As I sit down to write today I am overwhelmed with the abundance in my life.  Most of that abundance consists of the “good stuff”.  But included in the abundance is the clutter of the “not so good stuff” and if I am honest with myself there is some “bad stuff” there too.  Sorting through this abundance is not an easy task for me.  I tend to look pretty deep into whatever it is I happen to be thinking about.  So as I sit here with a small case of “analysis paralysis” I am reminded of some of the best advice I was ever given: “Don’t Think So Hard”.  This advice didn’t come as a gentle suggestion, but more as a tactical strike to snap me out of over thinking a fairly simple task.  Of course I recall my response was very gracious and appreciative “Well someone has to do the thinking around here!”  But after the strike and counter-strike I heeded the sound advice and just moved on to accomplish the task at hand.  I give thanks daily for the blessing of a family that keeps me in line.

Well my simple task today is to write a post and share some information.  If you check out our website you’ll see there are a couple of updated pages.  No longer am I a “retired chief  pursuing ordination”, now I’m Pastor Dan Carlson of Public Safety Ministries.  My ordination came on August 15, 2010 at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior Minnesota.  It culminated a fairly lengthy process of theological studies and administrative process. Almost eight years to the day from registration for my first seminary class back in August of 2002.  I have now been “called” as an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and “deployed” as a mission pastor to Public Safety Ministries.

So what does that mean?  Here’s where the “Don’t Think So Hard” really helps. It means I’m doing pretty much the same things I’ve been doing for a long time, just with a little more focus, a little more wisdom and a lot less “theological study and administrative process”.  Which gives me more time to try and “Serve Those Who Protect”.  I’m looking forward to returning to a more regular rhythm of sharing “the good stuff” here on the weblog.  Talk to ya again soon!

Take Care, Dan

PS.  Here is a photo of a campsite in MN.  I spent a couple days here this fall doing some ministry visits.  Can you name where it it is?

Yes it has been awhile.  It has been awhile since I’ve posted a “wandering”.  (for those who don’t know what a wandering is, it is a category of my weblog posts where I let my mind wander and just write down where ever the words wander).  As I was sitting, thinking and writing today, for some reason I was inspired to write a post, a post titled “Sharing Stories”.  I started getting deep into those two words, “Sharing” and “Stories”.  Too deep and too chaotic to share in this wandering, but needless to say, I’ll be revisiting that chaos. We’ve got a Spiritual Fitness Gathering coming up next week and I was trying to decide on a topic, and “Sharing Stories” surfaced through that clutter of “too much stuff” (a quote from a song of a master storyteller, extra point if you can name the artist and the song) in my head.  All of a sudden, the term “Sharing Stories” seems to be a perfect foundation to build the outreach of this ministry upon. How does this sound?- Public Safety Ministries – Spiritual Fitness through Sharing Stories or maybe, Sharing Stories, A Path to Spiritual Fitness, hmm I like that a little better, but I think this is the beginning of something…. Well, enough wandering for now….

By the way, soon I will be sharing the story of a milepost I will soon reach in my ministry journey.  A story that has kept me from spending much time on this website, but that will all change shortly.

Take Care, Dan

The mission of Public Safety Ministries Inc. is “Promoting Spiritual Fitness in the Public Safety Professions”. The fundamental tactic used, simply stated is “Just Showin Up”.  It is becoming more and more frequent for me to get a call from someone and the message contains the comment “No need to call right back, I was just “checkin in”.  I was talking to a friend once who was dealing with some very challenging issues.  I asked if there was anything I could do to help?  His response was simple but yet so powerful.. Without hesitataion he responded “Yeah, check in on me when you can.”  Though the practice of “checkin in” isn’t complicated, but like so many things in life, it isn’t always easy.  But it is the one thing that I am trying to get good at.  That’s what I Iove about the the simply stated strategy of traditional chaplaincy ministries, they are “ministries of presence”.

The nice thing about the act of “checkin in” is that its never to late or never inappropriate or never unappreciated.  So here’s the gift I ask everyone out there to consider giving.  Give the gift of checkin in with someone who needs it.  You know who they are, because you think about doing it from time to time but never get around to it (just like me with checkin in and making a post at this site!).  It’s not complicated, just pick up the phone, leave a message, drop a note in the mail, send an e-mail, stop by the local bookstore or auto repair shop and ask how business is, just do some “checkin in”

Take Care, Dan