Today is a good day...

Although I wish I began every day with this refrain, I am particularly ready to reflect on my past few weeks today. Which in my frenzy of a world right now, marks a very good day.

So my life has been one exceptional event after another lately, and while this is entirely delightful, it also means that I occasionally run myself a little too thin.

Take a few weeks ago, for example: as usual, I take Briggs to day care 2 days a week yet work full-time hours between my pastoral work and my teaching. After adding an unexpected committal service, several (wonderful) meetings with congregants, and wrapping up details from my ordination service, (in addition to my regular teaching, correcting 35 essays, sermon prep, and service details), I find myself particularly susceptible to the friendly germs Briggs brings home from day care.

So on that Saturday night, we decide AJ needs to stay home from church with our sick little boy. I wake up Sunday morning to a pounding head and inflamed sinuses myself, but since I no longer have the luxury of sleeping in on a Sunday, I head to church. What my foggy head forgets, however, is all my written material, including the sermon. Oops! With a pounding head, I welcome two unexpected families of guests into the service, silently wondering, "why today???" As God will do, however, the Spirit moves as I (discreetly, I'm sure) preach from my smartphone atop the pulpit. Tiny screen, so thank goodness I was the one who wrote the sermon!

I come home after church as flu symptoms take over my body. As I head to bed at 9pm, covered with 4 blankets, I wonder: "How will I get through another week of my schedule, adding in a wedding rehearsal and ceremony?" With a sick child and a sick body of my own, this past week did not look promising.

And yet, somehow, I made it through. Except cancelling class and meetings on Tuesday, I attend to all necessary business, including getting healthy. The wedding occurred, a marriage began, and my voice held out for the final words, “You may kiss the bride!” Yesterday I celebrated my colleague’s installation in Wessington Springs and most significantly, my husband’s 30^th birthday!

So as I take a moment to breath it all in this morning (which I can do, thanks to my neti pot clearing those pesky sinuses), I am SO immensely grateful for a God who shows up when I don’t have enough to give. And in re-telling my stories of the past few weeks, I begin to recognize that I must be in the business of reflection as a pastor.

Pausing occasionally and allowing my thoughts to be free of tasks, open to imagination, I begin to see the wonder of God’s promise of a new creation. “Behold, I am making all things new.” Yes, God is making me new, is working anew in my family, in my church, in my community, and in my world. Let me be attentive to this good work through the act of reflection.

Today is a good day indeed, because today I give thanks to God for all good things. Amen!

My son is growing, and so am I

This Sunday, one day before Briggs turned 6 months old, I was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the United Church of Christ.

Many friends, family, and congregants celebrated with me as I publicly confirmed a calling to ministry I've felt for roughly 14 years. So as my husband said when I asked if he was ready for me to be ordained, "It's about time!"

It is time. I feel as if so much of my life journey has intentionally led to this point. I am a pastor and mother now. Yet the other roles I play have been instrumental in getting me to this place in life. As a daughter, sister, wife, friend, student, and sojourner in my Christian walk, God has been fine-tuning my personality, skills, and experiences to be who I am now as a pastor mom.

That's growth, and in celebrating this process of growth, I am admitting that I am not yet the full portrait of who God created  me to be. And neither is Briggs.

This week, as I began feeding Briggs solid food for the first time and recognizing his rapid growth more pointedly than ever before, I became excited for him to grow up in the church. I know I make plenty of jokes about his unfortunate position as a pastor's kid, yet I am so grateful that Briggs will have the love, concern, and support of an entire congregation.

My dear friend Karen who came to preach an excellent message at my ordination service had a few days to love on and enjoy Briggs. After I said he won't be forming memories until the age of 3, she responded, "Isn't that sad that you pour all this love and affection on him, and he won't remember a bit of it!" This got me thinking that although it is sad,  I believe each hug, each giggle, each attempt at introducing a new food plays a significant role in him becoming who God created him to be.

I don't remember every moment that has contributed to my growth as a pastor, yet I am extremely grateful for them anyway. So too I believe Briggs will grow to be a delightful young boy and eventually a mature young man who is grateful for the many ways others have contributed to who he is. That's why I shower him with hugs and kisses now, even though he won't remember.

In the love of a mother, or a pastor, lies the deeper love of Christ. This is the love I ultimately want Briggs to remember.