Seeking Authentic Voice

I am busy. Oh my, really busy. All in good ways. I helped organize and send off our delegation to Liberia. I arranged, also, for the church to do a wire transfer of some money to help the church in Liberia build their school. I have never done an international wire transfer before - but trust me it is not like what one sees on television. It's a little more complicated...but very cool! Then I spent a week following the delegation's posts on Facebook of their travels while they were there.  I wrote newsletter articles and a bunch of other documentation trying to help the congregation understand what we are doing. It is amazing how complex it can be to people who are not part of the day to day conversation. I know that leadership is always several steps ahead of the congregation, and this has really made that point clear. Despite very intentional efforts to communicate well! In addition to all of this, along with a lengthy Vestry meeting to finalize the budget (with a pr...

I'm walking slowly this morning. On Tuesday I took a barbell class. I love this class - I love the energy of strength building. Granted the most weight I use is only 25 pounds, but the lowest weight I use is 15 pounds, an improvement over a few months ago. On Tuesday I spent 12 minutes on the elliptical and then rushed to class. It takes awhile to set up the equipment, I use a lot of different bars and bells. Then I rushed off to the ladies room. Returning to class which was already warming up, I quickly picked up my 20 pound bar, threw it over my shoulders and began the squat warm up. And that's when I felt the twang and pull in my lower back. The rest of the class I moved gingerly, taking care to not strain the lower back. Following class I used the foam roller to work out some of the tight places along my back, glutes, and hamstrings. But by Tuesday night I was really struggling to move and not have my back spasm. Then Wed. my husband and I had to help move some things...

I have five preaching opportunities coming up in the next seven weeks, three of them paying jobs, two of them for the parish whose rectory I'm living in. That's more preaching than I have done since last August. Ten months of living without the weekly rhythm that has marked my life for 10 years. Last night I took my dogs outside for the last time before bed as we do every night. I stood under this huge oak tree, under a half moon, in the humid but cooling night temperature and took a deep breath. I do love it in Chicago. I do hope I find a job in this area and can stay here. I love the green most of all. The varied hues of green grass and trees are lush, they saturate my eye, with a soothing peace. My eyes, grown accustomed in just a few years to the harsh brown of sand, pale greens of cacti, and the intense vibrant splashes of desert flowers and short scrubby trees, relax in the shades of Midwest green. I stood outside with my dogs under a huge oak tree and grieved the los...