The more things I've been doing in my internship, the more thoughts have been bouncing around in my head. I'm going to attempt to let some of them out...
Many congregation members want their pastor to be involved in everything the church does, which requires a time commitment on the part of the pastor which is more than many other full-time jobs. However, congregation members also want their pastors to be energetic, compassionate, passionate, and rested. They truly care about their pastor's well-being and want them to have time off and take care of themselves. Does anybody else see a contradiction here? Now, I am not complaining about any expectations that have been put upon me yet, as I am only about a month into my internship and am far from over-worked. This is just what I have observed regarding many of the pastors I know, and it does bring some concern for the future. I guess there is a need both for pastors and all those in ministry to learn to say "no" and parishioners to learn to accept that (if they haven't already).
Why do we church people get so hung up on things that, ultimately, don't matter? And why does it always come down to money? I realize our economy is in a horrible state right now, and we do need money for a church to operate, but there comes a point when a groups discusses a topic to death and you need to do what you can and move on and trust that God will provide. Are we serving God, or money? And are we really using the money that we have for its best purposes? I will be the first to admit that I have more "stuff" than I need and that I don't always make the best decisions regarding how I spend my money. I'm sure there are some congregations where the topic of stewardship is beaten into the members heads, but I think many are afraid to really delve into the subject. And it's more than just the message that the church needs money. Why don't we really talk and think through how we are using our money and our other gifts? And why not with our whole congregation, and not just a select few?
Sometimes I get frustrated with people... with the church... with people in the church. BUT, I know we're all only human. We're sinful, but we're loved and created by God. And ultimately, THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.
God loves you.
God loves me.
Therefore, I strive to love and serve God by loving and serving others. It's not always easy. But it's the call that God has BLESSED me with.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
How I spent my 08/08/08 birthday
At least a few weeks have passed since my birthday, but I wanted to share the events of the day...
In the time leading up to my birthday, I knew my boyfriend was planning something big/special, but he wouldn't give me any information except that I needed to leave the whole day open, and should plan to get someone to let Sadie out a few times. It was making me a little crazy not knowing what we'd be doing, especially since he was willing to share his plans with a few of my friends and family and they kept teasing me about it!
So the day arrived and I spent the morning relaxing and getting ready, reading, and enjoying a bday breakfast of a muffin and a latte from wawa. Josh arrived, and we set out around noon. I still didn't know what we were doing. As we got going on our drive, he was taking us west on the PA turnpike, and I was thoroughly confused because all the places I had thought of as possibilities for our destination were either in Philly or somewhere else in the east coast region. We kept driving, and he kept messing with my head. We stopped at a travel plaza and had a quick lunch from BK, and I got a crown and declared myself queen for the day. :) Then we continued driving. I knew by this point that we would be spending a significant amount of time in the car. (Yes, I'm quick, I know.) FINALLY, around Somerset, when we had stopped at another travel plaza for a bathroom break for me, I was let in on the surprise. I returned to the car from the plaza and he handed me a card, which I read, and thanked him for. I was somewhat puzzled though, because he had already given me a card earlier in the day and when I looked at him he had a very strange look on his face like he was waiting for me to realize something. I pulled out the card again, and inside the envelope were two tickets to the Steelers preseason game that night!! At this point there was much excitement on my end. :D
We continued the drive to the 'burgh, and after sitting in traffic for a while and finding a parking garage that might as well have required you give them your first-born child for the ridiculous amount they overcharged, we made our way to the stadium. I was decked out in my jersey (#86) which Josh had thoughtfully brought for me, and he in his... Eagles hat. Yup. Don't get me wrong, I love the Eagles as well, and I gladly cheer for them faithfully, EXCEPT of course, when they're playing the Steelers. It was rather convenient that the Steelers were playing the Eagles on my birthday, because if it were any other team, I don't think Josh would care much. And he is from Philly, and that's his team, so it was appropriate as a fan for him to wear the hat. But I honestly was slightly worried for his safety. I know Steelers' fans. Luckily, we survived the night with only two derogatory shouts in his direction. Again, thankful that he's an Eagles fan, cause if he were a Browns, or Ravens, or Patriots fan... oh boy...
The game was a lot of fun. The Steelers won, which was a bonus, even though preseason games don't mean much. And even in preseason, there's an excitement in the air of the stadium that's awesome. It's great to be among all those other fans. And it was great to share it with Josh. It was an amazing surprise that he definitely put a lot of thought, time, and money into. It really meant a lot to me, because he knows how crazy I am about the Steelers.
It definitely goes into my memories as one of the best birthdays ever.
In the time leading up to my birthday, I knew my boyfriend was planning something big/special, but he wouldn't give me any information except that I needed to leave the whole day open, and should plan to get someone to let Sadie out a few times. It was making me a little crazy not knowing what we'd be doing, especially since he was willing to share his plans with a few of my friends and family and they kept teasing me about it!
So the day arrived and I spent the morning relaxing and getting ready, reading, and enjoying a bday breakfast of a muffin and a latte from wawa. Josh arrived, and we set out around noon. I still didn't know what we were doing. As we got going on our drive, he was taking us west on the PA turnpike, and I was thoroughly confused because all the places I had thought of as possibilities for our destination were either in Philly or somewhere else in the east coast region. We kept driving, and he kept messing with my head. We stopped at a travel plaza and had a quick lunch from BK, and I got a crown and declared myself queen for the day. :) Then we continued driving. I knew by this point that we would be spending a significant amount of time in the car. (Yes, I'm quick, I know.) FINALLY, around Somerset, when we had stopped at another travel plaza for a bathroom break for me, I was let in on the surprise. I returned to the car from the plaza and he handed me a card, which I read, and thanked him for. I was somewhat puzzled though, because he had already given me a card earlier in the day and when I looked at him he had a very strange look on his face like he was waiting for me to realize something. I pulled out the card again, and inside the envelope were two tickets to the Steelers preseason game that night!! At this point there was much excitement on my end. :D
We continued the drive to the 'burgh, and after sitting in traffic for a while and finding a parking garage that might as well have required you give them your first-born child for the ridiculous amount they overcharged, we made our way to the stadium. I was decked out in my jersey (#86) which Josh had thoughtfully brought for me, and he in his... Eagles hat. Yup. Don't get me wrong, I love the Eagles as well, and I gladly cheer for them faithfully, EXCEPT of course, when they're playing the Steelers. It was rather convenient that the Steelers were playing the Eagles on my birthday, because if it were any other team, I don't think Josh would care much. And he is from Philly, and that's his team, so it was appropriate as a fan for him to wear the hat. But I honestly was slightly worried for his safety. I know Steelers' fans. Luckily, we survived the night with only two derogatory shouts in his direction. Again, thankful that he's an Eagles fan, cause if he were a Browns, or Ravens, or Patriots fan... oh boy...
The game was a lot of fun. The Steelers won, which was a bonus, even though preseason games don't mean much. And even in preseason, there's an excitement in the air of the stadium that's awesome. It's great to be among all those other fans. And it was great to share it with Josh. It was an amazing surprise that he definitely put a lot of thought, time, and money into. It really meant a lot to me, because he knows how crazy I am about the Steelers.
It definitely goes into my memories as one of the best birthdays ever.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Welcome to the Jersey Shore!
I have internet access in my house. FINALLY. This means that I can share some pictures of my new place with those of you who haven't seen it yet. The house is right next to the church I'm serving for my internship. It previously housed offices for an NJ social services organization, and was completely gutted and renovated, and also received an addition. Now half of the building is my residence (kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom, two bedrooms, basement) and the other half is church/public space (two large meeting rooms, restrooms, kitchenette, food pantry, and storage), with a sunroom/breezeway/small meeting space connecting the two halves. The house was completely furnished and decorated with all new items, as well as a fully stocked kitchen and other household items such as towels, sheets, and cleaning supplies.
The people have been very welcoming and helpful. The community the church is in is small, but nice. It has a population of only about 8,000. But Toms River is right next door, which is a pretty large area, and Ocean County is the fastest growing county in NJ. AND I can be at the ocean in just 15 minutes! In my opinion, that's the best part. ;) I've already made it to the beach a few times. Sadie and I have been settling in nicely, and enjoy walking through the neighborhood on a nice path not too far from the house.
Enjoy the pictures... in my next post I'll share about my birthday surprise. :)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Quick update
Just a quick post to let you all know that I'm now a resident of New Jersey! After a few long days of lifting, moving, cleaning, and driving, I am settled in to my new (beautiful!) house. I will be unpacking and arranging for a few days I'm sure, and also taking some time to get to know the area. I also don't have internet access at my house yet, but once I do I'll write a longer post and maybe even include some pictures of my house. More to come later!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Please allow me to continue complaining
Boy am I sick of packing. I've been at it for at least a week now, and still have a little more to go. As annoyed as I am with packing though, I hate the actual lifting and moving of my furniture and stuff even more. And I have that to look forward to in just three more days! I'm sad to leave Philly, but at this point, I just want to be in my new place in Jersey already!
I was able to take a break from packing on Sunday and go down to the Baltimore area to visit my cousins. It was fun and nice to get away for a bit. And I always enjoy spending time with them. I'll have another break tomorrow for my birthday. I don't know what I'm doing yet, as the itinerary has been planned for me and is a surprise, but I look forward to being able to relax and enjoy my special day!
I was able to take a break from packing on Sunday and go down to the Baltimore area to visit my cousins. It was fun and nice to get away for a bit. And I always enjoy spending time with them. I'll have another break tomorrow for my birthday. I don't know what I'm doing yet, as the itinerary has been planned for me and is a surprise, but I look forward to being able to relax and enjoy my special day!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
The pile is growing...
I've made some decent progress in my packing today, so my pile of boxes is growing. This makes me feel both successful (because I'm making progress) and annoyed (because there are more boxes taking over my apartment). My bedroom stuff, except clothes, is packed up. The next room to tackle is the kitchen.
I had dinner with some friends last night and said goodbye as it will be the last time I see them for a while. It got me thinking about friendships. I've loved living in Philly but it's been hard to be so far away from many of the friends I've made over the years, and from my family. I've made some wonderful friends here at seminary, and now we'll all be separated for a year. I know I'm not always the best at keeping in touch with people too. But I've also learned over the years to be more realistic about how temporary or lasting different relationships are, and that some friendships are able to be maintained even when you can't talk on a regular basis. To my friends who are reading this: I hope you know that even if we don't talk often, I sincerely value the way you've touched my life. And to my family: I love you and am so thankful for your support! And speaking of friends and family, my mom recently went on her annual "buddies" trip to Richmond, and it makes me hope that when I'm her age, I'll still be going on trips with my friends! My mom's pretty cool like that. :)
I had dinner with some friends last night and said goodbye as it will be the last time I see them for a while. It got me thinking about friendships. I've loved living in Philly but it's been hard to be so far away from many of the friends I've made over the years, and from my family. I've made some wonderful friends here at seminary, and now we'll all be separated for a year. I know I'm not always the best at keeping in touch with people too. But I've also learned over the years to be more realistic about how temporary or lasting different relationships are, and that some friendships are able to be maintained even when you can't talk on a regular basis. To my friends who are reading this: I hope you know that even if we don't talk often, I sincerely value the way you've touched my life. And to my family: I love you and am so thankful for your support! And speaking of friends and family, my mom recently went on her annual "buddies" trip to Richmond, and it makes me hope that when I'm her age, I'll still be going on trips with my friends! My mom's pretty cool like that. :)
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