FRIDAY FIVE: TIMES THEY ARE A'CHANGING

For this Friday Five we are to name 5 transitions in our lives:

1. Gearing up for Pentecost Sunday and Ordinary Time and leaving the Easter season behind -
    all the wonderful appearances of the risen Christ. It was as if Jesus stayed around long
    enough to truly convince his disciples that he had indeed arisen from death. Now, he
    leaves them again - but sends God's Spirit to empower, guide and direct them. I enter
    into a new church season.

2. Preparing for my niece's wedding - she will be married and moving ahead in her life with
    her residency and new husband. I wonder if she will still call me once in awhile or if that
    will fall by the way? We've had some good conversations and I think I was able to share
    some wisdom with her. Hope that may still happen.
   

3. Looking forward to family time together and transitioning from normal time and duties to
    vacation days and just savoring being with my family. (Probably easier once the ceremony
    is over - since I am officiating)

4. Wondering how much I will be at L church and knowing that I will be moving on to
    another call - somewhere, sometime. It's been 3 years and 8 months at this interim. I
    and they are ready to move on. Hope this candidate works out for them and I pray that
    God has another position for me in the near future that will work out well.

5. Slowly feeling my age? With LH turning 60 this year, the realization is slowly dawning
     that I, too, am starting to stare down 60 as well - and then, what, 10-15 years more?
    It is a bit daunting and unsettling and not sure when we can ever retire. In some ways,
    I'm ready now - so that I can do some other things. However, unless we win the
    lottery that won't be happening any time soon. Still beginning to reflect on this time
    and age in my life....

IT'S MAY!

May has arrived -
   and I have been busy, working on my niece's wedding ceremony and message. Putting together
a little thing for the "Family Dinner Night" (or the traditional Rehearsal Dinner).
   I have been working ahead on my sermons, to lessen the time crunch while I am gone.
  Synod Assembly is this Fri/Sat. so I lose the weekend
  wrapped and packaged my Grandniece's birthday gift to be sent as soon as we return from
  the wedding
  got my hair colored and cut
  pedicure will be this Saturday afternoon
 slowly thinking what to pack and take with me
 still have to dig out sandals in my closet - I just know they are on the bottom of a pile of shoes/sandals
wrapped a special "Mother of the Bride" gift for my sister
sent a dual graduation card to my niece - who just received her MD degree and this coming
   weekend will receive her PhD
 have some bills to pay
 this morning we hung the colored crepe paper streamers (red, orange & yellow) on the 6
 kinda posts along the wall aisles of the sanctuary for Pentecost Sunday
   still have a June newsletter article to write
 Church council meeting this Sunday after worship
  have to contact the pulpit supply for his first reading choice
  did manage to squeeze in some weed pulling
  planted a couple of hardier herbs
  stupidly put 4 peat pots with teeny seedlings on the patio table which the wind blew away
   and only the basil and either tarragon or cilantro kinda survived - went to store and got
   more tarragon and basil seed - two weeks til germination, and then they have to grow,
     before being planted. I probably won't have those herbs til the end of September
  waiting for the hummingbirds to arrive - usually they are by now
   thinking I've way more to do than time to do it!
I'm looking forward to June and being able to catch my breath!
   But it is all good and full of goodness - so I will manage it all, by the grace and help of God and maybe some fire and power from the Holy Spirit!!!!