Sunday Morning

There's something about Sunday mornings I have always loved. I've hated Sunday mornings, too, particularly when I'm exhausted and I've got to play bells at early church, but overall I love them. I especially appreciate them now, as I was on somewhat of a spiritual hiatus my first year at HDS. I felt bullied in every direction but there was no retreat, nowhere to go that would give me fellowship and worship. I did go to a church, but I disagreed so heartily with the pastor on pretty much every issue, including how to be a pastor, that I first stopped taking communion, then started walking out of sermons, then started walking out of prayers, then just sat in the church library the whole time, then stopped coming altogether. I tried to like it because my husband was the pastoral intern, but I simply couldn't. Then we found our current church after his internship was over and I love it! I didn't realize how much I enjoy this church until we came back after our summer-long vacation, and coming back was like coming home. I saw folks I knew, got caught up on things, and I looked forward to it. This church enables me to lower my hackles, which is wonderful because in order to survive Harvard Divinity, you've got to be aggressive, thick-skinned, and somewhat two-faced. I have managed to get aggressive and sometimes to have thick skin, but I have never managed being two-faced. A girl can only stretch her temperament so far.

In any case, Sunday morning feels like some kind of cleansing to me. It is time to take care of our spirituality, to nurture our relationship with God, and to face up to wrongs we have committed. Sunday morning feels like a chance to start over, a chance to get centered before the week begins. I hope this Sunday continues to feel that way. I'm going to wear my new shoes. That is also very exciting.

I think today I will reward my work on my Celtic paper by allowing myself to start readiing the 4 binders of info I have been given for my upcoming job. The closer this job gets, the more I believe I can handle it, and I'm excited to try. This is a new adventure for me--the private sector--but I am not afraid. My new boss is setting up a meeting for my colleagues and me sometime within the next couple of weeks, just a little get-together after work so that I have a chance to say hello outside the busy workplace.

My husband and I bought a treadmill yesterday. We got one from Walmart that had a great price, and since we could just put it in his jeep, we didn't have to pay the astronomical shipping one would otherwise pay for a treadmill. We set it up and tried it out. I jogged at least 1.5 miles and power walked somewhere over half a mile, and my husband jogged/walked 1.5 miles. He's in worse shape than I am, but of course since he is male the weight will just melt off him. We both found it significantly easier to exercise when it's right in the living room--just turn on a show you like and hop on! There's no gym bag to park, no parking to find, no locker room showers, no losing your gym card...just throw on your workout clothes, gym shoes, work out, and get in the shower. I like it. It also gives me the excuse to shower at night. I have always hated morning showers, and I hate them extra now because there is one bathroom between the two of us and we have to be out the door at the same time. My new plan is to shower at night, post-running, and then wet my hair in the morning and style as usual. This also means I don't have to do my routine of letting my lotion soak in for 15 minutes before I get dressed. I think my mornings should be much more pleasant and quicker from now on. Also, that lovely sore feeling reminds me to take care of my body. As I said before, if I put junk in my body, it will affect my skin (and hair, and butt, and everything else), so I need to take care of myself.

My new job begins at 8 am. Eight!!!! I'll have to scoot out the door at seven, which will put me there around 7:30, but if I leave at 7:15, I'll arrive at 8. I'd rather not sit in the car an extra 15 minutes. If I get to work early, I can grab a cup of coffee and get situated before beginning my day. During my six-month training period I hope to knock their socks off with how quickly I learn. There's another Harvard undergrad who will be working alongside me, so I now know who the Joneses are work-wise. It'll be nice to have someone to go through the program with but I've got to make sure and be better than he is if I am to be promoted as quickly as I intend. I don't do things half-way, and I want to give this my all.

Well, my husband is up and in the shower, so I'd better down this cup of coffee and get ready for church.