Reverend Ref +

PACKING

Today has been spent doing laundry and packing for the Big Trip -- working with Technogeek on the parish website, seeing old friends, Jane's priesting, visiting our old parish, then time spent on continuing ed. I've gone over my To Do list and my To Pack list I don't know how many times. I think I'm set. The last two loads are in the wash now. All that's left to pack is the bathroom bag.

I was thinking I could get away without having to check any baggage -- one hanging bag and one suitcase, no sweat.

Um . . . not so much. Things have sort of, well, expanded.

Besides all the clothes required for eight days out of town, and all of the necessary "extra" pieces that being a clergy person requires when attending events, I also have a gaggle of clergy shirts that were given to me because . . . well . . . because the former owner sort of outgrew them. They aren't necessarily to my liking, so I'm hauling them with me to Chicago. I'll drop them off at SWTS and I'm sure that some senior in need of a shirt or two will snatch them up.

So . . . yeah, it looks like I'll be checking at least one bag. I hate doing that, especially when it's not a direct flight. I will pack the bag that carries the most easily replaceable items. In other words, I'm not checking my alb, stole & clericals.

So, Jane, we need to make a stop at baggage claim when I get to town.

And now I need to go check laundry and finish the last of the packing.

Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick

Oh, one other thing -- the parishioner who is leading MP at St. P's this weekend requested that I write a sermon for him to read. Geez -- the nerve . . . Anyway, I did. I'm almost wishing I was either a) here to preach it myself, or b) here to watch him deliver it. Let's just say it has to do with the Summary of the Law and "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure." I'll post it as usual.

"Almost" wishing I were here . . . In reality, very glad to be going back to Chicago for this special event. In fact, words escape me . . . So, back to packing.