Posting from a long, lost friend ...

Good afternoon, gentlemen. My apologies for the rather pronounced silence coming out of Illinois these past few weeks. Not to be overly dramatic, but these last three months have truly been some of the worst we have experienced since our first year of marriage. To say that the non-profit I run is becoming a drain is to make a massive understatement on a scale I can't even describe. At the close of 2006, we were hit with an IRS audit, which turned out fine, but cost me one-and-a-half weeks vacation time with my family. Vacation time that has not be extended to in 2007. Then, due to the lengthy nature of the process, I was massively behind on rolling out our first major fundraiser of the year. Consequently, I had to work obscene hours that included working at least one full day every single weekend this year. And what do I get for my efforts? Efforts that have grown the fundraising campaign in question by a factor of 60% over the previous year. Well ... I get a sit-down with a Board Member who tells me that she and other unnamed members of the Board and staff are questioning how I am spending my time and whether I am truly committed to the minsitry.

The long and short of it is this. I have been so completely and utterly drained on an emotional level that I simply haven't felt like picking up the laptop to post. Several times, I had it in my hand, but I honestly didn't know where to even begin. All I can say is this: working for a volunteer Board of Directors is hands down the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life. They have all the power while feeling none of the reprocussions if the ministry does not meet financial goals.