Putting my foot down

After agonizing over how in the fireplace I was gonna cram confirmation into 8 weeks, I finally called up my Ch. Ed. chair and said, "No way. It ain't gonna happen. Give me 12 weeks at the least." So I got 12 weeks, even without a fight--he actually agreed that this worked better after I explained what we'd have to miss and skim over if we tried to do it in 8. I feel better now. It isn't the best scenario, but it beats 8 weeks by a lot. 12 weeks I think I can do. If anybody has any great suggestions for curriculum or things to do with middle schoolers-please send them my way. Working with Jr. High kids is NOT my gift.

confirmation

I am spending my last remaining hours of total quiet trying to get down an outline for the confirmation class that I was told I would be leading after Easter. (didja catch how I was told that's when I would be doing it, rather than asked when it would be a good time for me?) Course, I was also told that in order to keep things from conflicting with finals and summer vacations, etc., I would have 8 weeks to do it. 8 weeks!! I can't imagine how we're going to get into all of the important things in 8 weeks. We'll barely skim the surface! Yikes!
Ok, well, that being said. I'm trying to figure out what is most important and how to work it all in. Now, working with middle schoolers is not my forte, but our Christian Ed. team decided that I needed to be in on this. At least my committee chair is also a parent and will be helping out with this endeavor. It will be an adventure!
Right? (crickets chirping.......)

Alone at Last

I had almost forgotten what silence sounds like. I like it. P is taking L to visit his parents this weekend. I get the place to myself--well, and the dog and two cats, but they don't talk much. I can sleep in, at least as much as my internal alarm and a hungry dog will allow. I can work, uninterrupted on whatever project I choose--knitting socks or a throw, reading a book, or I suppose cleaning the bathroom or finishing my sermon (but hey, a girl has to have priorities!).
I'm sure it won't take too long though before I start to crave human interaction. I'm sure I'll think of a couple of errands I'll need to run rather than finish writing a sermon tomorrow.
Now, off to watch something that isn't animated!

We put in an offer for a house today. Everyone send prayers that it's accepted. We found out that there is at least one other offer on the table, so here's hoping they like ours best. I'll definitely keep this updated with how that goes. I can't wait to get out of our teeny tiny apt. and finally have all our stuff out of storage.
In other (older) news, I did end up with 15-20 people at my Ash Wed. service--way more than I expected. I was going to be happy with 6 or 8. So that was encouraging.
Oops! Gotta run, didn't realize it was time to go get L from preschool. More later...

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down

I actually got my liturgy for Ash Wed. done today (two days ahead-gasp!) I'm going to burn some palm-like grass that grows behind our apartment since I guess no one saved the palms from last year. No big. If I get desperate, there's always old hymnals laying around (inside joke). I'm just hoping that someone besides me and P show up. I don't have a congregation that is much for showing up outside of Sunday mornings. Gotta work on that. Maybe they just haven't been inspired? Dunno.
I did have coffee with our realtor today. He had a much bigger list of prospects than I expected, so I'm going to weed through them and maybe even go look at a few on Friday. Wow! This is moving fast now. Petty exciting.
I find myself now a mentor to an inquirer for ministry. She is a second career and taking all her classes online right now. I'm curious to see how that will work out. I look forward to guiding her through the process and hopefully helping to make it a good deal smoother than mine was.
Got a stack of new books in the mail today from Upper Room press. Can't wait to dig in. A couple are for my inquirer, though I wanted to read them before getting her a copy. I don't like to give away books that I haven't read, even if they come recommended to me from someone else.
Hope everyone has party plans for Mardi Gras. In honor of my Louisiana childhood I say, "Laissez les bons temps rouler!"