I was doing some finance sums this morning, conscious that I am the biggest single expenditure for my lovely congregation.  Turns out I cost roughly one latte per person (who is able to give) per day... that made me chuckle.

So, what has that latte been paying for in the last couple of days...

Lots of stuff that cannot be shared on a public platform, but included work for BUS Board of Ministry; Preparation for Trustees Meeting; complex pastoral work; fascinating conversations about, among other things, djinn, demons, ghosts, grace, love, perfection and faith; choosing hymns for Sunday; researching the background to the texts for Sunday; thinking about finances and buildings... and drinking a fair few cups of tea!

The cost of this Minister is apparently one coffee per person per day - the privilege it entails is priceless.

That old saying- life is what happens whilst you are making other plans.  My plan this week was to redecorate the manse kitchen... I have chosen the colour and bought the paint but, today when I thought I could finally get started, the sertraline induced nausea is such that I cannot face the smell of paint!

Instead, I am chillaxing with some 'holy humour'... thought-provoking and funny, sometimes laugh out loud funny, little collections.  It's said that may a true word is spoken in jest, and these authors demonstrate that with aplomb.

I might finally get started on my painting tomorrow...

I am the world's greatest rule follower.  I did three weeks of alternate days of sertraline, endured the nausea, nightmares and flushes and all was well.  I've now done nearly two weeks of every third day, and it's getting silly... I am fine when I don't take, it, cheerful, calm, energised, irritated only by things that are irritating... and then when I take it I feel nauseous for 24 hours, sweat like the proverbial porkine creature and don't sleep well... This, to me, says it's time to stop as I'm  now getting adverse effects by continuing the slow wean off.

Hopefully the Evil Monster Me will not return - but, unless she does, that's me done with the sertraline.

In my slightly odd calendar, I am taking my Good Friday lieu day today, and tomorrow will be Easter Monday. Thereafter, I am on annual leave until next Tuesday, so expect no posting!

I am hoping to get some decorating done, and have a trip 'down south' tomorrow but will mostly be chilling!

As part of the evening service yesterday we were invited to go out in twos for a 20 minitues 'Emmaus Road Walk' to reflect on scriptures from other two other faiths, Hinduim and Buddhism.

My co-disciple and I opted to walk in the Botanic Gardens where we happened upon a beautifully yarn-bombed bench  - and he took a photo with me stting on it 'looking ponderous'!!

We jokingly suggested we should create a super-spiritual reflection on how the colours represented the diversity of human experience and how, when woven together they result in a more beautiful whole... but of course with lots of adjectives and superlatives before ending up with the word 'bench'.

It was an interesting way to spend an evening - in the right sense of the word - and certainly our conversations were valuable as we discussed the allocated texts.  But the real 'Emmaus' moment was the bench - the unexpected moment of joy and beauty, fun and laughter that broke us out of the earnest, repsectful conversation about impossibly demanding texts.

That the photo is slightly out of focus seems appropriate - a fleeting moment, not full realised, even on reflection.

Two Revs were walking in the Gardens by evening, discussing among themselves ancient texts of other faiths, when suddenly the God of Surprises did just that...