For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33

One morning last week this verse was included in my devotional. Just reading the words brought me a sense a peace, a feeling of well being and an assurance that God wants the best for us. But then my eyes strayed to the next paragraph.

Despite the date on the calendar and the temperature outside, I’m pretty sure that summer is over. If there was any doubt in my mind it was laid to rest this morning when I saw the school bus picking up children in my neighborhood.

Two weeks ago the extended Cabinet met at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, for the first full Cabinet meeting since Annual Conference.

Saturday morning I was listening to National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition when I heard an interview with James McBride. 

Until I sat down to write this, I hadn’t realized how long it has been since I posted an entry on my blog!  May is always a busy time getting ready for Annual Conference. This year it was even busier as I moved our daughter from the dorm into her first apartment. The move was complicated by the fact that she had mono at the time, so she just laid in bed and ordered us around. Fortunately, with the help of a dear friend, we were able to get her settled in time for summer school. 

As always, Annual Conference was busy but uplifting. The worship this year was incredible.  Hearing Dr. Tom Long preach was a treat. I was very moved by Rev. Michelle Hall as she preached the Celebration of Life service. Bishop Huie’s message during the Ordination service was inspirational. And, now, more than a month later, I find myself thinking back to the stories we heard from Rev. Grace Imathiu. 

This Sunday our nation will celebrate its 234^th anniversary of independence. We will remember stories from our past, some on a grand scale but some more personal. Each of us has a heritage that unfolds within a broader context of history. Thanks to my sister Patty, we have learned more about our own family history in recent years. The Orts family came to America in the 1850s as German immigrants. Economic conditions in Germany were extremely difficult. There were more people than jobs. Military service was compulsory. Opportunities were scarce. Thousands of people—mostly young men—braved the trip across the Atlantic to come to America.

After almost 24 hours of traveling, I arrived in Cote d’Ivoire last Monday evening.  As I emerged bleary eyed and exhausted into the intense heat, it was a blessing to be met by a familiar face.

Do you ever feel like things in your life are spinning out of control? Like the more you plan, the less control you have over the events that occur? Like you start the day going in one direction and at the end of the day you are someplace you never planned to be and may not even recognize?

On March 23, 2010 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi gave public thanks to a number of groups for their support of health care reform legislation. Two of the groups were the Catholic Health Association and “The United Methodist Church.” Since then district superintendents and I have received several calls and emails regarding her statement.

Sunday morning in worship at St. Peter’s our Senior Pastor, Dan Miller, shared with us that the sermon he was going to preach was not the sermon he had planned to preach.

My plan was that when next you heard from me I would be in Cote d’Ivoire.

Two weeks ago I spent four days in Philadelphia at the meeting of the Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders.

Last Friday afternoon, at the “Celebrating the Call to Lay Witness” Conference, I had the opportunity to hear the Rev. Vance Ross, Deputy General Secretary of the General Board of Discipleship speak. 

Saturday morning about 100 people gathered in Wharton for the Southwest District Training event. 

Last weekend I was on retreat with my sisters in Christ from St. Peter’s in Round Top, Texas.

The week before Christmas, the Houston Chronicle ran a “Family Circus” cartoon which showed the father and Jeffy, who looks like he is about four, setting up a nativity set.