Reverend Ref +

LET THE GAMES BEGIN . . . and other miscellaneous thoughts

I heard from my assigning secretary this week. That's good news. He scheduled me for my first football games this Saturday and upcoming Monday. Hmmm -- I had to remind him that I was in Bozeman for a clergy conference on Saturday. I hate turning back games, not only for the obvious reason that I miss a game, but for the other reason that, if you do it too many times, you start losing assignments. Not really a good way to begin my Montana career, but I did tell him I was out of town that day. So my first game will be Monday -- wearing those fancy new shorts.

Last night was Theology on Tap in Sheridan. I didn't do one Monday because, hey, even I need to enjoy a holiday. So I did both bars in one night. While at Bar #1, I met up with the Sheridan fire chief. I talked with him about offering my services to the dept. as a chaplain. He thought that was a great idea. He also asked if I'd be interested in become a volunteer firefighter. I used to do that about 20+ years ago, and tried to get on as a paid firefighter with several departments, but it never panned out. So it didn't take me long to say, "Sure!" As luck would have it, the dept. has their monthly business meeting tonight, so I'll attend that and get things all straightened out.

Today also happens to be Wedding Anniversary #15. This is a good thing. When we went to seminary in 2001, that was the first time we were able to celebrate our anniversary on the actual date since, up to then, I was always away at some football game somewhere. Although . . . there was that one time during my last season in Spokane when our anniversary fell on a Friday and I had a local varsity game. She told the attendants that I was an official and tonight was our wedding anniversary -- they let her park for free. No football game tonight, but there is that FD meeting, oops. I'm taking her out for dinner tomorrow.

Finally, just over one week until Diocesan Convention out in Miles City (the capital of W. Dakota, for those who don't know). Saturday is a pre-convention deanery meeting, and I'm taking two of my delegates to that meeting (hence the turnback of my game). It'll be a pretty typical meeting -- here's the budget, here are some things you need to know, etc. etc. etc., but it's all good and informative, and lunch is provided.

And now, time to get back to the office and see if I can't pull Sunday's sermon together.