uh... Deva and I were heading to California oh okay you're gonna go for a vacation no my aunt wants me to come and preach at her church they're looking for a new pastor So, you're going to leave the first community church here? I don't know yet. I don't know. But I'll let you know. Wait a minute, Pastor Jay. Wait. Aren't you going to keep in touch? I'll let you know. I'm sorry. I'm back! Pastor Jay! Get in here! One day at a time Well, it is good to see you, Miss Jones. Good to see you. I mean, it's been a while. Well, she's... Yeah, it's been quite a while. I'm sorry. She's getting kind of crazy here, isn't she? Well, that's all right. That's what puppies do. I assume she's still a puppy. Yeah, believe it or not, she is only about a year old. Not even quite a year old yet. So she's still a baby. But she's a new one. Oh, okay. So you got a new one. She's a friend of divas, or what happened to diva? Diva had cancer and passed away. Diva had a really awesome year in California. She loved to go to the beach at sunrise. We'd walk the beach and she had a great time. I'm so sorry to hear about that. That breaks my heart. A couple days after Diva passed away, I was sitting on the beach watching the sun come up. And a little two-month-old baby, little girl, came up and crawled up in my lap. And that was her. She crawled up in my lap and fell asleep in my lap and I honestly thought this has to be somebody dog so I took her to the animal shelters and checked everywhere Nobody knew of who she belonged to and they said if you want her you can adopt her And, of course, how could I say no to that face, you know? So I adopted her, and she's grown up a lot. Not quite a year old yet, but she's grown up a lot. She was only five pounds when I found her, or when she found me, I should say. She's real sweet and cute and just looks real darling. So what are you doing back here? Well, I'm back because I feel like I've got some unfinished business here. I mean, I've been, you know, away for a long time. And I know I should have contacted you guys, but I needed that time away. And I feel refreshed. I feel like I'm ready to come back and to do something good here. So you're back to take to church. Yeah. Well, that's quite a problem because we called Dr. Warren. You contacted old man Warren? Oh, Pastor Jay, you don't say things like that about a pastor. I mean, that's not nice. Well, I... Okay, you're right. But let's face it. The man's mean. That's what everybody called him in seminary. He's mean. He's a mean... What, you've been around him. You know how mean he is. But you still don't call him that. I can't believe you called old man Warren. I mean, Dr. Warren. Patrick J., we didn't know you were coming back. We had to do something. Yeah, but old man Warren, I mean, Dr. Warren. Oh, man. I mean, we didn't know what else to do. So now what do we do? I guess you'll have to go talk to him. I ain't going in there. No, I ain't going in there. I'm not going in there. I kind of think so. Uh, yeah, Dr. Warren, Pastor Jay here. Okay. Okay. Go see him I'm not going in there to see that old man I'm not going No, I'm not going I'm not going No, I refuse I'm not going I'm not going If you want this to work out You've got to go talk to her Well, I can't go Look, Jasmine needs me That's not a problem I helped with Diva I can help with her It's not a problem I can watch her Get in there and see him. I can't believe you're doing it now. Fine, fine, but if he bites my head off, it's on your head. Well, if he bites your head off, he won't know it. Have a seat, son. Um um it it not that bad sir I I I think I think I can fix it hold on a second Um, give me a second here. Um, uh, my brand new hat. Here, let me put it on here. Here. Okay, may I? Hold on, hold on a second, sir. Here we go, here we go. You ready? You ready? Okay, let's try this here. here and... Ah, shit! Let's... Not quite yet. Hold on, hold on. Alright, alright. Come, come, work with me here. Come, come, work with me. Let's get that. Let's see if that does... Mmm. That's it! Sit down! Sit down! You sat there and you took off to California and you left these people. These people that you were put in charge of to shepherd, to lead, and you left them in a lurch for a full year while you went up to California and sun and surf and all that type of stuff while these people didn't know what you were doing. You didn't have the common decency to call them, to tell them what you were doing. No, that was irresponsible, son. That was irresponsible on your part. And you knew better than that. We taught you at seminary better than that. What you are is you're irresponsible. You're the same young little kid that sat in my class and that I taught for four years. You're the same kid. You haven't grown up, son. You haven't grown up. Not a bit. see you tell me son why I should recommend you to come back and be part of this church and to be the leader of this church you tell me why sir it's not exactly like that see yes I did wrong I ran away from my responsibility and yes but you have to understand sir I was going through a very difficult time in my life right there I was going through what we know as the valley and yes I ran away but while I was on the beach of California and I was looking at the sunrise one morning I realized that every new morning is a new beginning and yeah just because I messed up one day doesn't mean that the next day is not a new beginning. When I realize that I realize that with God I can conquer anything And so that why I returned I look at you right now and I see the same slacker of a young man that I saw in seminary I see no change. And thus, I will not recommend you to come back so you can go back to California and go back there because you're not welcome here no more. Goodbye, son. With all due respect, sir, that is not your decision to make, sir. That's theirs. Those people. I will go to those people. I will tell them and pour all this out in my heart to them. And if they decide that they want me back, then I will return. But sir, you have no say in this. That is the first time in all these years that I've known you, that you've finally stood up for yourself. I'm proud of you son. You've proven to me that you have grown up. Maybe that time away from this church in California has taught you, has helped you grow up. Any way it's done, you're a man now. I'm proud of you. I think you're finally ready to lead this church the way they need to be led. So my recommendation is yes. You're welcome to come back, son. Thank you sir I appreciate it Sometimes life is a little heavy Sometimes life's a little hard to bear Feel like I'm all alone Oh but I know one who really cares So a day at a time No matter what's in my way I'm not giving up for it no matter what others say With the Lord at my side I'm never alone I'm destined to win So step by step I'll take it One day at a time One day at a time One day at a time One day at a time One day at a time
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