Working the night shift.

I used to work at Toys R Us when I was in high school and college, which, by the way, is not nearly as fun as it sounds. You'd think that workers there would run around playing with toys and all like Santa's elves, but in reality, stacking boxes is stacking boxes, ringing up merchandise is ringing up merchandise, whether it's widgets, toys, or cans of soup.

During "season", which is the month and half or so leading up to Christmas (or, Ramahannakwanzmas, if you wish) that joint was really rocking. They would hire a bunch of new people, give all kinds of hours, extend the times of business, and best of all for me, they would start a night shift for night stockers (pronounced, Night Stalkers).

That was a shift made for me. I'm a night person, I loved being around co-workers, but not so much around the whiney customers beating each other up for Cabbage Patch Dolls or Nintendo Systems.

One thing that I really loved was that I was out of sync with the rest of the world. That was bad when you had to get your oil changed or your teeth cleaned, but most of the time it was way cool. I would get up at 6 PM and eat "breakfast" and get ready for work while most people were coming home and getting their nest ready for bed. I was driving to work while most people were driving home. And when I got off in the morning I would eat my dinner at Waffle House while all the other schlubs were trying to get awake and ready for work. It was nice being a part of that underworld of people working the night shift.

I still feel that way as a preacher in some respects. Not that I work the night shift, but it's like I work the "other" shift. I see this a lot with my wife. She is giddy when she gets home on Friday, because it's the weekend and the longest period of time before she has to go to work again.

I dread Friday, since I know that I have a busy day Saturday getting everything ready for Sunday (see my Saturday night post!). Sunday is always a bear of a day: I'm at the church or doing church things from 9 AM till 9 PM most Sundays. I'm "on stage" twice on Sunday, pouring my heart out in a sermon. I'm intellectually "on" when I teach Sunday School. I'm usually dealing with church things all day, meetings, talking with folks, visiting, etc.

So, when I pull up to the house on Sunday night, I let out a sigh of relief. Sunday night is my Friday night. It's the longest period of time before another sermon is due. I take Monday off so I know I can rest up from Sunday. The old week is behind me, don't have to think about the next week.

My poor beloved wife is utterly depressed on Sunday night. She knows that she has to get up the next morning and go to work. There's nothing in front of her but work for a week. I try to hide my glee on Sunday night, she tries to hide hers on Friday night.

I love Mondays. It's my day off. It's my day to walk around in my shorts and T-shirt (from Sunday!) and not get showered and dressed until the wife comes home. It's the day to drink coffee and relax.

This is true in many other ways for ministers. Whereas most folks look forward to the lazy, hazy days of summer, we dread it: VBS, camp, lower attendance. Whereas most folks look forward to the holidays, we dread it: WAY too many special services, cantatas, Christmas plays, parties, etc. Whereas most people look to church service as a great way to unwind and focus on God, we dread it (in a way): we are thinking about how many folks are there, whether the sermon is "on", why so and so is not in church, etc.

Yeah, as a minister, I love Mondays. Me and Garfield (the cat, not the president) don't see eye to eye on this one!

But, that's life working the night shift.