back to church

After many weeks away, we were back in church today. We had a couple of traveling Sundays on our family vacation, and a few Sundays when we had houseguests and we weren't in worship, and then I had a few weeks of worshipping in Kenya, so we haven't been to church as a family for much of the summer. (Actually, we weren't all there today either, as oldest child was away on a sleepover.) We visited a church recommended by my exercise instructor (not an intentional evangelist, even better!), and we really liked it. Church visiting is so fun -- seeing what you like and what you don't, making mental notes of things to do when you have a church of your "own." It's interesting to note what's important to different people. This church had a beautiful sanctuary, the congregation was welcoming, and the pastor was a good preacher. Also got to see the baptism of an obnoxious and uncooperative 3-year-old, but the ceremony moved me (and many others) to tears. Coupled with my mom's ongoing battle with brain cancer, and the brain cancer patient prayed for during the service, it was an emotional morning. But so good for me! I need worship to feel like my week has started off correctly/completely. I had sermon ideas in mind while the pastor was speaking -- not that I wasn't paying attention -- just thought of complementary add-ons to what I was hearing. I just love being in church and I feel strengthened in my call that it's the right place for me to be -- the right line of "work." It'll be interesting during my field ed to be back in the same church for an entire year, and in a leadership role as well. I will miss the visiting, but maybe not the unaccountability. When no one's expecting you anywhere, it's easy to go nowhere. So my mini-sabbatical from mandatory church attendance is over! (Maybe for the rest of my life?!)

happy Monday

Weekend was interesting -- our long-lost college friends came for a visit -- it's been 5 years or so since we've seen them -- it was as if no time had passed. We enjoyed the visit, and re-meeting their kids, who have practically grown up -- but I did wonder what would happen now/next. Would we go back to not being in contact with them again? We have often, over the past 5 years, wondered if we did or said something to upset these friends. Oh, well. Our life is busy (and clearly theirs is too), so we enjoyed the time we spent with them, didn't talk about much of import, but it was a nice visit nonetheless.

We also met a foreign exchange student from Germany -- he's staying with other friends of ours. He's a really nice 17-year-old, though his English isn't that good (and our German is non-existant!). Still, it was fun to joke with him, as well as we were able to, and watch the Olympics with him and share a snack with him. It'll be great to watch him grow and change this year.

Today I swung by the married student housing (ironically what we call it even though my divorced friend and her 3 kids just moved in there today). They seem pretty well set-up already, and happy with the size of their place (2nd floor apartment). The dog is even well-adjusted, so all seems right with their world. Custody battle is still looming for them later this month, but I'm confident (and prayerful) that nothing will change in that regard, and the kids can keep living with their new-student mom.

My oldest started pre-season field hockey today -- practices for 2 hours each a.m. and p.m., which means mom's taxi is in full swing again. I took the little one to the pool in the afternoon, and tried to start reading The Last Amateurs by John Feinstein, but the lifeguard wanted to talk to me the whole time I was there. That's fine -- he's off to college a week from today and is really excited about it. He's a nice if neurotic kid -- told me about his great personality AND his fibromyalgia. Interesting level of sharing...

Contemplated doing some Bible study this week -- have not yet gotten to it, however. Also have been thinking about paying for counseling through Trinity in Princeton -- might be good to start now (before the academic year begins). My dad turns 70 tomorrow and I have promised my mom a visit before school resumes...

As to my blog, I decided to take out my IM info today -- still feel the need to keep this pretty anonymous, for others' sakes if not my own.

First One!

Met with my Committee on Preparation for Ministry last Monday night (August 16), and the Chair jokingly suggested I create a blog. This might be an easier journaling tool than pen and paper, and assuming I am sufficiently vague/anonymous, I hope to be able to chronicle my middler year at seminary for the people who care to read about it. So we will give it a try!

Upsetting news this week: a classmate of mine died. I did not know him, except on sight (I would recognize him), but I know several students who were close to him. He was 26, and it's always sad when someone dies so young. I think of his parents, siblings, and fiancee (another seminary student). We were peers in school but not in age. I read online the sermon preached at his funeral, and the idea that he is with the Lord in the Resurrection with the communion of the saints is comforting. The student who wrote/preached this sermon said the deceased student lived in denial -- denial that his congenital heart condition was a burden or an unfortunate limit to curb the way in which he lived. I thought that was nicely put.

We have college friends coming for a visit tomorrow -- kind of unexpected in that we probably haven't seen them in about 5 years. We were beginning to wonder if we weren't even friends with them any more. It'll be interesting to see what we find to talk about. They know nothing of our life now, nor do we know about theirs. My mom's most recent MRI was not good; it seems her brain cancer is returning. Not the kind of news you'd call virtual strangers to share... Not sure I will bring that up with them... Told mom on the phone today that they were coming -- she is curious to see how the visit turns out, too.

Finished reading Simon's Family by Marianne Fredriksson, and am almost done with Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley. Good diversions, both. Almost finished with my Kenya scrapbooks -- time to clean up the dinig room table! OK, signing off for now....