Great News!!

Well, if you've kept up with my dilema, you know I recently had only one church that had contacted me so far about pursuing a call. Well, no longer!! I got contacted today by Church Much Nearer to My Family, and it's in a city where P can almost certainly find a job and not have a monster commute. I believe his company actually has an office in this city, so he could just transfer. This is so good, because the longer I have to think about it, the more I'm thinking my childhood issues with poor, small towns could be a big problem if I tried to work in an even smaller and poorer town than the ones I grew up in. I'm still open to a face-to-face interview, but, well, this new opportunity is really the kind I was hoping for all along, good for the entire family, I think.
If any of you have had an experience where you've had to choose between a job that is more certain, and waiting for a call that is less so, I'd love to hear about it and the outcome.

RGBP Friday Five: What Are You...

1. Wearing
Ok, ok. It's after noon and I'm still in PJ's. More descriptively, the PJ's consist of a navy blue Old Navy tank (or cami as they're called these days) and P's cotton flannel red/navy plaid drawstring pants.

2. Pondering
What to do with Little One today so she doesn't veg in front of TV all day. Also, how to prepare a 2 minute or less intro to me for Church Much Nearer to My Family that contacted me today!!! (see above for more info)

3. Reading
Well, I'm still working on Cahill as shown to right. I'm also reading Murder on Capital Hill, by Margaret Truman. I've been reading Green Eggs and Ham a lot to LO lately, her current fave. I also just finished Passionate Marriage by David Schnarck (great name, huh?) I really, really recommend this for anyone in a committed relationship or for pastors who do couples counseling, even just premarital.

4. Dreaming
That I'll get the call to Church Much Nearer to My Family (and in a city where P could get a job without a monster commute!)

5. Eating
Just finished a cup of coffee with Chocolate Caramel creamer (treat while P was out of town, but there's a lot left.) It's time for lunch though, so I'm thinking a half a wrap (LO gets other half) and a bowl of soup.

Guilt Trip

I let myself be guilted into playing my flute in worship this week at the church that I don't really even attend any more. I still go to handbell rehearsals and I go to the young adult group meetings, but I'm ever so not fond of the relatively new pastor, so I don't go to worship there. And the thing is, I'm not really all that good a flautist. I never practice unless someone asks me to play for worship, so my lips are really out of shape. But, I'm also free! This is my main draw. And they're in between music directors and the interim is out of town so they're having the applicants sub as guest organists, too. Good idea, really, but I felt bad for the guy since he was so excited to have a flute player when he's trying to impress the personell committee to hire him, so I agreed to play, which sucks because I forgot that this weekend is Li'l Sis's birthday (not a milestone, thank goodness) and though I hadn't planned on going to visit, she invited me about 20 minutes after I'd agreed to play on Sunday. Oh well, it's really better I don't go, so I don't have to pack up dog and toddler and cram them into small Saturn since big Jeep is broken. And for some reason, the dog always pees on my mom's carpet when we're there. Even if she's just been outside. Bad Dog! I'm sure she's just saying she doesn't like being away from home, but really, does she think it's better to be in a kennel at the vet's?!
I'm also feeling guilty that the house is not as clean as I'd like it to be for P to come home to, so I suppose I'll do a little more work before bed. However, I am very proud that not once did I let the dishes pile up in the last 11 days. So, I guess I'll get to work on the clutter... Really, I'm going... right now...

The Brighter Side

I had a conference call with my CPM on Tues. It's funny, I've been offering for the last 3 years to do the conference call thing, but this is the first time they've gotten around to it. Actually, it's the first time they've gotten around to any contact beyond the mass emails to ask if people are coming to the annual retreat for inquirers and candidates. I so don't feel like a candidate any more. I feel like now that I'm certified ready to receive a call, I don't really need someone looking over my shoulder. Well, that's just me. Anyway, I kinda got lost in the shuffle and they've pretty much left me alone for the past 3 or 4 years. It's been nice. I didn't really have the best relationship with the CPM when I was first an inquirer. There was an unusually disproportionate number of lay people on the committee. Their ideas of how to guide a pastor were to make sure s/he had read the entire Bible cover to cover (in order, like it was a novel), had memorized Robert's rules, and would disavow ordination of homosexuals. So, I really didn't get along with them so much. A couple of the pastors on the committee knew my father (yeah, I'm a PK) and didn't like his views on some things as well, so I got it hard from them too. Here's an example of a question I got at an annual review. "What's your favorite Bible verse?" Umm, I have to pick just one? There's a whole bunch to choose from and I'm not too good with decisions. The funny thing is, I had my study bible right in front of me. In it, I use yellow sticky notes to mark verses I like or that I think I would use frequently as prayers, calls, benedictions, whatever. There were dozens of them sticking out the top! And they wanted to know my favorite. That and I have never been one to memorize chapter and verse. It's just not my thing. Hence, the sticky notes. I know a few key verses (John 3:16, anyone?), but relatively few compared to the Bible-thumping evangelicals I know who have a verse for any occasion.
Anyway, this call was actually pleasant since only two of the committee members showed up for the meeting. Lucky me! They were nice and pleasant to speak with and seemed genuinely glad for me to have some possibilities for employment. Of course, somebody fell down on the job and forgot to mention (4 years ago) that they needed a final transcript from Seminary of the South. I know I forget things, but I'm pretty sure I'd have remembered if they told me that they were gonna need that to release me for a job. And especially since I did actually have a couple of possibilities that fell through right after graduation. They coulda told me then. Now I have to call up SS and get them to ready a transcript. I also need to find out where the committee wants me to mail the darn thing. (Presbytery office, committee chair's house or office, corresponding sec's home or office?) If they'd told me they needed it four years ago, I coulda just walked across the quad to the registrar's office. So much easier.
Ah, getting to that brighter side I mentioned in the title... P comes home tomorrow after an 11 day absence in the name of work. Now, I'm not complaining about the big, fat overtime check we'll get, especially since my Jeep needs a new transmission. However, 11 days straight is a dern long time to be away from home, especially for a little one who misses her Daddy's night-night kisses. Actually, I kinda miss them too. He was s'posed to be home tonight, but they were short-handed and made him stay the extra day. And he's also going away this weekend to go hiking with a college buddy who's having his first kid in June so this is kinda his last fling as a non-dad. It will be nice to have things back into a somewhat normal routine around here next week.

The Blessings of Family

I keep getting emails from people whose names I heard all growing up but can never quite put faces with. Turns out Dad is contacting everyone he knows in the PC(USA) to tell them his little girl is looking for a call. It's really nice to know I have that many people looking out for me. Kinda flattering really, though I know it's really more for love of him than me. Still, I have even gotten a couple of good leads that way.
My MIL was here over the weekend. She was so much help just entertaining L, that I actually got some time to myself. We all went to the opening weekend of the Renaissance Festival which was a great time. It was nice to go do something together as a family that we all actually enjoy doing. L is just old enough now to like the little petting zoo they have and some of the brightly colored costumes and the music. We'll go back at least once, probably on Highlands weekend so P can wear his kilt. MIL bought me a beautiful blown glass vase from a man who we've seen do demonstrations on several occasions. I'm excited to actually have a piece of his work.
On a totally different note, L read her first word today. "Zoo." She didn't actually sound out the letters, but she recognized it after reading it over and over and over and.... well, if you've ever read to a two year old, you know. That was pretty exciting and I had to tell all the grandparents. They were all suitably impressed and very proud. Me too.
P is gone all this week and part of next to Albany, GA, on a job. I really hate these long trips, especially when they encompass a weekend. He hasn't had one in a long time, so I guess I won't complain too much. At least not yet; I'll save that for closer to the weekend.

Beautiful Words

...they're just not mine. I read the blogs of friends and colleagues and people I don't even know, but respect through their wise words, beautifully written. I yearn to write words that flow like that, not quite poetry, but still with a rhythm and beauty that I just can't seem to manage. Sure, I can use nice words once in a while, but not the way some of you do. I can't quite manage the lyric quality that some of you posses. And I *want* to, I really do.
Only mostly off topic: So, I sent some sermon recordings to the PNC of the church that asked for them. They did get back to me for a phone interview. They say, "So, we were wondering if you were an English major. Your pronunciation is so good!" Argg! My pronunciation?! Ok, I wasn't an English major, in case you were wondering. I majored in Theology. That's right, not religion, Theology. Anyway, I was, however, on my high school's speech team for four years. But that was a looong time ago. We didn't do debate, we did monologues, dialogues, impromptu, there were all kinds of events. My AP English teacher believed that good diction was really important for those of us interested in higher education. He actually had the entire class practicing good pronunciation. It was kind of like the Professor and Eliza Dolittle in "My Fair Lady." Kinda funny now that I'm recalling it. Anyway, in the mid-west, where I was for h.s., they had several funny ways of saying things incorrectly. People often left out verbs. "It needs doin'," was one of my favorites. That thing with sirens to take sick people to the hospital? "Amblance" Doing the dishes? They're "warshed and rinched." (That's "washed and rinsed.")
Anyway, I'm going through all of this to say, yeah, I speak more clearly and confidently than a lot of people, but- they complimented my speaking, not my sermons!! Eesh! DH did help some when he told me that speaking clearly was actually something really important for PNCs since so many pastors don't. (He was on the PNC for the church we most recently attended.) And, as he put it, the best sermon in the world doesn't do anybody any good if no one can understand it.
Ok, but still... Eesh. Even pastors are allowed to have a little ego crisis, right? :)

So many projects, so little time.

I know most of my RGBP friends are working on Holy Week, pulling things together for Maundy Thurs, Good Fri, and maybe even an Easter Vigil before the big day of resurrection. While I don't envy them, I do miss preparing services and letting my creativity be used for God's purposes.
So, instead, I let my creativity be used for knitting purposes. I finished Sheldon last night and now I need to get back to the socks I was knitting for P that were interupted when DOF had her baby. Of course, that's not the only project I have going. Oh, no, not hardly. What else, you ask? Well, I'm also working on a lovely wool sweater for P-I shrank a store-bought one of his a while ago when he neglected to tell me he'd thrown it in with the regular laundry. Lesson learned: always re-sort hubby's laundry, even if he says he already has. I also have another pair of socks, okay, actually only one of a pair that needs a mate. Those are for me. I can't remember the last time I knit something for me. I wonder if that second sock will even get done. Someday, maybe. My sister asked for a pair of socks, but I don't even have the yarn for that yet. But it's always nice to know I have a project waiting. I also have a baby blanket that is perpetually in progress. I'm also working on a project to felt (shrink) that will become a needle case for all of my loose knitting needles. I'll have to start another Sheldon again here in a couple of months for a friend due towards the end of June. But until then, the socks are probably the way to go since it's getting quite warm down here in GA and an all wool sweater might be a bit uncomfy to sit under. And at some point, I really want to knit an adorable little wrap dress I saw for my Little One. So... let's get knitting!

Friday Five: Whatcha Doin'?

Name five things you plan to do today.

Well, I too, am not working today. So here is what I might, or might not, get done.

1. Make pizza dough. Homemade is P's fave. I want to have some to freeze for busy nights.

2. Take a walk with Little One. This will depend entirely on the cooperation of the weather. I'm not too hopeful at this point.

3. I also want to get a big jump on my knitting. I'm pretty sure that my dear high school friend has had that baby girl of hers by now. (She went in Monday night for an induction.) So I need to hurry up and finish Sheldon!

4. Look over some old sermons and see about transferring them to digital media.

5. Catch up on whatever I didn't get done M-Th. That might be a little ambitious. But I can at least get a jump on the laundry.

On the way...

P sent out the sermon CDs today. Getting them to .wav file wasn't nearly as hard as I'd thought it would be. But by now, FedEx has them en route. Kinda scary. 'Cuz here's the thing. This is the only church as yet that's gotten as far as asking for sermon recordings. But see, it's a church in a state that I don't particularly think I want to move to. Now, I know, I know, maybe God has other plans for me than I do. I don't discount that at all. It's still really hard though. I keep hoping another church somewhere else will step in and save me from having to move to this other place.
The other hard part is trying to find a church that's near enough to a good sized city so that P could also find a job. Oh, did I mention that I'm called to small church ministry? Yeah, that complicates things a little.
But I'm still waiting and I keep checking for more opportunities. Nothing's set in stone until I sign the papers, right? Prayers are welcome... no, coveted.

the digital age

So today my plan is to record old (some are very old) sermon tapes into a digital format so I have an easily accessible way to make CD's to send to churches who might, or might not, think it impressive that I did not send them cassette tapes to listen to. Videos are out since not a single church I've preached in has a camcorder, nor do I myself. ...Well, my digital camera takes about 60 seconds of video at a time, but that obviously won't do.
I have this fancy setup so I can either 1) record the cassettes from the stereo onto my hard drive, or 2) re-record from a microphone onto the harddrive. I gave myself option #2 because I don't know how good the quality of some of those older cassettes is going to be. I think it's pretty cool, but then, I'm easily impressed by technology. P has offered to take L out for the afternoon in case I need the quiet to re-record any of them. (Is that cheating since I'm not preaching in front of a congregation? Somehow it seems strange to send out a sermon I preached to my reflection. On the other hand, I did preach it at least once to a congregation. Maybe that's what counts.)
Either way, I think it's really cool that I'll have voice recordings of my sermons on my computer.

My first Friday five... A Matter of Taste

I need a quick break, and this seemed like a good things to do while I sip a cup of tea and then get back after it.

1. Seafood: especially shellfish- crab, lobster, scallops, etc. I love them all. P, well, I've seen him literally gag on a scallop I cadjoled him into trying one time.

2. Mushrooms: I love mushrooms. Sauteed in butter, sliced in a salad, in a marsala sauce, you name it. P feels the same way about mushrooms that he does about shellfish. He says it's a texture thing...

3. A softer matress: P likes it hard as a rock. I would love a nice fluffy pillow top... someday.

4. Herbal Tea: The people I work with think the world moves on caffeine and can't understand why I drink the stuff. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my morning coffee too, but I love to unwind with herbal tea when I don't want the caffeine. I've been asked numerous times, "What's the point?" I think it would be useless to try and explain it to a non-tea drinker.

5. Warmed Leftovers: That's right, I like to reheat last night's casserole before I eat if for lunch. I like to zap leftover spagghetti in the microwave before I enjoy it again. P just doesn't understand why I bother. I think he's passing this on to L, too. I saw them sharing cold spagghetti-o's the other day. Ick!

Chocolate and...

I'm curious to know what your favorite addition to chocolate is. Or if you're a purist, whether it's to milk or dark.
Personally, I think dark chocolate covered marzipan is the best combo, otherwise, plain dark is the way to go. I like chocolate and cherry, too, though, and orange, oh, and that Hagen Daaz (sp?) Mayan chocolate with the cinnamon, mmmm!!!! OK, so really chocolate isn't bad with much of anything. If you have an opinion, weigh in (and just blame it on water weight, not the chocolate.)

Knitting therapy and Jesus bones(?!)

Well, at the moment I am, let's say, between jobs. I am seeking a call at the moment, and even have some irons in the fire, but the staying at home full time in the meanwhile is a bit much on the nerves. So, I knit... a lot. (I still maintain that it's a weight loss tool.) While Little One and I are having lots of fun together, I do look forward to handing her over to Daddy when he gets home. She's still at the age where she needs constant attention--though I'm not sure there's ever an age that doesn't, maybe once she moves out?
At the moment, I have 3 knitting projects going. A pair of socks for DH, a sweater for DH, and I'm trying my hand at felting, or fulling, as some people prefer to call it. It's cool. I did a swatch- you actually shrink things on purpose. I have a hard time with this, as the sweater I'm currently working on is to replace one that I shrunk accidentally. So I bravely knit on, knowing it will soon be 3/4 (or less!) it's original size.

Did anyone else watch the "Tomb of Jesus" docu-drama on Discovery last night? I thought it was well done. Maybe not scientifically iron-clad, but it put forth a lot of good questions. My DH, a good scientist and pretty good Presbyterian himself, has been talking about it alot and asking such good, heretical questions, as "So what? If the idea is that Jesus died for our sins, it's the dying that's important right? And if there are bones, there must have been death." Ooo, we had to have a discussion about the resurrection after that, but I'm not sure he's convinced. I'm also not convinced even a little that what they had on the film was the tomb of Jesus-though it was fun to talk about all the questions it raised. I love a good theological discussion late at night!

Sorry it's been so long!

I guess I thought I'd have more time to keep this up. Hmmm...
What's taken up my time? Well, holidays, a two year old, in-laws visiting, call hunting (still waiting to hear back from a few of those), and the usual other life happenings.
I've been knitting like crazy. It seems so many friends of old are having babies very soon. If you are a knitter and haven't discovered Knitty, you MUST check it out. "Sheldon" is the best pattern for anyone you know with a little one on the way (or rencently arrived).

Blessings lately? Here are a few...

• seeing some wonderful new birds at my feeders
  
• Knitting toys for friends' babies
• Actually finding some old friends on myspace
  
• finally getting back to my blog!

Don't give up on me yet! I'll be back again soon-promise!

Who needs jogging, I have knitting!

Today I am most thankful for knitting. Knitting helps me lose weight. Sadly, it does not burn calories in and of itself-well, maybe about 1 per hour if you're a vigorous knitter. I have discovered that it keeps me from snacking, though. I have to use both hands, and I don't want to get them dirty (you know, covered in that orange cheezy stuff) or sticky by snacking in between rows. I happen to be an afternoon snacker. For some reason, no matter how a big a lunch I have, about 3 or so, the snack alarm goes off. So, I've turned to knitting. I'm praying that all my friends and neighbors are blessed with new babies so I can continue to have projects. :)
Between WW online and knitting, it's working!

blessings and then some

Before I count my blessings so to speak, I was musing about spiritual disciplines. My DH does his devotions before bed, and swears that on the nights he's too tired to read them, he doesn't sleep as well. I usually do mine in the mornings, but I'm thinking of switching to see if reading them at night would help my sleep as well. If anyone has any musings on such things, let me know. I think I will try switching times for a week, do a little experiment and see how it goes. I will post my findings.

Today's Blessings:

• a little girl telling bed time stories to her favorite doll (in 2 year old language)
• learning a new card game to spend time with DH
• a bath and a trashy romance novel (guilty pleasure) with no interuptions

Today's Blessings

Today many members of our church went to the tri-presbytery leadership event. There were over 500 people there to take workshops on everything from developing a good nursery, to preventing domestic abuse, to how to ease the transition of a loved one into assisted living.
So as far as blessings, it's hard to know where to start, but here are a few things I'm thankful for:

• Seeing many old friends from seminary with whom I'd lost touch
  
• learning new things to take back to my congregation
• meeting someone who knew my father way back when
• hearing over 500 people sing with gusto-I'm from a small church, I love all those voices!

It was a great day and I am excited to share what I learned and hear what the others learned. I hope you all learned something fun today too.

Today's Blessings

• A 2 year old splashing in a bubble bath
• hubby coming home tomorrow after a long absence
• last night's rain
• the first blush of red on my tomatoes
• the second flush of blooms on my red rose bush ( I thought it was dead there for a while)
• the amazingly bright flash of yellow from a passing goldfinch

What are your blessings today?

Newfound respect

After 10 days away from home and no idea when he'd be back, the DH finally called and said he'd be home tomorrow-hooray! I'd like to say that my renewed respect is for all P does while he's home. Sadly, I think he only creates more work for me to do most of the time, though I won't complain too much, since L and I depend on the income at the moment. I will express gratitude for the time he spends with L so I can get all that extra work done, though!
No, my newfound respect is for single moms. I don't know how they can make it all work. I don't even work full time at the moment and I barely get all the housework done, play with L, walk the dog, fix meals, grocery shop, etc. Wow! You single moms obviously have super powers, no doubt!
While I'm thinking of it, I will also express my concern that I am not as excited as I should be that P is coming home. I've gotten used to sprawling across the whole (only double sized) bed while he's been gone. I've gotten much better sleep than I'm used to with him here. I'll miss that. Ok, well, now that I've written it down, that's the only think I can think of. That's good, I feel better that that was the only thing I was not looking forward to--though sleep is very important when I'm chasing a 2 year old all day.
Hmm, I think I will begin a posting called "Today's Blessings" I will post the things I am blessed with, the small and the bigger ones, too. I think it will help me remember that sharing a bed is worth a little less sleep. Perhaps you all will share your blessings, too? I'd like that.

Where to start?

I've been encouraged by my good friend, teri, to start a blog of my very own. I've been using one to post pictures of my two year old, L, also quite often known around the house as She Who Says No, for, well, about two years now. (I can hear you say "duh!" from here.)
I'm told that there are marvelous things to behold on blogs and I can't wait to see what awaits. I have been given some suggestions as to where to start, so look out-a newbie cometh!
Ah, must go. She Who Says No has awakened from her nap. The blog scouting will have to wait until bedtime.