On this rare occasion - I'm electing to post something on my woefully underutilized journal.

It's not an especially rare occasion - that, on this particular evening (not that past evenings have been any different) I really enjoy my new job. In fact, due the life I've led up until now - it hardly seems like a job.

I'm a Pastor.

Don't get me wrong - I spend lots of time doing 'pastor stuff' but until now, preaching, leading bible study, hanging out with youth - all these things I've done in the fringes of time I have left after work, or class. Now it's my job. (And it rocks.) I get paid to spend time with some of the coolest people I know, sharing my favorite stories, listening to awe striking stories -  and I'm not sure how I deserve it, but I'm here.

Still getting used to being called 'Pastor' - it's a title that carries lots of weight. Responsibility, prestige, leadership, respect something. Things that I'm not all together sure I'm worthy of - but it's a title that comes with the job.

Anyhow. That's all I had to say.

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[Thanks Jon.]

It's not an uncommon fact - that I enjoy walks in the evening; and the neighborhood I'm in is particularly well suited for it. When I explain this to people - they usually have something clever to respond with (in part due to the company I keep) like 'Yea - you can see in all the house windows.' I like these walks - not because I can see the bluish flicker of televisions in living room windows or because I can hear the clanking of glasses in fancy backyard garden parties - but because of the separation.

You see, before I toss on my coat or hat - I empty my pockets of all electronic gadgets. No phones, no music players - nothing to distract. My recent R&D ventures into web technologies (not the least of which leverages social networking sites, and communication-based pilot projects) have led me to one conclusion: I'm too connected. Yes, it's nice to be able to scare-up someone to chat with (by whatever medium) at any hour of the day - but the inverse of that is that I'm suddenly available at any time to others as well - that is, unless I leave my phone at home.

So - back to the walk. I'd recommend this to you - the interested reader: Try it. Turn off your phone, leave the laptop at home, even turn off the radio for a while - and walk. Maybe it's not much farther than your mailbox, maybe it's the other side of the city - but the time you spend in relative silence comes through in spades. God's probably 'been trying to get ahold of you today - this will give you an opportunity to hear it.

(And, while all that is true - It's also fun to collect acorns and hide them in people's shoes and stuff. - Ha.)

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