Every year I, Peter, anticipate the end of Cor Deo with both sadness and hope. Sadness at saying goodbye to the participants, but also hope that I can start to climb out from under the admin load. One thing that I need to stop thinking is that I will suddenly have lots of spare time. Today was the first day since Cor Deo ended (five weeks ago) that I sat and pondered how to use my time. There is still plenty to do, but hopefully soon I will have a clear desk.
What has kept the days full? It has been tax return time, catching up on emails, final touches on the book that is now sent to the printers, finishing the first draft of another little book that I hope to send off next week, visiting past Cor Deo participants and also a couple of church leaders in the area. We had a computer disaster when Melanie’s hard drive died and we have been chasing through the process of replacing it and trying to recover the data from it. Sadly we came to the end of that process today and have lost the last eight months’ worth of documents and photos (very sad). Then there is also the meetings relating to Trinity Chippenham, as well as planning ministry during the summer months (parenting course, a pre-marital counseling sequence, etc.)
Unusually for England, we have had a long run of very hot weather. Everyone is slightly lethargic, but the children have enjoyed water fights and playing outside a lot. Since homeschool is also done for the summer, Melanie and Aliyah have been busy sorting the school room in anticipation of next year’s preparations. Tomorrow I will take the children out for a few hours to give Melanie some time to herself (more than deserved).
This Sunday I won’t be preaching at Trinity Chippenham, but the next two Sundays I will. I am looking forward to a couple of Sundays in the Psalms. Hopefully in the midst of everything, I will be able to grab some time to read a little. Before too long we will be on the cusp of a Cor Deo Intensive and the schedule will feel truly full again, albeit for a week.
Thanks for praying for us. We are so thankful for all that we get to be involved in – it is all a real privilege.
