Sub-Plots

My life is beginning to feel like a movie, one of those really complicated films with multiple plot lines, a cast of thousands, interweaving themes, intrigues and reversals – all with subtitles, of course!

I look forward to this weekend, when I can hunker down with the family for a few days and celebrate a very simple story, the one about a baby, a star, and a few shepherds.

But in the meantime, here’s a few of the sub-plots currently running in the background:

… The American School continues to recover from the emotional side-effects of the traumatic murder of one of its students two weeks ago. The funerals and memorial services are over, the American psychiatrists have gone home, and only a few days remain until Christmas break. One gets the sense that everyone -- teachers, staff, students, and parents -- are all sort of stumbling forward, eager to reach the break and get off the campus for a few weeks, just to take some deep breaths and get some distance.

… I am working very hard on preparations for a gathering of all the pastors in the second week of January. This is a red-letter event for the Mission – it’s the first time all the pastors have been together in one place. They are looking forward to getting to know each other, sharing their experiences, and making plans for the future. In my prayer time, I continue to feel that pastoral integrity and leadership will be the keynote theme of the week.

… God is also pushing us in the direction of developing more printed resources. With our translator Alexis’ help, we are beginning to plan a series of tracts, books, and comic books. Some of the resources will be translated books from America, others will be developed, written and illustrated here in Cameroon. This means that I am trying to learn the printing business as quickly as possible!

… We’re expecting a lot of visitors in 2006, so we’re also trying to juggle the calendar, plane schedules, and hotel reservations. We’ve got people coming and going every month of the year through September!

… And as always, there is the weekly work of preaching, visiting congregations, breaking bread and sharing cups, baptizing, and trying to be a pastor to other pastors. This Sunday, in fact, I will be preaching a Christmas sermon at John Wesley UMC, which is fast becoming an annual tradition for me.

It’s an interesting movie, alright, this life. Every time I think I can figure out the ending, the plot twists.

But there’s nothing wrong with that. I know the Director and Screenwriter!