after five

Yesterday, was June 3rd and it was after five when I began to share the usual stuff I do in our monthly "what we believe class" called step one. I completed my entire theology of the Bible in one hour as usual and then made my way back up to the office as we took a break for supper. This is usually a time for me to pray, collect my thoughts, stare out the window, wander around the church checking out ministries, etc... Yesterday, I was resting my voice and drinking from a water bottle when I noticed the front page headlines from the Pantagraph from June 3, 2007. Someone framed this page to commemorate the special day. It was the first Sunday that I was Sr.Pastor of Eastview as Gary York retired. Yesterday was five years as Sr. Pastor here...so I reflected: after five...I'm just as excited about preaching this Sunday as I was the first after five...I'm still honored that I get to do this for a living after five...I love this church even more and feel like we have grown so much after five...I'm even more appreciative of Gary York, Bob Phillips and Galen Skinner that preachers that preceded me at Eastview (four in 57 years...pretty cool) after five...I'm amazed that God has done what He has and convinced He will do more after five...I'm still not very good at arranging my schedule and balancing things...still working on it after five...I realize more than ever how this is God's work and I am only someone He uses after five...I'm usually still working in the evening..but I love it after five...I'm usually out of bed in the morning, because I'm excited about the work God has called me to