First Christian Church

After Monday night’s board meeting, Lyle Cox looked down at my feet and commented on how I’m starting to look like a real Wyoming “cowgirl”….  I don't have a horse, but I've got the boots... You see, when I first moved here, my footwear consisted of only three types of shoes – comfortable sandals for summertime, “Sunday” shoes for preachin’ or funerals, and tennies.  Well, I don’t know how I really survived winters in Illinois without proper snow-boots, but I guess I mostly walked from our back door across the patio into the garage and drove straight to church where the parking lot was plowed and the walks shoveled.  Bloomington’s streets and sidewalks are regularly cleared, even on the snowiest days, and so I managed to get along… each year thinking I should probably buy some snow-boots but never quite getting around to it.

When it snowed here in Casper last September for the first time, it was clear to me I needed boots.

I went downtown, thinking I would buy some sort of all-weather, super warm, perhaps semi-stylish snow-boots….  I ended up at Taubert’s (where else?) and before the day was out found my feet decked out in a basic Western-cut brown leather boot- custom stretched to fit my foot, on a sturdy base.  Though I grew up in southern New Mexico, rode horses at Girl Scout Camp, and had friends who did rodeo, I’ve never owned a pair of “cowboy boots”….  At first, I felt a bit self-conscious, until I started looking around at other people’s feet.

This morning, while having coffee at the Bistro, I glanced at two of my colleague’s foot attire – two other women pastors in town (whom Charles calls the “Chancel Chicks”) were both wearing rather sturdy hiking shoes/boots – not what would pass in Chicago as high fashion, but here a very practical choice.

Today, as I walked from church home to pick up the car and head to a CWF meeting, I gave thanks for the blue sky and pondered how the difference between the low 30’s and the high 40’s is the difference between too cold to walk and pleasantly cool.  (I recently learned that a “30-30” day means 30 degrees and 30 mile per hour winds, or “typical” weather in Casper…)  I only slipped on the ice once and laughed at myself for day-dreaming and staring at the blue sky instead of watching my feet – which brought my eyes back to those boots I mentioned….  A practical choice.

Sometimes ministry is about ideals – spending time with God, devoting one’s self to concentrated study and deep prayer – other times the practical aspects of being a pastor take precedence.

Here’s my day….

8 a.m. – phone call from Larry to tell me that his father passed away during the night – a conversation about how he’s feeling, plans to celebrate Jean’s life, and thanksgiving for time shared at hospice in the past week

8:30 a.m. –coffee and conversation with the “Chancel Chicks” to share the adventures of ministry – talked about a recent preaching conference and funerals

by 10 a.m. – immersed in activity at the church office – meeting with Twilla to review plans for “laity Sunday” – checking the day’s schedule with the secretary, preliminary work on the bulletin, etc.

at noon (after walking home and enjoying blue sky, taking a moment to pet the dog, and driving across town) – I managed to show up for the 11:30 CWF group’s meeting at Hometown Buffet

on the way back to church, stopped to pick up supplies to create “communion kits” for the elders

in between phone calls and email…. Made it to my afternoon sessions –

3 p.m. Membership meeting

3:30 – discussion with Keith Rouse who’s preparing to share his personal testimony from the pulpit on Laity Sunday….

A bit more church administration, phone calls with members, checking on a nursing home resident….  Now it’s time for a quick bite and running an errand before choir practice starts…. Home by 9 p.m. to relax, sleep, and start again.

Sometimes pastors need to have on their running shoes to keep up with an active congregation, sometimes we wear boots to make our way through the snow, sometimes the best foot attire is no shoe at all as we stand discalced and vulnerable before the Lord….  Whatever you’re wearing on your feet this week, may they follow in the way of the Lord.

“No matter your shoe size, or the length of your toes…

where ever you walk, Jesus goes!”