Why when you have only a few weeks left of a pastorate does

• someone tell you that last week's service broke through twenty years of denial/suppression of an issue in their life?
• someone start coming to church who needs massive levels of skilled support and care?
• someone with recurring mental health problems move closer to a 'flip' phase?
• someone get ill and another one injured?

Why when you ought to be putting things down and unwinding is there a sudden surge of serious stuff to deal with?

Then I thought

• maybe the person who has been in denial will now find opportunity for a new beginning
• maybe the new person will find the acceptance they need, and the church discover inner strength to cope with their needs
• maybe the mental health issues will be a trigger for greater interdependence?
• actually illness and injury are just part of everyday life

I recall thinking several months back, there's never a good time to leave, always a reason to delay and stay longer... but maybe leaving when there's a lot for people to get stuck into is a good thing?

Why now?  Perhaps because now this little church is able to cope in a way it wouldn't have been before.