Serve by Design

I have had three interviews in the last two weeks! No, it’s not what you may think. I’m not referring to job interviews. I am officially retired, but as I have often remarked, I live a highly active retirement with several responsibilities, for sure. Some days, I think I have too much on this “retirement plate” with personal, family, and church commitments! Homework Crash! Rather, this is about Grandparent’s Day that officially fell on a Sunday this year, September 7th! I did not know that this emphasis existed until a few years ago when my wife, a regular substitute teacher at our local school, began talking about how many seniors were descending, this time every year, upon the school for a grandparent recognition, at the invitation of their grands and classroom teachers. Klaire, our eight-year-old, was the first to call. She lamented that since I couldn’t fly out to New Mexico for her class program the following week, she had a suggestion, with her mother’s counsel. Could we FaceTi...

I have been serving as a law enforcement chaplain for twelve years as well as a workplace chaplain for over eighteen years. This has afforded me many opportunities for conversations and counsel that would not have been possible in any other way. Trust is a delicate thing between employees and chaplains that develops over time. It must be earned and there are no shortcuts in the process of deepening the confidence one person has in another. The more you relate and do life together, the more others see that you can be counted on to guard the secrets, concerns, and issues that many deal with on a day-to-day basis. The Strength of Teamwork! Image credit: unsplash.com One of the phrases I often hear among my fellow chaplains at our team training meetings is that “It’s such a privilege to be invited into workplace settings to serve as a chaplain resource to employees!” Where else, except the church, are religiously trained leaders invited to pray, affirm, and encourage workers while they are...