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.