Roller Coaster

Please keep hands and feet inside the ride at all times! (Can you tell I worked at an amusement park?)

It has seemed like a bit of a roller coaster this week. Just an update of sorts on Nelson: work conditioning is back on. Nelson had an appointment with the PA at the surgeon on Friday. He watched Nelson walk. He prescribed a cane and told him to get rid of the crutch. And even with what the report from the 2nd opinion doc and the physical therapist, the PA went the route of the surgeon.

Let’s see if I can describe this so you can picture it: when you walk you roll from toe to heel and your knee bends in the process (take a couple steps and see what I mean). Nelson hasn’t got the ability to bend his toes up like that and therefore his knee doesn’t bend. The left foot is sort of stationary and the weight goes down on the outside of his foot. So he takes a step with the right leg/foot and there’s a hop/step with the left. This process is painful for the left side, but we think it’s exactly how his back went out: his right side has to totally overcompensate. What fun is this?

Work had some really good moments this week for me. I got at least a cursory inventory completed so that I know what’s on my shelves—and what’s not. The down side was that I really messed up on the first big order I did. I missed some things, just completely overlooked them. They also said I forgot some other stuff, and I just don’t see how. I felt pretty bad for what I know I did wrong. I’ve already implemented tools to keep this kind of thing from happening again.

But bigger than work, something sort of major occurred. I have been in contact with the district office of the Church of the Nazarene where my credentials were being held while I was under discipline. Before we moved here, I had been working with them to resign my credentials. The issue had been presented to the District Advisory Board and they approved the request. The request was to be presented by the District Superintendent to the General Board in Kansas City. He didn’t do it. Twice. I stopped pursuing the matter until February when I began the process for joining the church we are now attending. That’s when I learned nothing had been done.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to deal with the District Superintendent directly. I was able to connect with the District Secretary who made several calls. It turned out that the new manual of the Church of the Nazarene went into affect on March 1, 2006. The new procedure doesn’t require that the Board of General Superintendents address these matters. The responsibility falls back on the District Advisory Boards—and fall it did. So since they had voted unanimously to recommend my resignation, this was accepted.

So I am no longer clergy. I am laity. I’ve been functioning that way since Oct. 2001, but now it’s official. It’s good to have that be official and over, but I must confess I feel sad. And now, like Nelson, I wonder what lies out there for me.

I do know this: tomorrow morning I’m going to teach our Sunday School class. There are 60 in the class on average. Two of my most favorite professors are there. My supervisor and the owner of the company. One of my co-workers and the office assistant. And all the rest of those folks. I need to finish my presentation so I should probably jet out of here for now.

Wait for the ride to come to a complete stop before exiting the car. Thanks for riding with us!