My Life as a Dog… a 3-Headed Mythological Dog
I used to mocked and ridicule ministers for taking time off… but I do not mock and ridicule anymore.
For the majority of my adult life I have worn multiple hats. As a younger man, I worked 6 days a week in sales and management while playing in a band "full time" at night. I never thought twice about my long hours (many times I would go to work with no sleep because of a late gig the previous evening). Plus, I found the time and energy to play as hard as I worked.
When I was called to the ministry I was already attending college full-time. For the past ten years I have continued to be a full-time student along with the added responsibilities of marriage and a child. Admittedly, it still bothered me when I heard about pastors taking extended time off (and yes I still mocked and ridiculed). I thought to myself, "Don't these guys know what it is like in the 'real world'? The person on the pew doesn't get to take a Sabbatical, why should the pastor?"
All of this changed in a flash for me some two months ago. Not only had I been forcing my way through a Master's Degree at a pace best fit for someone 20 years my junior, I had also taken on teaching the Indonesian Martial Arts (IMA) class I had been attending for the past 6 years. Then, I was finished. I mean done; literally and physically. I had graduated from Seminary and received a teaching certificate from (IMA) within days of each other. Since we take the summers off from IMA and my seminary career had officially ended, my schedule should have seemed as though two heavy burdens were lifted. Thus, I should have been able to draw from the newly freed "well of energy" these activities once required. I assure you this is not what happened. Instead of being less burdened and "free," I realized I was out of gas… out of ideas…out of energy. And worst of all out of touch with God. Isn't it strange that the flurry (more like blizzard) of activity I had become so accustomed to was the only thing that was keeping me going? Isn't it strange that my planned schedule (which, by the way, did include at least one day off per. week- unlike most ministers who work all seven) was acceptable simply because it "got me where I needed to go?" Isn't it strange that I didn't realize how flawed my familiar plan had become?
Back in the day I lived in a house in which only one guy had a car. So, we all depended on him and his car for transportation. The "unique" character of this guy was equally matched by his vehicle. His car was a 20 year old rust bucket that constantly bellowed smoke out of the deteriorating exhaust system (my friend constantly bellowed smoke too- from the cheap cigar hanging out of his mouth). Oh, if only you could see him and his car. Dressed in his old Moon Boots and mismatched winter gloves, barreling down Lake Street on a cold November morning. The car rumbling loudly, windows frosted over, not stopping at any intersection because the car had no brakes and if we shut it off the engine for any reason chances are it would not start again. Yup, once you got rolling it was "make it or break it baby!" (By the way, I can still hear my friend whoopin' and hollerin' like a Yankee version of the Dukes of Hazard as though it happened yesterday.) As much "fun" as this was (I would say a trip in this car was akin to riding on the back of an angry Cerberus… with rabies), the problem with a car like this is that unless you stop to fix it- things will only get worse. Sure, it will cost you time and money to get things back to proper working order but we all know repair will inevitably become necessary. After all, you can't run without brakes forever. Eventually you will crash.
All I can say is that I do not want to be like that car again… ever again.
