Truth will out

Maggi is looking at book deadlines, so blogging for England at the moment - and posted some challenging words from Richard Rohr earlier this week
‘how we do anything is how we do everything'.

I'm pondering that - wondering what deep truths I unconsciously reveal...
Sometimes I think I'm far too like Libby the retriever
I do many things with bucket loads of love, but often lack finesse!
The last minute rotas may not matter, the last minute "inspirations" in liturgy probably do, the visits and phonecalls that also get left til the last minute - are occasionally, heartbreakingly, too late.

I'm probably specially aware of this at the moment, having just completed quite a detailed personal inventory for my first ministerial review since I arrived here in April 08...This is a peer review, so it's a genuinely safe space to explore all that's going on, in all its mess and muddle.

I was struck by the way that yesterday presented me with a very neat little microcosm of the ups and downs of clerical life.
It began with the school Harvest Festival - a service all about hospitality, held in church, welcoming any number of parents who don't attend otherwise, making space for the children to be their wonderful, creative selves and sharing just a little bit of the great story of God's love.
From there I went on to a Deanery planning meeting - lots of good vibes as we talked and dreamed and planned for mission in our little corner of the Kingdom.
Then I thought "I'll just drop into the office and copy those leaflets and do the bookmarks for Sunday - should take about an hour, top whack"
Four extremely grumpy hours later, I emerged...recognising that the technology and I were just not going to come to terms...and that, unsurprisingly, plans to take at least the second half of the day off had foundered irretrievably.
Later, the day was redeemed by some splendid conversations, - and eventually, a glass of wine and a couple of episodes of House - but what will stay with me is the way I was brought back down to earth with a bump as I struggled with the ordinary, necessary tasks.
‘how we do anything is how we do everything'.
So I need to work on doing it all lovingly...or, as dearly beloved Herbert said

"Teach me, my God and King,
In all things thee to see
And what I do in anything
To do it as for thee"