Can't Sleep...

I hate this... lying in bed for almost 2 hours... just thinking and thinking and thinking and thinking and thinking... and not about anything important or life altering... but nothing is getting the brain to stop. So I figured I better get down here on the computer on do a brain dump... maybe that will help :)

• I've been struggling this week with just not feeling like I fit in 100% here... Life in small town south western Ontario is VERY different from life in Montreal! It's not that I don't love it... it's just very different... and sometimes I just feel like I can't be completely me because no one around here would really get it. At least I've been reassured by the senior pastor that one of the main reasons they wanted me here is because I am different :)
  
  
• I really need to find time for some kind of hobby. I haven't touched or painted or even glanced at my Warhammer stuff in nearly a year! Last time I played was the beginning of November 2006 and I painting some soldiers last January... and that's it. With family commitments, ministry and going to school there just doesn't seem to be time for anything like that. I started playing golf this past summer. LOVED IT! But really can't afford to be playing every week. Squash is great... but I only get out once every couple of weeks. Playing the Wii is fun... but that's really just vegging in front of the TV more then a hobby.
  
  
• I have so many different things at the church that I want to be working on... but never seem to be able to get ahead in any of them. I really don't like working in "Whatsduetoday" mode... I need to rework my schedule so that I give myself the time needed to put into this future planning work. Men's ministry, women's ministry, small groups, welcome team, ushers, integration... all these things need for me to just block off a couple of weeks and focus on nothing but one of them... that way I can get something finished then move on to the next one.
  
  
• I gotta get meeting regularly with guys from the church again. I had to stop attending our men's study on Monday nights because that is when my class is being given this semester. I really need to have this in my life. Hopefully in January I can work that back in... or I can find another way to get a small group of guys together at a different time slot.
  
  
• Tomorrow I'm taking a vacation day. I have about a week of vacation left which needs to be used up before the new year. My wife is working and the kids are in school so it will be pretty quiet around here. I like to think I'll geek out and watch 6 hours of Lord of the Rings on DVD... but I'll probably end up getting caught up in homework :)
  
  
• Just heard from my mom this evening that our family cat Missy died today. Missy was 17 years old! We got her when I was still living at home (I was 19). I loved that cat. She was so affectionate. Every time I visit my parents she will still come up and sit on me even though I've moved out the house 15 years ago. I still considered her my cat :) Definitely going to miss her next visit. I love cats. But we decided to not have one here. It's just easier having a pet free house. As part of my ministry I want to have a home that I can invite anyone over to... and animal hair makes that hard on a lot of people. Besides we're always all over the place so keeping a cat locked up in here just isn't fair to the cat.

Well... I guess that's a good enough brain dump... starting to feel tired finally! I'll try to get to sleep again.