Another Threshold

I stand at a threshold, not knowing what lies ahead. I started this blog as a record of my time at St. Thomas', and like many I expected my time to be longer. C'est la vie. In speaking with people about my transition, they asked what they could do, or what they could pray for during my transition. Then almost immediately, they said, "Besides a job, of course." Yeah, a job.

As a male USAmerican, it is too easy to fall into the trap that my occupation is my identity. I am working hard to avoid that, and daily remind myself that my vocation (Christ disciple that happens to be a priest) is not my occupation (how I feed my kids and keep a roof over our heads). Like Paul, my identity needs to be found in Christ, and immerse my soul in that.

But when that question is asked about what to pray for, I would have to say my kids. I am an adult. I can read the financials and see that no matter how you cut it I need to move on. I need to move on for the church I love. But my kids are different. They are children for whom it is "Not Fair!" They took a bit to warm to St. Thomas', because it was so different from their home parish. But took to it they did, and they are losing Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Children's Time, acolyting, and the whole bevy of things that they loved at St. T's. So, if you are wondering, pray for my kids.

The other weird thing is looking at looking for a church. I have a few supply gigs lined up to help people who need Sundays off, that will not be every Sunday, and if I have I have a Sunday off where do we go? We have only "shopped" for a church once in our lives, and that is when we chose to become Episcopalians 7 years ago.

Lastly, the question that sometimes comes up is how Stephanie and I are doing. Stresses of unemployment can take their toll. Not surprisingly, we are in a good place. I love her more today than when I married her. 25 years together, 23 1/2 married, and we have only just begun. If it were not for her, and her support, I know that this would be even more difficult than it is. I know that this is not easy for her, being a J on Myers-Briggs. She wants a plan that she can work. My P sees the possibilities, and that helps me in days like these. Pray for her to be at ease during these questioning days.

I have said to many people, and many people who know and love me have said to me, that there is something HUGE that we cannot see just around the corner or over the horizon. It is time for me to put my money where my mouth is, and practice what I preach. God has brought us too far, too fast for this to be anything more than a speed bump in our priesthood. So yeah, pray for that, too. Pray for faith for all of us to be true to the faith that has brought us this far. "I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6 Godspeed, all of us, in following the Christ who already awaits us in Kingdom of Grace beyond our wildest dreams.