A funny thing happened as we began our 2016 Adventure: it got sidetracked to an entirely different sort of Adventure. Our plan was to head for the high country, specifically, the western slope of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. We said our goodbyes and made the short drive to Lake Conroe Thousand Trails, the place where we’ve always started and ended our big Adventures. However, we already knew the alternate Adventure was a possibility. Then the phone rang with the invitation to stick around for a while and serve as interim pastor at our church. Again, we knew that our good pastor had resigned to accept another assignment in Tennessee and we had been asked if we would consider filling in for a while. We prayed about it and decided that, while we sure wouldn’t mind just heading north that we were willing to serve for a while if asked.

Being travelers as we are, I haven’t been asked to do much preaching since retirement after 40 years of fulltime ministry. Many pastors stay busy filling in here and there. However, I’ve usually been on the road and unavailable when people called. This time, since we’re just finishing up our winter volunteering gig we’re still in the area. Also, since we’ve called this church our home church for nearly three years now I feel more of a responsibility to help where I can.

So, in a couple of weeks I’ll be back on a Sunday preaching schedule at Clear Lake Church of the Nazarene in Webster, Texas for a couple of months, maybe longer.

Honestly, we’ll miss the travel. After all, that’s what we retired to do and we’re having a great time doing it. Still, my life’s calling is ministry and I’m looking forward to this different sort of Adventure – doing something both new (being an interim pastor) and old (pastoring). Also, this church already has several terrific leaders who are ready to step up and accept various pastoral responsibilities. I’m looking forward to working with this leadership team.

So – for those still reading – our travel blog won’t be as active as it normally is during our Adventures. Next week we’ll add a quick update to our Lake Conroe Thousand Trails entries and then, over the next couple of months we may take on a minor camper upgrade project or two. Otherwise, our 2016 Adventure is on hold as we begin an entirely different sort of Adventure.