I was at physical therapy this morning (shoulder issues, growing older is not all it's cracked up to be.)  After setting me up with my next appointment, the receptionist said, "Have a great weekend."  It occurred to me, as I walked to my truck, that I approach weekends in a much different frame of mind than most others.  For me, Friday signals the final countdown to what God is going to do in our worship.  The weekend is work for me, and I often joke, "when you work one day a week you have to show up."

As I approach the weekend I have a sense of excitement about who I'm going to see, what I'm going to hear, what I'm going to say and pray, and how God is going to peel back the busy-ness of my worship-work and encounter my own soul.  What song will touch my soul? What prayer will open my heart to God's movement?  What phrase will I share in my message only to find that God meant it more for me than for you?

Honestly, I really don't get a weekend in the way most others do.  Friday is spent in wrapping up the sermon.  Far too often my Saturday is split between those household chores that you do and the finishing touches on the sermon that I should have had done during the week.  Then there's Saturday evening worship and Saturday night revisions.  (The people at Saturday night hear the stories that get no response or the jokes that are only funny to me.  I edit those based on their reaction and everybody else gets a more polished version.  My apologies and deep appreciation to the Saturday night service.  Most have no idea how vital your ministry is to those who worship on Sunday.)  Then Sunday is two worship services and often a meeting or two (or four on a recent Sunday.)

That sounds like I'm complaining, but really I'm not.  I don't get a weekend that involves a lot of playing around and relaxing.  I do get a weekend that drives me deeper into my faith walk.  So when someone wishes me "have a great weekend" I think I'll reply, "I hope your weekend is great as mine."

By the way, next Friday our TGIF will look a lot more like this....

I hope that will be as good for you as it has been for me.