Wednesday...

Today,
Penny the foster came to work with me. She is still here, in fact, while I write from my office. She is the best car dog ever. She loves watching traffic and pedestrians.....It's nice to have her around. Too bad she chases cats. With relish.

I don't have my pastor-goo going on today...I went to the hospital to visit a very dear, dear member who has been in and out and in out of the hospital all fall. Seriously, like every other week. She was obviously on a lot of pain medication, and I tried to find out from her what was going on this time---but she didn't know. She didn't know anything, except for where it hurt in her body. So frustrating, because I can't ask the nurses what is going on, I can't ask at the nursing home where she stays, and we are pretty much her family--the church. My colleague will be able to find out, but that isn't the point. The point is that I think that i totally did not meet her in the time of need. We chatted (well, I chatted), I read some scripture to her, and prayed over her and with her. It was fine, but I didn't feel it, you know?

And then the nursing home service just took it down to another level. Thank goodness there was another congregant with me to play the piano and sing the hymns. It just felt so straw-y to be going through a communion liturgy...it didn't seem to meet them where they are at. Again, it was fine. I didn't feel it, and I am not so sure they did either. Oh well. A day in the life of ministry.

Confirmation next. I'm keeping my fingers crossed to "feel it".

I went to visit a parishioner in the hospital today.