It is that time of year when everyone starts looking back at the previous year and looks forward to the year ahead. 2009 was quiet a year for me. Here are just a few month by month highlights, including my call process:
January: Officially hired by the Knights of Columbus (no longer a temp); did some supply preaching; got our pet lizard Zig
February: Went to Disney World to celebrate with my brother and one of my best friend as they got married; first preached at Bethlehem as a supply preacher; was told I was not assigned to a region in the first call assignment process and was heart broken, followed by a few weeks of miscommunication and pretty much every emotion possible; had a great weekend in Philly with some good friends.
March: Received a phone call about the possibility of interviewing for a call with Bethlehem.
April: Preached at Bethlehem a 2nd time; had some pre-call process conversations with various people.
May: Officially started the call process with Bethlehem; attend synod assembly; attended the confirmation service of my confirmation students from my senior year of seminary; got our pet lizard Krotida.
June: Was officially called as pastor of Bethlehem; celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary; quit Knights of Columbus; started my call!
July: Started visiting members of Bethlehem, presided at my first imposition of ashes, started packing
August: Preached and co-presided at my first wedding; moved out of our apartment in New Haven; went to Minnesota & Wisconsin for vacation; welcomed my first biological nephew into the world.
September: was ordained! Moved into our new home. (yes for those of you following we were nomads for a month)
October: Presided at my first baptism; attended bishop's convocation
November: Went to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade; had a wonderful visit from a fellow seminary student and his family.
December: Enjoyed my first Christmas as a pastor and at Bethlehem; learned to play the bells; traveled to Virgina for the wedding of two good friends.
But today is not just the beginning of a new year but also a new decade. (Sorry I'm not a purist about there not being a year Zero (then again we didn't switch to the current dating system until a few centuries after the year Zero would have occurred.) A lot has changed for me in the last 10 years and I have many great memories from these year, here are a few highlights.
2000: Spent a semester in Australia; voted for the first time.
2001: Worked at Luther Park Bible Camp for a summer; started to think about becoming a pastor and not a math teacher as was my original major; met Bob.
2002: Switch my major to just math (quickest way out of college); worked for a second summer at LPBC; went to Europe for the European AIDS ride with my family; Bob was sent to Kosovo with the Army Reserves for 9 months starting in September 2002, my grandpa (mom's dad) died shortly before Thanksgiving.
2003: Graduated from college; spent the summer with my grandma in St. Louis; started working as a temp with Supervalu; started looking at seminaries.
2004: Visited LTSP and decided that is where I was suppose to go to seminary; Bob and I got engaged; started at LTSP; was the Maid of Honor in one of my best friend's wedding; started needlepointing again to make Christmas stockings as a gift for said wedding.
2005: Spent the summer doing a chaplaincy at a nursing home; Kayla, my non-official goddaughter was born.
2006: Bob graduated from UofM; got married to Bob, the man I love more each day; started my internship at St. John's
2007: Partied with Bob's family to celebrate his little brother's wedding; stayed on at St. John's post internship as a youth director; welcomed my godson Christian into the world and the body of Christ; my grandma and grandpa on my dad's side died within a few months of each other.
2008: Graduated from seminary; moved to New Haven; my sister got married; my last grandma (mom's mom) died at the age of 91; Bob started his master's program.
2009: See above
I don't know where the next year or the next 10 years will lead me but I'm happy and grateful for where the last year and decade has taken me. I'm also not really a resolution person so I won't post any, but I hope and pray that for everyone that 2010 will be a year with more joys than sorrows, more fun than boredom, more love than hate, more hope than fear and more faith than uncertainty. Happy New Year's everyone!
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