When My Calling Found Me

During my fifth year of college I was sitting in the repossessed trailer I called home holding my one year old son, Jeremy, when the phone rang. It was one of those old fashion phones that hung on the wall and had the really long cord so I could conveniently wander around the trailer and even outside if I wanted.

"Hello," I answered shifting Jeremy to the other arm.

"It's Guy," said Guy Salyes. We were close friends and even though he'd graduated after only four years of college and had enrolled in Seminary and moved to Louisville, Kentucky, we still talked.

"Hey Guy. What's up?"

"What are you going to do?" he asked turning serious.

"I dunno," I honestly replied.

It was a good question. College was getting ready to throw me out. They'd even recently required that I declare a major. 

It went like this. "You have to declare a major."

"Why?"

"Because it's your fifth year of college."

Pondering this I asked, "What do I have the most hours in?"

"History," was the happy response, "but only by three hours. You have a tie for second with Literature and Religion."

In a few weeks I would be graduating with a major in History and double minor.

"Why don't you come to Seminary?" Guy asked.

I thought about it for a couple of minutes. "OK," I told him.

"Great!" he said hanging up.

That's how I got called to go to Seminary.

A few weeks later, I got my college degree, packed everything up and we moved to the big City.

It's funny looking back on it but all these years later I have the "R-E-V" in front of my name and the "M.Div" after it. I hung around long enough to also obtain a Masters in Social Work before Seminary threw me out.

During Seminary I was perpetually in trouble with the Powers-that-be though I became Pastor of a run-down inner city church that got me noticed, was christened a Home Missionary, got invited to become a member of "The Committee of Southern Churchmen", hung around Will D. Campbell and was a speaker at The Southern Baptist Convention, though I've never been invited back.

It did set the stage for who I am now. 

After a thirty year career trying to save the world, I'm spending more time on spiritual matters these days. Sure I explore the lives of gay dogs, Kitty Ladies, and island politics but mostly I prayerfully consider things. I no longer preach but I do blog. People still seek me out to do things and I try to be helpful.

It's been a great ride on the roller coaster of organized religion. In spite of how crazy the people in charge of it are, I wouldn't trade any of it.

So Guy, while the Seminary and the Baptists would seriously consider bringing back crucifixion rather than affirming your evangelical zeal to get me there, thanks for calling me all those years ago.