I can't believe I rolled into town 7 weeks ago today (well, later on this afternoon). The time has flown by! When it's been a while since you've moved at all let alone across the country, or started a new position, I think you can develop amnesia about what all was involved last time. I'm not the most patient person at times, I get frustrated with myself thinking that I should be all settled in by now with old things running smoothly and new irons in the fire.
But I have to remind myself that it takes time to get to know a parish, time to get used to living in a new place and get to know people around the community. It takes time to change over your driver's license, and get a new doctor and new hairstylist, get boxes unpacked, figure out where the furniture works best, tell everyone your new address, set up TV and internet, figure out where grocery stores are and etc., etc.
Oh yes, and there *is* actually ministry to do that you were called to do. So in all your spare time left over from all the moving stuff you start getting used to preaching every week, attend an all day diocesan stewardship workshop and a priesthood ordination, plan special worship for Pentecost and Trinity Sunday (our feast day) with a brunch, come up with a Mother's Day prayer, do a week of continuing education (at the Festival of Homiletics which was GREAT! More on that later ), try to be seen in the community and meet folks, attend Bible studies, plan music, do hospital visits, write newsletter articles, and figure out how to hire on a part-time parish secretary.
And... if there's any time left maybe try to establish a good routine of honoring your sabbath day, try to read the growing stack of books on the nightstand, and process some of these transition things by journaling/blogging and talking to friends. And if there's still time left after all that, do some laundry and clean the house. Whew!
Hmmm. After writing some of that down I don't feel as bad about where I am less than 7 weeks since my first Sunday with my new parish as I did earlier. I have to remember that moving and changing "jobs" are two of the highest stressors on the life events scale. I suppose it's a good thing I'm not dating anyone right now, because that means a wedding (one of the other top stressors) is not in my immediate future. :) Well, at least not my own, one of my best friends since High School *is* getting married this summer in France and my presence is requested, so there are some arrangements to be made.
Anyway, I'm mindful that others have told me I tend to have higher standards/expectations for myself for what I think should be the norm or "ideal" than what others might say in certain situations. The tricky part here is you don't get a guidebook for this and every parish and every person/family that's moving like this is different, so it's hard to know what's realistic.
Certainly can't stand around twiddling thumbs, but also need to try and be realistic and patient with myself and things in general I suppose. Maybe it's no wonder that I still haven't figured out where I want all my furniture to be and still have boxes lining some of the walls. Heh! :) Had my grandpa not been ill leading to my traveling home before the cross-country move, I would have had a little more time to unpack and get settled... but even then I probably would still be doing some unpacking and settling in.
After spending some time reflecting on these things it occurs to me this is a marathon, not a sprint. So taking a cue from last week's Gospel that reminded us not to worry, and to be present in the current day I just need to keep taking one day at a time, keep on doing my best to adjust to my new surroundings and ministry, and learn the culture as my pastoral care professor was fond of saying, Much like a friend of mine, I can be an idea factory, the key is having the idea far enough in advance to have time to implement it When you jump into a position you don't have much lead time to implement much of anything right away. So, instead of getting too far ahead of myself with all kinds of interesting and creative ideas I think I need to keep focused on some of the basics for a while longer, while I get my bearings and while the parish and I continue to get to know one another.
Slowly, progress is being made... even if sometimes it doesn't feel that way.
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