{"id":86,"date":"2011-01-15T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-01-15T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/fearofwhales\/2011\/01\/serve-god-and-die.html"},"modified":"2011-05-23T04:11:32","modified_gmt":"2011-05-23T08:11:32","slug":"serve-god-and-die","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/fearofwhales\/2011\/01\/serve-god-and-die.html","title":{"rendered":"Serve God and Die"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>"They called me Mr. Fun" said Mick, as he sat there on stage. We all understood what he meant, periodically the community would need something to break the tension or the monotony, a game, or a joke, maybe a song. Mick was the person who the community would turn to, the person they expected that to come from.
\nBut that was a long time ago, way before I joined the team, and Mick's spot had long been filled by Gamemaster Choe. Now Mick, with his long resume of experience raising kids, and preaching in the iron curtain, took a seat alongside the other responsible adults as one of the respected wise elders of our team.
\nHe was a part of a panel, assembled among us at the last minute when the Keynote speaker fell through, to answer questions and share wisdom. he was just like us once. 30 years ago after he graduated college he joined IV staff, and he's still here.
\nI forget the last question of the evening, but I remember the answer. it was something along the lines of "What is one thing you would leave us younger staff with that has benefited you in ministry the most?" The other two panelists had answered, it was up to Mr. Fun to wrap it up.
\n"Our job on earth, is to serve God,
\nAnd then die" Said Mr. Fun
\n"And retirement… Is after that"
\nHe expanded on the thought a bit, but that was the force of it right there. Everything else just helps that sink in. "Serve God and die"
\nWhen you're finished doing both of those things you're finished, and not before.
\nIt really is whimsical when you think about it. It's ironically non-ironic that Mr Fun would have told us. What are you doing? what should you be doing? If you're not dead.. Guess what? Serve god… and then, when you're done with that, die.
\nAmen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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