Okay, in addition to praying (like a zealous Desert Mother) since hearing my pastors would be away and realising I'd be in the pulpit this week, I've done all my research for Sunday's sermon: I've gathered 50 pages of info, read prolifically, listened to other preachers, sought out relevant illustrations; that's my usual MO.
Now comes the hard part of sifting through the layers of rich material and distilling a (relatively) short, memorable, life-changing message.
I hasten to say, only God can change lives--this I know from experience--but His Spirit is present in the study as well as in the pulpit. Despite frequent advice to "wing it" and not try and "control the process," I personally believe I can only truly let go and trust God to speak through me once I've carried my share of the load.
Once I've refined the manuscript to a dozen pages or so (in large type!) I then go through it several times, so that my delivery sounds natural (and on good days folk actually think I'm speaking without notes, which I seldom do ... far too many rabbit trails to chase).
And so what have I been doing, while all this material is percolating in my brain?!
Let me see:
1. Going out with a couple of special friends for lunch to celebrate a birthday.
2. Heading up to school after lunch to use the library.
3. Wandering around my workplace in awe of all the renovations.
4. Returning home with my friend and hunting for a book for her to read on her birthday.
5. Writing about going out with a couple of special friends for lunch to celebrate a birthday.
6. Popping over to see my neighbours' basement renovations.
7. Pulling up dandelions (before Robin mowed the lawn).
8. Making supper and cleaning up.
9. Chatting to my friend Michael on his 40th birthday.
10. Sorting through the first wave of my RSA photos for some family pics to post here.
11. Replying to personal e-mails.
12. Listening to Laurika Rauch (my favourite South African singer).
Sounds like a whole lot of procrastination, even for me!!
Back to work...
