One of the books we have to read for Pastoral Care is Pastor as Person by Gary Harbough. The short story is that this is a book about the stress that Pastors will encounter in their ministry and how to deal with some of it. It summarizes stress as “a pastor’s reaction to frustration, conflict, or pressure, at the heart of which lies the threat of life change and actual or anticipated loss”. It has some great insights into what it takes for us to be healthy emotionally. One of the concepts is that we are not healthy emotionally unless we are in a right relationship with ourselves, our community, and our God. I love the concept “Christians agree that the life-cycle task of integrity is fulfilled in true self-acceptance and we understand our self-acceptance in trust and hope of our already having been accepted by God”. That is some pretty powerful stuff. I don’t know how many people ever reach this point of true self-acceptance. I hope to some day. We should. It should be easy as we rely upon our acceptance by God to know that if God can accept us how can we not accept ourselves? I know we talk a lot about our acceptance and forgiveness that we receive by God through Jesus Christ. I just wonder how many of us believe it at our core and this is one of those things that if you don’t believe it at your core, you don’t really believe it. Enough for the book review.


We tried a new church this morning and were very welcomed by the congregation. Of course around here everyone knows the program of seminary students being assigned to the congregations better than we do. In fact, one of the Masters of Religion students was there. We were also treated to some of the most awesome piano playing that I have ever heard in person. The girl that played is only 15. She competes internationally. She was in a competition this summer in Spain and took third. She gave a concert yesterday and since the piano was set up she came back and played at service today. She played two pieces, “Sonata, Op 31 No. 2” III, Allegretto by Beethoven and “Sonata, Op 31 No. 2” II, Adagio by Beethoven. I added the titles for those of you that might know the pieces. They are not easy pieces and her fingers must have been flying. I would imagine she can write her own ticket to college.

We stopped on the way back for coffee and sat around outside down in the Five Points area. These are the times that coming to seminary will give us that we could not get any other way. We talked for about 45 minutes about life and God and seminary. I am sure the couple sitting next to us wasn’t so impressed but hey, maybe they needed to hear what we had to say, hear the good news. Great times! I look forward to many more of these times over the next four years.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. Genesis 32:26 KJV
Steve