I took my daughter with me to work this morning.
That statement alone makes me smile -
my daughter came with me to work.
To work. I have a job.
I am gainfully employed.
I am joyfully employed.
After she left to meet up with a friend for tea, I did some work on my computer.
In my office. At my job.
I have spent the better part of these past two weeks pinching myself. Smiling to myself.
Giving thanks to God and to the loving, kind, welcoming people of Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian Church for opening their arms to me and my family.
I sit at my desk and stare at that beautiful window.I stare at my computer screen - with emails coming in. With people dropping by to talk.
I close my eyes and say, "Thank you, thank you, thank you," over and over.
Later in the morning, my colleague, John, and I set out to visit one of the church members who is in a nursing home several miles from the church. Jackie Abernethy is a firecracker of a woman, with a quick smile, a warm heart, and a long history at the church. I wish I had known her when she was still actively involved at Caldwell. She has seen a lot change in Charlotte and at Caldwell - and has the stories to prove it. She appears in this video - which tells the story of how Caldwell has recovered from a near-death experience as a church.
After returning from our visit with Jackie, John and I had a meeting with two women whose excitement about how to deepen and broaden the spiritual life of the members of the church was contagious. It was exciting for me to hear their passion for growth and depth, their yearning for more, for more of God, for more prayer, for more connection, not only for themselves, but also for the people of this faith community.
This evening, I sat in on another meeting of passionate Caldwell people, talking about more ways to be people of joy, of music, of giving, people who are concerned about one another, and want to find ways to pray more effectively for one another.
It is a lot, this job of mine. There is so much to learn. There is so much to do.
I have felt supported. I have been given many opportunities to ask many questions.
I have been invited to lunch, to tea, to dinner, to people's homes, and more.
I am enormously grateful for these first two weeks and all they have brought.
I know there will be hard times, difficult decisions, and disappointments.
I know that I will mess up - and they will mess up.
I know that phone calls will be missed, emails will go unanswered, and disagreement will arise.
That is the nature of life in community. That is the nature of life.
We will hurt each other - mostly unintentionally, but there may be times when it is not unintentional.
We will misunderstand one another. We will judge one another.
There is brokenness, woundedness, and humanness at Caldwell,
because we are all broken, wounded, and human.
That is the nature of life in community. That is the nature of life.
But there is also something beautiful, holy, and hopeful afoot at Caldwell.
There is joy and love and grace afoot.
God is on the move at Caldwell.
Comforting, healing, restoring, and renewing us.
Inviting us to come closer, to dig deeper, to bear witness to the movement of Spirit
in a world that desperately needs beauty, hope, joy, grace, and love.
I am excited to see and to live into all that is yet to come.
On this Thursday evening, I am thankful for this new phase,
this new stage, this new adventure in the adventure that is my life journey.
Thanks be to the people of Caldwell for taking a risk and inviting me to join them on their journey.
Most of all, thanks be to God.
