Big Decisions on Tiny Hinges

We were having a picnic in the back yard and my friend casually mentioned that he had been approached about a position in New Jersey, and he was turning it down, and 'would I be interested?' I didn't think much of it but thought I had nothing to lose, so I said, 'Sure, tell the man to call me."
That was in 1962, in Ohio, in Atwater, a tiny little town where we had live five years while pastoring a growing, healthy church. My friend was Bill Parks, no longer in the ministry, but at the time the district youth organization's president. "The man" was Bob Goslaw, superintendent of the New York (metro) district of the Church of the Nazarene. It is now 45 years later, and all those years since that summer picnic have been spent in the pastorates of the far eastern distriucts of metro New York and New England.
Thew culture shock was instant and real. The people in New Jersey sounded like gangsters to my midwestern ears. The pace of life was different. The mind set of the people seemed somehow different. Although the church where we were called paid for a deluxe move, and welcomed us warmly, I was so homesick that I would have gone back if I had only had $1,000 to rent a truck and get started again in Ohio.
But I didn't.. and for 15 years a learned to pastor and preach all over again. To say I was unhappy would be wrong. But there were periods of serious depression. There were times of near despair for the trajectories my children were taking.
In 1977 I was taking courses at Eastern Nazarene College in the master's program, and after class Dr. Cecil Paul asked me to stay for a moment. He asked if I would consider meeting with the Wollaston board to interview for pastor there. Another 'casual' contact.
For the next 22 years I was learning again and again that God's ways of leading are not always obvious, but they are effective. 1977 to 1999 were some of the happiest years of my life, along with some of the deeply challenging.
I haven't time to tell of how I came, these last 6 years to be associated with John Wesley United Methodist church here in Falmouth, Mass. But I know God had his hand in 'casual' contacts. That association will probably be ending before too many more months. I'm not being fired... but it is becoming apparent that God has something else in mind.
But I'm not done yet-- I'm only 76 and have a good inning or two ot three left in me! I'm just trying not to miss the next signal. I'm looking forward to the most significant and important productive time of my life for Godf and his kingdom!