Because I haven’t posted anything since the last week of August, many of you may be wondering – where have you been? Several people have also asked if I had stopped blogging altogether. In attempting to answer these questions, I’ve had to stop and ask myself – where to begin?
For starters, I’ve been in the midst of busy season at work. Think April 15th for tax preparers, accountants, etc. It starts for me around mid-September and usually runs through the first week of December. During the last two or so weeks, it’s an all-out, burnout where perspective gets thrown out the window and all I can think about is getting to the finish line. Despite the fact that I’ve gone through this annual ritual for over 15 years, it never gets any easier. Every gain in productivity and efficiency I’ve attained has been more than offset by increases in the amount and complexity of work required.
And it’s not just about me…This fall, my wife has been busier than ever in her role as Adjunct Staff (in Spiritual Direction) with the Mercy Center in Burlingame. At the start of September, we were also asked to become part of the Pastoral Care staff at our church. We’re only part-timers, but even that status comes with significant responsibilities – particularly when compared to the level of commitment generally required of ”volunteers”. I should also mention that our eldest daughter, Rachel, is entering high school next year. This means that we’ve also been in the process of evaluating schools, submitting applications, and in the case of one private school – pursuing financial aid.
Taken together, this “perfect storm” of activity has forced us to become even more adept at juggling schedules and trying to carve out quality time for our family, friends, and ourselves. We’ve encountered a fair amount of “turbulance” in this season, but with God’s grace we’re hanging in there and continuing to learn new things about ourselves every day.
Thanks for stopping by.
