Just want to say Hi to all my PhxP friends. Haven’t been around much this past year, and I miss the interaction. I do read on occasion before having to move on quickly.
If I could ask for prayer in two areas please: First, for direction for both my wife and I. We’re sensing that the Lord is wanting to do something new in, through and with us, and we sincerely want to know what the next step is.
Second, for myself and my work. The amount of paperwork required for my position has pretty much quadrupled this school year, and that’s not an exaggeration. I’m getting warn out, burned out, discouraged and depressed, and it is affecting my health and home life. Thank God for my wife who loves me, helps me, and understands.
I first met Bishop Michael on our honeymoon in the UK. When I returned to do my PhD, he was my confessor/spiritual director for several years. A genuine godly man… “The Gospel and the Catholic Church” ties together the concept of the Body of Christ in terms of the Church itself, the ascended Christ and the Eucharist. Simple but profound…
Thank you so much, Michael! I SO appreciate your friendship!!
Dan from Georgia, thank you for praying. I will pray for you and your wife as well.
Where in Georgia do you live? My dad was born in Donalsonville (purposely without the second d). Ever heard of it or been there? I have never had the opportunity to visit. Just curious.
Praying for you, CK! I hear the same thing from teacher friends regarding the paperwork.
Regarding books, in my queue on Audible, I’m listening to Mindset. It’s a good listen/read and helps explain a lot in life! Next up? Quiet, the Power of Introverts, of which I am one.
Thank you so much, Dusty!! Hope you are doing well, ol’ friend.
Linnea, really appreciate the prayers!! I’m an extroverted introvert, according to Myers-Briggs. I’m a ham when it comes to speaking to or singing for an audience, but if I have to speak to a small group, or worse yet, one-on-one, I break out in a sweat, and my face and ears turn dark red. Even worse if I have to make or answer a phone call. I’m a phone-a-phobe.
Scooter, I believe it. I’m a public school teacher, and there’s this unwritten expectation that whatever we can’t finish during the school day will be accomplished in the evenings and on weekends.
That’s really nothing new, but the recent increase is just over the top. Even as I type this, I’m thinking to myself, “Why am I on Phoenix Preacher? I don’t have time for this.”
Wish I knew you all better, but praying for you anyways CK. We also seem to go through similar shuffling in our lives, with family that love us we are grateful. As for paperwork, you can thank government lawyers for a lot of that.
I looked up the book – I didn’t think it was about the RCC but the Catholic Faith (which I assumed he meant Lutheran 😉 ) it seemed like it said he was Anglican.
Michael Ramsey was Archbishop of Canterbury. He, therefore, has an Anglican view, but he was rooted in the Greek Fathers of the Church more than the Latin. His relationship with the RC Church was warm. Pope Paul VI gave Michael his bishop’s ring from when he was Archbishop of Milan. Michael wore it until the end of his life when he bequeathed it to the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury in perpetuity…
Here’s one from Ramsey for all those struggling in small churches tomorrow –
“Amidst the vast scene of the world’s problems and tragedies you may feel that your own ministry seems so small, so insignificant, so concerned with the trivial. What a tiny difference it can make to the world that you should run a youth club, or preach to a few people in a church, or visit families with seemingly small result. But consider: the glory of Christianity is its claim that small things really matter and that the small company, the very few, the one man, the one woman, the one child are of infinite worth to God. Consider our Lord himself. Amidst a vast world with its vast empires and vast events and tragedies our Lord devoted himself to individual men and women, often giving hours and time to the very few or to the one man or woman. In a country where there were movements and causes which excited the allegiance of many – the Pharisees, the Zealots, the Essenes, and others – our Lord gives many hours to one woman of Samaria, one Nicodemus, one Martha, one Mary, one Lazarus, one Simon Peter, for the infinite worth of the one is the key to the Christian understanding of the many.”
Surfer Dude, I appreciate your kind words! (Just curious, Steve Wright or Steve Hopkins?…both great guys.)
JD, thank you for the prayers. Hoping I can get back on here more often after this crazy season I’m in, get to know you and catch up with all the wonderful friends here.
It’s all yours today…
FIRST!!!
Just want to say Hi to all my PhxP friends. Haven’t been around much this past year, and I miss the interaction. I do read on occasion before having to move on quickly.
If I could ask for prayer in two areas please: First, for direction for both my wife and I. We’re sensing that the Lord is wanting to do something new in, through and with us, and we sincerely want to know what the next step is.
Second, for myself and my work. The amount of paperwork required for my position has pretty much quadrupled this school year, and that’s not an exaggeration. I’m getting warn out, burned out, discouraged and depressed, and it is affecting my health and home life. Thank God for my wife who loves me, helps me, and understands.
Blessings to you all!!!
CK,
You have been gone,but not forgotten.
May God hear and answer you…be blessed my friend.
Michael,
Have you read “The Gospel and the Catholic Church” by Michael Ramsey? It’s a short book that I think you would very much enjoy.
Duane,
I haven’t,but I’ll fetch it for myself today. 🙂
Just prayed for you Captain Kevin…sounds like you are in a similar situation in life compared to myself and my wife!
Praying for you captain kevin
#5
I first met Bishop Michael on our honeymoon in the UK. When I returned to do my PhD, he was my confessor/spiritual director for several years. A genuine godly man… “The Gospel and the Catholic Church” ties together the concept of the Body of Christ in terms of the Church itself, the ascended Christ and the Eucharist. Simple but profound…
Thank you so much, Michael! I SO appreciate your friendship!!
Dan from Georgia, thank you for praying. I will pray for you and your wife as well.
Where in Georgia do you live? My dad was born in Donalsonville (purposely without the second d). Ever heard of it or been there? I have never had the opportunity to visit. Just curious.
Duane,
I just picked it up on my Kindle…thank you!
I take book recommendations pretty seriously from folks like you…
DUSTY!!!!!! 🙂
Thank you!!!
CK,
Goes both ways my friend…
Michael, I won’t send you any book recommendations. I’d probably recommend some “Free Grace” stuff!! 😉
CK,
I should have sent you the stuff I burned from those authors… 🙂
#10
Great! I’ll be interested to hear what you think.
Capt kevin, been praying for you
Praying for you, CK! I hear the same thing from teacher friends regarding the paperwork.
Regarding books, in my queue on Audible, I’m listening to Mindset. It’s a good listen/read and helps explain a lot in life! Next up? Quiet, the Power of Introverts, of which I am one.
Praying for you as well dan.
Michael 🙂
Thank you so much, Dusty!! Hope you are doing well, ol’ friend.
Linnea, really appreciate the prayers!! I’m an extroverted introvert, according to Myers-Briggs. I’m a ham when it comes to speaking to or singing for an audience, but if I have to speak to a small group, or worse yet, one-on-one, I break out in a sweat, and my face and ears turn dark red. Even worse if I have to make or answer a phone call. I’m a phone-a-phobe.
Ck, i am well thank you my friend. Hugs
CK, my physician told me that he now spends 60% of his time “documenting”. Something is seriously wrong with that picture.
Scooter, I believe it. I’m a public school teacher, and there’s this unwritten expectation that whatever we can’t finish during the school day will be accomplished in the evenings and on weekends.
That’s really nothing new, but the recent increase is just over the top. Even as I type this, I’m thinking to myself, “Why am I on Phoenix Preacher? I don’t have time for this.”
Wish I knew you all better, but praying for you anyways CK. We also seem to go through similar shuffling in our lives, with family that love us we are grateful. As for paperwork, you can thank government lawyers for a lot of that.
I bought the book Duane recommended for my Kindle, too.
Good to see you, Captain Kevin!
JD,
Hang around…it’s an easy bunch to get to know…
Xenia…we can compare notes…
I suspect I will find much to agree with. After all, the EO and the RC are only one schism apart.
I looked up the book – I didn’t think it was about the RCC but the Catholic Faith (which I assumed he meant Lutheran 😉 ) it seemed like it said he was Anglican.
Michael Ramsey was Archbishop of Canterbury. He, therefore, has an Anglican view, but he was rooted in the Greek Fathers of the Church more than the Latin. His relationship with the RC Church was warm. Pope Paul VI gave Michael his bishop’s ring from when he was Archbishop of Milan. Michael wore it until the end of his life when he bequeathed it to the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury in perpetuity…
CK…I love your description! I, too, am a phone-a-phobe.
I should add, Ramsey was also closer to the Eastern Orthodox than any leader of the Anglican Communion either past or present.
All I know is the first chapter is worth the price of the book…
I am seeing that it’s not about the RCC and so far, as I am reading, he sounds very Orthodox.
I agree, Michael.
I want to say how happy I am that Duane has joined the PhxP community.
Amen to that as well, Xenia!
You’re both too kind. It is lovely to find a place to share and, most of all, to learn from others.
Here’s one from Ramsey for all those struggling in small churches tomorrow –
“Amidst the vast scene of the world’s problems and tragedies you may feel that your own ministry seems so small, so insignificant, so concerned with the trivial. What a tiny difference it can make to the world that you should run a youth club, or preach to a few people in a church, or visit families with seemingly small result. But consider: the glory of Christianity is its claim that small things really matter and that the small company, the very few, the one man, the one woman, the one child are of infinite worth to God. Consider our Lord himself. Amidst a vast world with its vast empires and vast events and tragedies our Lord devoted himself to individual men and women, often giving hours and time to the very few or to the one man or woman. In a country where there were movements and causes which excited the allegiance of many – the Pharisees, the Zealots, the Essenes, and others – our Lord gives many hours to one woman of Samaria, one Nicodemus, one Martha, one Mary, one Lazarus, one Simon Peter, for the infinite worth of the one is the key to the Christian understanding of the many.”
Michael Ramsey, Christian Priest Today
Don’t jump ship captain.
People like you are very rare in the schools.
God will not give you more than you can handle.
Hang in their for the sake of the kids.
You don’t have to be excellent in all of the extra work load just be good enough.
Striving for perfection wears anyone out in anything that they do.
Back off that route and just be good.
You would be amazed at what the people around you there at your job feel about you.
I bet it would lift your spirit and energize you to stay the course.
Just my opinion brother.
From what i read from you in all your post I have equated you with Steve, your both great post writers!
Thank you, Xenia!
Surfer Dude, I appreciate your kind words! (Just curious, Steve Wright or Steve Hopkins?…both great guys.)
JD, thank you for the prayers. Hoping I can get back on here more often after this crazy season I’m in, get to know you and catch up with all the wonderful friends here.
CK, I too am a public school teacher. The last year and a have been life saving. I got out a horrible place, and now I’m where I’m happy.
Don’t give up.
Gloria in Excelsis Deo!