Under Construction

4 days into internship and the Pastor has...

• preached and led worship at church
• preached, presided and played for worship at an assisted living community
• sat in worship committee, board of trustee, human relations, supervisory and staff meetings
• led a noon-hour Bible study
• cleaned out and re-arranged an office

Its official, orientation is over. I feel overwhelmed by all the newness and at times feel more like a poser than a pastor. However, the people here in the Dalles are simply wonderful and devoted and fun and passionate about their communities of faith. Everything is taking a little extra effort and energy than “normal” (I mean, how many times can I get lost in the basement of my own church just trying to find the bathroom?!?) but I am trusting that soon the dust will settle and I'll find a rhythm I can dance to!

The pastor, however, is never just a pastor. This pastor is also doing a serious balancing act with the Princess. The move, a new preschool, a new life adjustment, new church, new _____ (fill in the blank with just about anything) has left her with a high level of crabbiness, anxiety and just general five-year old defiance. This is exhausting the pastor. Again, I am trusting that soon the dust will settle and our days will return to a rhythm that we can both play along to peacefully.

One refreshing gift of grace is the backyard of our little house. It has a porch and a garden that leads to a steep hill. The lawn also has a built in sprinkler system that the Princess has been LOVING during warm afternoons. I so enjoy siting back there and watching her run around, we recently decked the back porch out so that it can be our little oasis from all the stress and crabbiness. We also were given some vegetable plants that we have been faithfully watering – I'm sure we will boast about our first crop soon enough!

We are hanging in there, having fun at the local pool and the great parks here. Family and friends continually check in with us, so even though you're all far away it still feels like our support network is pretty well in place. In addition, spending time with a special seminarian who just happens to be in Corvallis, OR for the summer is adding quite a fantastic flare to this transition!

Stay tuned...