It's looking good...

Today, we headed to Jerusalem to meet the congregation and to show the boys our new house. I had expected indifference as a reaction to the new house, but instead, the boys were SO THRILLED with it! They were jockeying for bedrooms and imagining where the TV would go and where they could play Hide and Seek. It was so great. Minky came downstairs and announced that he would take the big room upstairs...as in, the family room. Yeah, dream on, Minky, dream on. Sony helped Rab measure the carriage-house garage (18' x 18' - think we can squeeze 2 cars in there?). I took tons of pictures so I can begin to imagine our stuff inside the house. We will close on the new house and also move on January 3. What a thrilling ride!

After seeing the house, we headed over to Jordan and met many of the folks of the congregation. They are a great bunch. I was able to get to every table for at least a quick chat and many people approached Rab and introduced themselves. The boys not only behaved themselves but also made a few new friends (which makes it SO much easier for them to be happy about the move). It was wonderful to see the boys running around the church as if they already knew the place - they were right at home and nobody seemed to expect them to be perfect-pastor-children, which was wonderful too!

It was a great experience and only made me more eager to begin my ministry there. The Quilters are already planning on visiting more on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays (or whatever day it is...) and seemed to appreciate my zebra-print scarf with butterflies rather than being put off by it. Then again, there is that Midwest nice thing we contend with in these parts ;) So, I guess I can at least count on them having found me entertaining.

I feel so deeply called to this congregation and these people. They are not perfect - none of us are - yet there is something magnetizing about this place and this group of God's children. I can't wait to be their pastor and they are equally excited. During the call committee interview, I realized that they were not only interested in me in spite of my somewhat creative free spirit, but they are interested BECAUSE of that. Being myself was not only accepted, it was the clincher! That is a great reminder for me in this long journey toward living into my true identity and loving who I am. It feels so freeing to let go of pretense and formality and to simply BE myself.

The Castle has been a great place for me to explore and learn to do that and I believe this congregation will only further reinforce God's call for me to be who I am, fully created in God's image. It reminds me of the story told by Rabbi Gellman*. I've come a long way since those nervous, scared days at my first teaching parish. It was a wonderful place for me to begin to learn these things and I had the honor of having had two wonderful mentors who helped build some solid foundations for how I view and approach ministry. Now, those foundations have only been further built upon.

Oh, and the church sent us home with 2 boxes of left over treats - I guess they've heard that the quickest way to their new pastor's heart is through chocolate and Krum Kake. They are a smart bunch. No wonder I want to be their pastor. ;)

* The Rabbi Gellman story:

The most famous Hasidic story is about Reb Zusia who was crying at his impending death. His Hasidim, gathered around him, were surprised at their master's tears. “You were a great rebbe, you are going to the world-to-come with honor. Why are you crying?” He answered, “Now finally I understand that when I am called before God after I die, God will not ask me, 'Zusia, why weren't you Moses?' God will not ask me, 'Zusia why weren't you Abraham?' God will ask me, 'Zusia, why weren't you Zusia?'