the first day

day one at the hospital: check. it was a very good day. the commute was smooth, the people were kind, i learned a lot, and i came home excited about what this year will hold!

my day started by catching the 222 bus at 6:30am...eek! it was early, but it didn't take me long to realize that it is going to be a sacred time. it is quiet, super comfy, and not to mention some GOOD a/c! after everyone got settled and we started our journey on i-10, i cozied up next to the window and had some good prayer time to start my day...a morning discipline that i have only ever talked about having in the past. yes, this bus felt like a sanctuary to me.

and, today's ride was extra special when a woman got on, made eye contact with me, leaned over on her way down the aisle and said with great excitement, "you are my new pastor!" i instantly felt part of the community, which was a good feeling. as she got off the bus, she handed me her business card with the words "have a great first day at work" written on the back. it seriously felt like god giving me a big hug.

then, i swiftly transferred from the bus to the rail for several stops on main street, arriving at methodist hospital at 7:35am, which was perfect timing for my 7:45am start. i felt so accomplished at such an early hour!

orientation was informative. fun fact: methodist hospital opened in 1919. it quickly became challenged by the depression and when faced with over $100k in debt the administrator of the hospital threw his secretary the keys and said "we have to shut the doors." well, josie roberts did not want to let the patients down, so she got busy...she refinanced, cut expenses and kept the doors open. then she partnered with another woman named ella fondren who gave lots of money to expand. go girls!! this huge medical system was saved by these two amazing women. now plenty of amazing people have come after them, but they deserve serious props in my book.

another fun fact: i have 31 days to sign up for my medical, dental and flexible spending account benefits online. why is that a fun fact, you ask? because my knowing that answer scored me a new methodist hospital beach towel today! don't be jealous.

tomorrow i will actually meet my colleagues...

thanks for all the prayers, calls, texts, and fbook messages. love to you all!

the bread

so today i was introduced as the new part-time associate pastor at holy covenant umc in katy.

first task at hand: the children's sermon. for some reason that is something that stresses me out more than the "real" sermon. they are not afraid to chat with you. you never know what they are going to say. you are looking for a good laugh at some point, but you don't want to loose control. you always need a good visual. it's an art for sure.

today we talked about jesus being the bread of life. illustration: the food pyramid that we all learned when we were kids. it was great for getting the point across that bread (grains) are at the base...very important to growing strong and healthy bodies. bread has always been an important, even in biblical times...bread was sent to the israelites when they were hungry in the desert, bread fed the 5000, and we pray "give us this day our daily bread." but then we talked about how the bread we eat can get stale and even after eating it you eventually get hungry again. god wants to give us more. in sum: bread will give you life. jesus will give you life forever.

but here is what i left pondering today after using that food pyramid illustration...who in the world says it's okay to have 6 grains a day? seriously, there must be a revised pyramid out there. carbs are like devil food, and that is what that pyramid said we should be eating the most of!

aside from the distraction of my illustration today, i have reflected on how thankful i am for the people at holy covenant umc. they are good and hospitable people. i look forward to doing life with them as we all seek nourishment from the bread of life...and be sure that we'll have some of those carbs along the way...i saw and smelled what the "breakfast ministry" had prepared today!

the border

as i continue to settle in, i find myself meeting new people, catching up with old friends and learning more about the community in which i live. today i learned that in katy, the katy freeway (i-10) is like "the tracks" in a small town. and you know what that means...someone always lives on the "wrong side." well, guess which side my residence and the church i am going to serve reside on? who decides this stuff? it was a reminder of how defining borders really are and that they are man-made. another sign of our fallen nature. i pray that my loving is never defined by any border.

the move

so, it's happend. something i decided over five months ago has finally become a reality. however, i don't know if the reality is real to me yet. god called me into the hospital, which meant i had to leave the local church i loved and had been a part of for almost 12 years. did i hear god right? i am pretty sure i did, but i need a big reminder right about now. the only thing keeping me going are my friends who are in houston...these are my people...people from all stages of life...childhood, college & seminary, and the recent memories of all the love i recieved from my people in plano before i left.

i do feel blessed. my friend stephanie has graciously welcomed me into her home. it's a comfortable place to be. we are often reminded why we get along so well...we eat a lot of the same foods, we think alike, and we even buy the same laundry detergent...arm & hammer...maybe it's because we are pastors and we have to buy the cheap stuff or maybe it's just one more affirmation that we are meant to journey together over this next year, who knows.

my life is changing before my eyes. i am approaching my 35th birthday, i am starting a new job, and i am about to be a commuter...a real city girl who takes the bus and the rail everyday to work.

you know, the more i think about it, the more excited i get. i can't wait to see what the lord has in store for me. a few more days of getting settled in and then day 1 at methodist hosptial is here. until then, i will continue to reflect on how loved i felt by the people at saumc in plano, texas, and i will try not to worry and wonder if i will feel just as loved by my new people in the hospital. why do we, i mean i, worry? and, why isn't being loved by my creator enough? oh, if that question could be answered.