Compassion

I have left the city for an extended weekend in the midwest. My cousin is getting married on Saturday in Minnesota, so I had planned and hoped for a fun and relaxing weekend in my cultural "home". But, life is never as expected. My (step) grandfather passed away on Monday after living with alzheimer's for several years. As he said the morning of his death, "I'm going home today." He was indeed ready to go home.

But, as a result of this life change, I had to rebook my airline tickets. I bought a new ticket for my flight to Minnesota, because it was cheaper than rebooking / changing my original tickets. But, I assumed that even if I didn't take my originating flight to Minnesota, I would still be able to use my already paid for return flight to Jersey. WRONG!!

I learned tonight that if you don't show up for your originating flight, you are cancelled from your return flight. Logically, this makes sense - why would I need a return flight, if I didn't use the originating flight. But, when a customer calls and says, "I had to change my ticket because of a death in the family, but I would still like to use the return ticket I have already paid for," that some compassion could be shown. That one might be able to use what one has paid for. Wrong!!

I have to say this has not been an enjoyable experience. It has made the grieving process harder, and made my emotions a bit more unstable. I am frustrated. But, it has also shown me that no matter how together we may think we are. How unaffected we think we are in the midst of grief - that it is all an act. That just the smallest thing can bring that stack of cards falling down.

Did anyone see Grey's Anatomy tonight - the season premiere? It was about the stages of grief, and how we all move through them different, but we all move through them. What timing. What truth, in the midst of my truth. Grief is hard. But capitalism is hard and brutal too. I have an inkling that Jesus talked a bit about that...

Welcome to the Pavement

Welcome to my new blog! I'm a newly ordained pastor. A pastor in the city, Jersey City in fact.

This means I spend a fair amount of time walking on the pavement of this great city. Often, while walking to or from St. Matthew's, to someone's home or place of work, or even to the train stop - really wherever my pastor feet take me, I encounter notes of life on the sidewalk, on electric poles, and in people's lives. Sometimes these notes are literal, sometimes they are figurative.

Most of my ministry as a city pastor happens on pavement, just as most of our lives as city people takes place on pavement or in paved surroundings. Pavement is our path, it is the way of our journey in the city. It leads in many directions and carries the lives of so many people. And, the pavement is the way of Christ, becuase it is the way of life in the city.

So, welcome to my blog about live and ministry in the city. Welcome to my notes from the pavement.