Time Flies

It's my one year anniversary of working at Hickory Neck Episcopal Church. One year ago today I put on my clergy shirt and collar and headed off for my first day of work after seminary. I didn't know what would be expected of me or what the year would hold. It has turned out to be such a great match between this church and me. I feel so blessed to have landed in this wonderful place. Williamsburg suits me well. The congregation has made me feel welcome and loved. I get to try new things and continue to learn with lots of support. Thanks, God.

Today is also the first day of my birthday month. I always think of July as my birthday month. It may seem narcissistic, but I don't really mean it that way. It's not that I expect anyone else to think of July as my birthday month, just that I do. It's sort of a count-down, and a time when I reflect back on the last year and look ahead toward the next. This year particularly - as I turn 40 I'm doing a lot of reflecting. Considering things that haven't happened in my life that I really wanted and recognizing things that I never wanted that have turned out to be fulfilling. I'm reading my old journals from the past 15 years (in a move I lost my journal that went from age 15-25). It's intriguing to read the ways my life has changed and to see the patterns that seem to always be present. Some of the same themes come up again and again. I have to say that as much as I've missed it, I'm glad that I'm out of theatre. Church certainly has stressful times, but it's not the all-the-time consuming stress that theatre was.

There have been lots of firsts this year and so lots of anniversaries - next up will be the first anniversary of becoming a priest - but I'll save that till August.