A Typical Day in the Office

Occasionally people ask me what a typical day of ministry is like. Many others in my line of work get asked that as well. I usually smile, clear my throat, stutter and stammer a little, and try to reflect on exactly what a typical day does look like. The problem is that rarely are two days ever the same.

It's only 3:00 p.m., but today has already included:
--3 round trips to school to drop off/pick up our son, as well as discussions with three of the teachers and the father of Lena, one of our son's classmates. I also gave 22 Christmas cards that my wife and son made up last night to the principal to give out to our son's classmates.
--Checking the oil level on the car.
--Getting toys out and getting the dishwasher started in preparation for a bi-weekly women's group for mothers of young children that my wife hosts. She also gave a meditation today, so I helped print out something last night for it.
--Helping with childcare during the women's meeting, as Christina, the intern who helps with childcare, arrived physically exhausted and sick from a very busy schedule.
--Catching up with Christina while watching the kids. I have another intern named Anne from Wheaton who will be joining Christina in January. I think that she'll help Christina get more rest as of 2006, as they'll be able to share the workload at the Marais Church. However, I'll need to gauge how they are doing there in 2006.
--Checking e-mail.
--Calling Ron, a friend from a supporting church in Michigan. He left an e-mail saying he was in town on business and wanted to get together. We arranged over the phone for him to have supper with us tomorrow, then I e-mailed him directions.
--Calling Jim Beise and getting confirmation on March 2006 dates for the next series of Fonderie meetings.
--Creating a short publicity ad for this Fonderie series, then e-mailing it off to the Stop Evenement magazine (as tomorrow is the deadline).
--Reflecting on how to formulate an e-mail to Mike, the children's pastor of a church in Tennesee that plans to send a team to help us in Paris May 12-20, 2006. I was on the phone with Jim Beise about this last evening.
--Reflecting on housing for Tricia January 12-15, 2006, as she'll be in Paris checking out the possibility of an internship at Belleville 2006-2007.

Nothing is overly complicated in any of this. However, information needs to be communicated and details organized at the right time in order to open doors for present and future ministry. It's the principle of leverage. If I put the right amount of weight in the right place at the right time, the return on the amount of ministry work that gets done is often surprising. Of course, I am aware of God being the one who ultimately brings blessing and fruitfulness and don't want to downplay that. But I also don't want to justify laziness, disorganization, and poor planning when there is Proverbs-type wisdom and qualities that I can apply in these situations. I think that sometimes God's sovereignty is used as an excuse for our lack of wisdom, initiative, and earnestness.

I need to work on our December newsletter now. But before I do, I need to do a blog on another Don Miller chapter "Love: How to Really Love People."