In three week's time, I will be a senior.
In two week's time, I will be leaving my Internship.
In one week's time, I will be at Hyperlink 2012 with some of the youth from Grace.
Right now, I'm feeling all those feelings that come with transition and displacement: anxiety, nausea, worry, excitement, more worry... I am a bundle of crazy/scary emotion - so much so, that I think I may actually be vibrating. I've cut down on the amount of coffee I'm drinking because it only makes the symptoms worse.
I loathe moving.
And here we go, yet again.
I thought it would be nice to share some of my learnings about Internship. Here is an excerpt from my Report:
The most important lesson I have learned is to trust in God; trust myself; trust that I have been taught well, that I have the knowledge within me; and trust that I have the abilities to help me find the resources I need if I don’t know something. This has made me a more relaxed person on internship.
I have learned that clear, honest, and open communication can go a long way to stem the tide of differing expectations any one congregation member may have of what it is that you are “supposed to be doing.”
I have learned that people who care deeply and invest themselves in the church will always find a way to do more than what is asked of them. This can be both a positive and a negative thing.
I have learned that everyone wants their pastor to know them personally, by name. They want someone who will smile and greet them warmly. They all want to be known and loved and accepted as they are. It is an incredible gift to be privy to people’s lives like that.
I have learned that some people really do believe that “Pastor knows best” and that it’s very important to know “what would Pastor want/think/feel/do...” There are also people who rely on the Pastor to be the “fix-it-all” person – even in a congregation that is so well lay-led!
I have learned that the people who you go to seminary with become life-long colleagues, cheerleaders, commiserators, and reliable comedians. I have learned that synodical and national gatherings are opportunities to reconnect and share joy with one another.
I have learned that even when you think you’ve managed to get it right, there will always be at least one person who didn’t get it at all, thinks that you blew it, or has all sorts of “helpful” advice for the next time.
Lastly, I have learned that how you present and carry yourself goes a long way to making a difficult situation easier. Respect and trust are earned, and this office deserves my best effort to earn them.
Thanks to all who've made this a wonderful experience.
Onward and upward: Senior year.
