3 Months (the long and the short of it)

I started my current call 3 months ago. In three months time I have learned

1. I can write a sermon in 3 hours time
2. Most of the time those sermons aren't very good, but every once in a while a winner comes out of a short mad writing spree
3. I can lead a Bible Study on the texts for the week using the same prep I used for my sermon
4. When I lose my keys (easily up to four times a day) they are usually in the same place on my desk.
5. Some days it is very easy to come home and not think about work.
6. Other days there is no way I can get work out of my head.
7. It can take three months of regular visits to (finally) be able to navigate a hospital, especially one that has been frequently remodeled.
8. It can take (only) three minutes of heartfelt listening to help another feel as if someone cares and will listen.
9. It can take three weeks (or more) for appreciation of a particular sermon to come back to you.
10. It can take three seconds to stick your foot in your mouth - especially during times of prayer when some sort of eloquence and care should be involved.
11. I need to remind myself to take back the gobs of extra time I have put in.
12. Even when I intend to take a full day for myself, one phone call from the son of an ailing woman can change those plans.
13. I do not need to respond to other people's urgencies (except perhaps in cases such as #12). Ok, further clarification as to what some of these urgencies might be: need to know what the council has decided, need to hire someone for a position as volunteers are filling in. Urgencies that are not life/death.
14. It hurts when people (outside of my congregation) question and doubt that I am a pastor - or assume that there must be other pastors from my congregation.
15. Many of my parishioners and others with whom I come into regular contact do think of me as pastor - with no questions.

Unintentional

I unintentionally lied in my last post. I think I might very well be working as much as I did in school - but only for this week. I've only worked 4 days this week and I've worked over 40 hours. On my day off (today) not only do I have a wedding rehearsal, but I have to attempt to prepare for the wedding rehearsal (my first ever in a leadership role) and I should probably write the sermon for the wedding.

When it comes right down to it, I am unintentionally working way more than I think is necessary. But, I'm not goofing off. We had a number of new programming things this week, there were a couple of meetings off church grounds, and, perhaps most of all, there were a few new hospital and nursing home visits to make.

The thing is, I feel like I accomplished things this week. And yet there is still so much to do. I feel though, as if I'm getting things in place so that I don't have to reinvent the wheel every single week. And, people are starting to turn to me as pastor. I still get the surprised looks and funny comments when people first realize that I'm the pastor - the only pastor. But, those who are members of the congregation are accepting me, and in some cases end up "defending" me to those who question (I tend not to defend, just state the obvious, "Yes, I'm the pastor. Yes, I'm new and early in my career. Yes, I'm younger than 30. Yes, I'm a woman.")

Finally, this week, even amidst all of my busyness I've somewhat unintentionally had a social life with a few different groups of people, non of them members of the congregation. Actually, if I count last Friday in the mix, I've socialized (in a purely social way) with five different groups of people! And that is with my crazy work week.

So, yeah. I'm exhausted - but I'm managing to accomplish what I need to. And, I'm having fun outside of work too.

Now, if only I could unintentionally exercise...

Fewer hours + more responsibility = Worn Out

This morning I woke up tired. Two long days behind me, four long days ahead of me with not enough time to accomplish everything I think I need to do. Yet, I probably am running around quite a bit less than I ever did in either schooling experience I've had. I just have more responsibility. And that makes me tired.

I think I'm doing what I need to in order to take care of myself. My social calendar has been quite full of late. I'm for the most part making sure that my day off has very little to do with work and doing my best to take time on both Saturday and Sunday away from everything. But ahead of my this weekend - a wedding rehearsal on my day off and the wedding on Saturday. That means two sermons, both of which are brewing in my head, but neither of which have anything on paper.

I've discovered that the weeks immediately before council meetings and immediately following council meetings are the busiest. Committees trying to get things done before and picking up the decisions that were made afterwards.

So, now, I've got to go and get ready for my day. I'm 1/2 way through my first cup of my regular 2 cups of coffee and a shower will feel good - and then it's off to the workplace.

Odds and Ends

Each of these could be their own entry - and I reserve the right to do so in the future - but for now they're short and to the point.

+ I am now sportin a new ride. My brother's vehicle (on loan to me as he attempts to live simply) is only about one year younger than my (now former) car, but it's in much better shape.

+ I have finally purchased a bed. Actually, I did this a couple weeks ago. I am now the owner of a "big girl bed" and have moved the "nun bed" into the guest room. Of course, moving from the nun bed to the big girl bed does not change the contents in any way - but there is a lot more room to spread out on.

+ I have support in my job! And, I got things done this week! And...well, okay, my sermon isn't done - but it's well on its way!

+Tomorrow is my day off, but in some ways it will be a working day off because I need to pay bills, start looking for an accountant, get a dress fitted, get the car's oil changed. But, I also get Monday off - whoo-hoo! Chi-town, here I come!

+ I've successfully unhooked myself from a web that eats up my time! I got a little hooked on checking up on the live feeds of the show Big Brother. Can you blame me? I'm in a new city by myself, and these people were letting me into their lives. But, once my free 2 weeks ran out, I have let it go! I don't even read the web sites (well...as much). I still watch the show when I can though.

+ Babies, babies, babies! It seems as if they are popping out all over the place. (I don't mean to be crass, that is truly how I feel - it seems I turn my head and another friend is all of a sudden holding a wriggling infant in his or her arms). Three years ago it was weddings, weddings, weddings, although only one of those couples are new parents. This is so much fun - new life and new joy...and that I don't have to be up with them at night. Bring on the kids! (Just not in my family yet, please).