I know it is too early now, but in a week or two who knows.

Update

Got great news from the doctor on Thursday and I have been feeling so good, I have not taken time to sit down and write anything.
The path report showed one very small tumor and it had not spread outside the affected area so it was just as I was hoping. I have another appointment to return in a few weeks in order to double check the results and from there i am planning to move on from this experience and continue my life.
I plan to be back to work this week on a limited basis from home then possible spend a few hours in the office at the end of the week and then back in the pulpit this Sunday which just happens to be Transformation Sunday. I have already started my sermon and have a good mix of ideas rolling around in my head for how I would like it to play out.
I am ready to get back into things gradually I will increase my time over the next few weeks but with lent and then Easter I will most likely be trying to get up to speed fairly quickly. I plan to spend a little more time writing on this blog and hopefully I will have some meaningful things of a spiritual nature to challenge and inspire the readers.

Heading back to the Doctor

I have to say I am excited today to go to the doctor. That is not something one usually says but today is my follow up appointment after surgery. I expect to be told I am either on or ahead of pace for recovery and hopefully I will be given permission to drive once again. I have to admit it has been tough being regulated to the house or going out only with someone else doing the driving.

The recovery process has been slow but steady. When I came home from the hospital it was painful to get in and out of bed and even rolling on my side was a painful undertaking. But then again I remember getting out of bed for the first time last Thursday even with help it was not an easy experience. Then on Friday morning when I took my first walk about 100 feet down the hall it seemed like it was taking forever and I was exhausted when I got back to my room. Then one night this week I decided to go to Wal-Mart not to shop but to walk. It only took once to the back of the store to want to head home again.

Today is one more step in the process, one more step toward recovery. It has been a long road but one in which I have learned a lot.

The Desire To Do Too Much

I feel better when I am busy so sitting around recovering iis not a very easy thing for me to do. If I feel okay then I think i can do a little bit more but the truth is I have realized I can not. That is a fact which is hard for me to accept. I tried a couple of simple tasks today that took at the most 30 minutes but I could not believe how much effort those things took.

I have decided that often I find my identity in what I do. For example if someone where to ask me who I am I, I would tell them what I do for a living. But the person I am is a lot more than being a minister. When I take time to look at my life by who I am there are several qualities that make up my life, things that can't be measured or are a part of any profession. So I need to celebrate the person I am and the gifts I have and by just what I do.

When I come to that realization in this place in time I then I do not have to do anything just be who I am a child of God in need of healing and renewal.