Shaved head day 1 and ccs #37, 38, 39

No, the picture isn't of some crazed hitch hiker I picked up in Ray County today. It's my son (that's glare on his forehead and he usually smiles more than you would think looking at this picture) who called me about 6 and asked if we could spend "some quality mother-son time together" tonight. I held my tongue, since I was just arriving home from 3 charge conferences and had an agenda for my evening of getting some stuff together to send to Steve Cox for the 5 practices page. When I picked Caleb up at his dad's, and told him about my 3 charge conferences that he had forgotten I had (where had he thought I was all day???) he was terribly apologetic, but I had energy tonight so I wanted to do what he wanted to do. Caleb wanted to go to Barnes and Noble on the Plaza and then to Sonic in Westport, and to sit outside and just chill as he would say, for our quality time. Which we did. With coupon and gift card in hand, I bought a book on Nietzsche (God help us); a book which comprises the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe; a book by a a Buddhist author that is something like Practicing Peace in a Time of War; and a magazine on meditation for Caleb. And three Christmas cooking magazines for me. His favorite Friday night late night activity is going to poetry readings, where he reads his own and others' poetry. It kind of reminds me of Maynard G. Krebs and bongos, but then again, I kind of like Maynard G. Krebs and bongos. They can never say our kids are boring.

It was #37, 38 and 39 today in the charge conference count: Richmond; First: Excelsior Springs; and Orrick. I was late for the last two. I was especially sorry to be late at Excelsior, since there were two extra business items, both important, that drew a bit bigger crowd than usual. I hope it isn't an insult to say I knew the Orrick folks would understand when I realized I would be late there too. My general sense about this day is how pleased all three churches are with their pastors. Yea! I continue to urge more involvement in the local communities "you are not here by accident" I say, which I hope is not too terribly Calvinistic. One of my favorite happenings of the day was at Richmond when 90 year old Alice Jones (is that name right?) whose father was a presiding elder, talked with me for a bit. I want to go over and visit with her---she lived in Canton, where I served for 5 very good years in the mid nineties...but she was there from 1928-1930 while her father served as pastor to the English speaking congregation...there was a German Methodist church there as well. I also am so pleased at the optimism at Excelsior Springs...just a very positive spirit, and they are talking about building. Good folks there, good folks everywhere.

And a son who shaved his head today, "because he needed to do it" he told me. Thus the picture.

Life is interesting.