Uh oh

So I finished close to a final if not the final sermon draft, and after a couple practice rounds I was feeling pretty good about it all. It's nothing if not dramatic. At least they won't be bored. It feels extremely simplistic, but what more can you do in 10 minutes (or 8)? Actually I haven't timed it. Geez I hope it's on target.

Anyway I decided to run it by J. I was really surprised because at the end he just said it was really good. Then he said I didn't tell enough jokes. I pointed him to the jokes and he said my delivery was subpar. Well that's just him - I know how to make other people laugh. He doesn't like my humor, mostly because it doesn't surprise him. So that didn't upset me too much.

Then after thinking about it for a while he said he thought I might have said something heretical and I'd better go back and look at that part again. I think he may have convinced me why it sounds that way, even if it's not entirely meant that way. But it's depressing because it was this nice parallel thing I had going with an illustration and then bringing it down home...there were hand motions and everything. *sigh* I guess I shouldn't preach heresy, though.

I wonder how much we're judged on doctrine, though? I mean, really...it's a preaching class...

Well as much as I'm Episcopalian I shouldn't get a rep...I mean more of a rep...for being a heretic on campus. And I would never want to lead people astray in a different context.

I just have to figure out how to say basically the same thing in a clearer (but less heart-tugging) way. Bummer.

I'll bet this happens to preachers all the time. Maybe not the heresy part, but the giving up stuff you like. Because your spouse doesn't like it. Huh? Am I right?

Anyway I will post it here after it's all done and over with, but that's not until Wednesday (my birthday!) so you just have to wait. Hopefully by then I'll have uncrossed my signals from God and I'll have the right word to share.