Back in the Saddle Again

So my first Sunday back in the pulpit wasn't the disaster I feared it would be. For starters, AJ cooperated and let us get some good sleep last night, so I woke well rested and actually able to compose complete sentences in my head before I even showered and grabbed my first cup of coffee. I did get to the office and prepare an outline for a sermon entitled "Trust." I didn't have time to prepare a manuscript, though, so I won't be posting the sermon until tomorrow at the earliest. It wasn't my best sermon, but it was far from my worst, and considering how worried I was on Saturday night I feel pretty relieved.

It struck me this morning how much I love my job. Leading worship and preaching just feels natural to me, like I'm doing what I was meant to be doing. Other parts of being a parish pastor are more difficult, but that's part and parcel of any vocation, so I do my best in those areas and try not to worry too much if I'm not quite fitting everyone else's picture of what a rural parish pastor should be. In three years of this work I feel like I've developed a pretty clear picture of who I am as a pastor, and I'm pretty confident that my discerned picture and God's desire for spiritual leadership are matching up well. (That is NOT to say that whatever I think I should be automatically meets with God's approval - a good portion of my discernment has come through conversation with and correction from people I know and trust, both within my congregation and from other areas of my life.)

We have a friend visiting tonight and tomorrow, so I get to go to the gym for a good long workout on my day off. Woo-hoo! Back on track with training for the marathon now, and it's going okay. I've got some catching up to do, but once this cold snap breaks I should be able to get outside and do some good road work for the rest of the days until the marathon. If I lose enough weight and put in enough road miles I should be able to beat my goal time of four hours. Of course, that's what I can think now, three months from the marathon - ask me how I feel about that after my 20 miler - my tune may have changed by then.