Glad to Help

I had a great day today. After taking the kids to school, I drove east to Claremont, where I helped my friend, Tom Rennard, clear some tree branches. It was a good time to visit and chat about our own lives, and a good excuse to bring out the Gorilla Ladder and the Sue Norton Chain Saw.

Tom is between positions, as I am. Our lives seem to model George Ladd's depiction of the Kingdom of God in the gospels. Our lives are currently between the "no longer" and the "not yet". We are no longer employed in our old positions, and we are not yet in our new positions, whatever and wherever they might be.

And, of course, we talked most passionately about preaching, and communicating the good news of the gospel.

Then, after a brief stop at Claremont Presbyterian Church to sign some loan documents, I was off to Azusa Pacific University. My former college roommate and ministry colleague, Tom Johnston, had brought his daughter, Kelsey, to APU for a visit. She is a senior in high school, and is interested in drama and education.

It just so happens that I know the director of drama at APU (Brian Mercer), and one of the education coordinators at APU (Wendy Ramsey). So after lunch, we walked to see Wendy, and then walked over to see Brian. It struck me that Tom and Kelsey might think I knew everybody at APU. So I assured them that Wendy and Brian were just two people I knew well, and were about the only two people I do know well at APU. It was just a happy coincidence that Kelsey was interested in drama and education, and I knew those two people!

I enjoyed making the connection. It gives me a thrill being able to connect someone who has a need with someone or something that can help meet that need.

And it was nice to see an old friend.