2 days off...

this never happens. 2 days off in the same week. i took monday off because i worked last thursday to get ready for DtP, and now it's thursday - my regular day off - and i think i'm more rested now than i have been in quite a while. i actually don't think i'll know what to do with myself tomorrow. it might not be as hard getting up for friday morning prayer with the rest of the staff (yes, 7am is too early for me).

now it might sound a little funny that i'm rejoicing over this normally taken-for-granted luxury, but there's something you need to understand. i work a different schedule than a lot of people. because of the nature of my job (youth and young adult minister) i'm asked by my local church to be available (work) 6 days a week. i'm expected to put in a certain number of hours and how that all works out is mostly up to me, with a few exceptions. but that means that i generally get 1 day a week where i am unavailable to the world. my wife (the lifesaver that she is) screens my phone calls on that day, i don't even check email on that day, and unless there's something really important i need to grab because i left it in the office - the church building is like a giant radio-active swamp to me on that day.

i've been doing this ministry thing for 6 years now. it might sound odd to treat a day off like this, but i am convinced that it's the only way i've been able to 'stay in the game'. i love my church and the people, but no one better come in between me and my day off. that being said, i get about 2 weeks off over the christmas break (the last of holiday time and banked days from working stats), hawaii is sounding real good right now.