Reformation

Today in the Lutheran Church we celebrate Reformation Sunday. We, like many churches, also did Confirmation today. We had 5 students confirmed, and it was a good day. They're a really nice group of kids. So, lots of stuff going on at church, but you know one of the things I was most excited about? I got to wear a different color stole. Yes, I know that's about the least of things I should be excited, but as much as I love my green stole, after wearing it for the last few months it was nice to wear a different color. I am shallow.

After church I had time for a quick nap at home before heading off to 2 different church related social events. There's an episode of The Vicar of Dibley where she eats something like 4 different Christmas dinners in one day. Today wasn't that bad, but I went to a Confirmation celebration this afternoon and of course there was food. I tried to eat light, but it was really good, and I definitely ate too much pineapple. Then I headed off to an evening meal with the Graceful Dining group. And ate again. I am SO stuffed right now.

Reball

I spent Thursday and Friday evenings this week with the youth group from our church and two other churches playing reball. Reball is like paintball, only without the paint. Instead you use little, soft, yellow rubber balls that you can scoop up and reuse. I didn't play Thursday night, but got talked into playing last night. It was fun, but I definitely suck. Can't shoot straight. Got shot twice and have the welt/bruise on my thigh to prove it. And yet it was a lot of fun. The kids all seemed like they were having a good time as well. File this under the "sometimes my job is strange" category. Not every job involves 2 nights of playing reball!

The Sleepover

Was great! Well, it still is since she's still here. 11 year old niece is currently watching a cartoon about race car driving while she practices driving the new remote control car her dad bought her last night. She's always loved cars, even when she was tiny she would get excited about old cars she saw around. Mom and Dad are coming to pick her up soon, but first we'll be heading to the mall to hang out at the book and pet stores. Then I have to write a sermon.

Smattering of Stuff

I had a lovely e-mail from a friend of mine regarding my last post about passion. She had good questions and some good insight, which was nice. Thanks K-bomb! As I thought about it afterward I realized that some of what I'm feeling stems from family of origin stuff, as well as some very specific things going on at church right now. K-bomb also suggested that I need to find my passion in England (where she is currently living). Kind of sounds like a romance novel, don't you think? :-) The American pastor, on vacation in England when she encounters the passion she's been seeking... OK, I'll stop, but it definitely makes me giggle.

In other news, my oldest niece is getting her chance at a sleepover at Auntie's tonight. We couldn't find time during the summer, and she's been bugging me and her dad, so we finally found some time. I don't know what we're going to do, yet, but I'm hoping she has a good time. A couple of years ago she would never have wanted to stay with me. I'm happy we'll be having some one-on-one bonding time.

I had my annual exam on Tuesday. Don't worry, no details about the process. I simply bring it up because there's always the dreaded getting weighed process. I can't say my current weight was a surprise, but it's one thing to weigh myself in my own bathroom and quite another to do it in a doctor's office while a nurse writes down the results. So, my goal here is to have a different experience in a year when I go back. I want to be excited to step on the scale! The advantage is that I have a year to do this. The disadvantage is that I have a year to procrastinate about making healthy changes. I've put it out to the universe now, though, so hopefully I'll be able to stick to the plan.

Passion

No, this isn't an X-rated post, just a musing on what I have a passion for in life or ministry. Or lack thereof. Several of us from the church attended a synod-wide event this past weekend. The theme was evangelism, and it was a good event. I've heard good comments and good critiques, both about the event and about how we do things at our own church. Last night we had a debriefing session, and this morning I met with another woman who went. The point being, lots of people were excited about lots of stuff. Which is great. I love their excitement, and hopefully some things will grow out of that excitement. I realized though (and have been realizing over the course of several months and many conversations) that I'm just not that excited about much. Sometimes I worry that I don't seem to be passionate about anything. I love parts of my job, and I feel called to what I'm doing, but where is the passion? This is common in my whole life, not just with this call. Sometimes I think maybe it's just how I was raised, or my genetic make-up or something. Mostly I just worry. Maybe there's something wrong with me. Where is the passion? I really don't know. Maybe I should go searching.

It's Been Awhile...

Since my last post. I think about things to write about quite frequently, but never seem to get around to doing it. So, what's been happening? Lots and not much at all. Church life is crazy and busy as usually happens in the Fall. As usual some days are great and others I wonder what in the h*** I got myself into. I wonder if that happens throughout the length of ministry? Do the wondering days get fewer?

In family news, my youngest niece was baptized on Sunday. She looked so cute. She's almost 3, so there were lots of discussions about what would happen during the baptism, and lots of practicing tipping her over the font. She did great during practice, but I think there were too many people watching during church, and she didn't want to do it at the actual baptism. In the video my sister and I look like we're wrestling her into position. It's kind of funny. She did great, though, and we all got through it, and now in all of the pictures she looks pretty smug about the whole thing. What I find really funny is that at one point on Saturday when we were playing I flipped her upside down over my shoulder and she just draped there like a snake. I wasn't even holding on for part of the time, but when it came to the tipping for baptism she was having none of it.

In a few minutes I'm going to go do chapel for the preschoolers. This is the first time this year, so we'll see how it goes. I have the 4 year olds this morning and the kinder-ready class this afternoon, then the 3 year olds tomorrow. Should be fun!