RSA

Yesterday I got to do something "neat." I went to the RSA building in downtown Montgomery, just across the street from the Capitol Building, to work on a project for my employer. As most of you know, I am a bivocational pastor, which means I have a full-time job in addition to my pastoral ministry.

Driving down Union street, a few blocks from the State House was a new billboard with a picture of Governor Bob Riley with the caption, "Bob Riley Sold Us Out To Mississippi." The legislature is in session, so I'm sure the governor is feeling the warm fuzzies this week. (This is not the "neat" part. I just threw this in as lagniappe.)

The RSA building is one of the most impressive structures in Montgomery, a testament to the power of the Education/Retirement system of the great state of Alabama...I mean that. I went to the fourth floor with two of my coworkers to meet with consultants and leaders of the Alabama Department of Mental Health. We did the whole "gather around the conference table and hash out the details of what must be done" thing for three hours. I broke out my laptop and edited and reedited our plan until we were done and everyone was happy enough to do small talk...no I don't like chitlins and yes I will send you some heirloom okra seed.

The consultants asked a lot of questions about our work in Geneva County. We did our best to answer. Trying to explain small town dynamics to people who grew up in Montgomery or New Jersey is challenging. I mean, we have a Subway in our county and they have a Subway in their building. They have a building with a thousand people in it. We have towns smaller than that. Our consultants were intelligent, informed, and extremely helpful...once we all got on the "big fish/small pond" page.

The plan we constructed, once implemented, can make a real difference in the lives of the people of Geneva County. It could literally save lives. It's work that matters...and realizing that at a conference table on the fourth floor of the RSA building was neat. My hat's off to Webb, James, Stephanie, Erin, Sharon, and Brandon. It was a good day.