Ministering is caring begins with the basic premise that the essential characteristic of a human being is caring. Caring may also be seen as loving. Loving is grounded in the belief that God is love and has created us to be caring/loving. We express that caring through various contexts of our lives to which we belong such as time and space, family, church, schools, work experiences, communities, and friendships. The more general caring is intentionally focused in ministering. Caring is the undergirding of ministry in its varied forms. The sacraments provide modes for ministering. This is volume 2 of a series of four books called Thoughts along the way which are written for my four children, seven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. They contain reflections of my experiences in each of the vocational areas that form the basis of the volumes -- preaching, ministering, teaching/learning, and writing and speaking.