Saturday, September 23, 2006

Hello, Blogosphere!


If you had asked me just last week if I would ever have a blog, I would have laughed until I peed. No, really. And so would anyone who knows me well. It takes me awhile to catch on to anything remotely technological. I just got a cell phone 2 months ago- and only because so many people were on my case about it. I still usually forget to take it with me.

Anyway, I changed my mind about blogging when I heard about the RevGalBlogPals the other day. I checked it out and was amazed to discover this world where people are talking about the kinds of things I want to talk about: putting faith into action, pastor/mommy stress, how much choclolate one had consumed in the past 5 hours.... So, I decided to get over myself and try to set up one of these blog thingys. You know, it wasn't so bad. It took me over an hour to do the "5 minute set-up," but my head did not explode!

So, here I am. I'm still not sure what I'm doing, but I want to be part of it! I've been craving the kind of mutual support, encouragement and laughter that I seen on other RGBP sites.

I've titled this blog 'Growing Where I'm Planted' because I'm feeling a little restless right now and I've been reminded of the advice I would get from my Mom when I was feeling this way growing up. She'd say, "You gotta grow where you're planted."

I am in a period of discernment right now. I am serving part-time (yeah, whatever) as a pastor in a PC(USA) congregation. I am incredibly blessed in my work. My congregation is a healthy, growing, fun, compassionate voice for justice and peace in our community. I have lots of opportunities to preach, which I love, and the worship is wonderful. However, since my head of staff (a beloved friend and colleague) left for another call a few months ago, I have been feeling very restless. I am not feeling called to leave this city. My family loves it here- my son just started Kindergarten in a Spanish language immersion school and my husband is happy in his work. My 3 year old is happy anywhere!

I began going to a spiritual director this past week becasue I've really been feeling the desire to go deeper in my spiritual practices. I had avoided spiritual direction because the classes I took in this vein in seminary seemed to me, at the time, to be a little "woo-woo." I wonder if anyone knows what I mean. I didn't "get" guided meditation. You know, meeting someone in a meadow and they give you a gift..... Yeah, I was a little resistant! And more than a little scared. I am looking forward to taking this journey with my spiritual director. Perhaps I will be able to listen for the Holy Spirit speaking to me in my restlessness.

13 comments:

Theresa Coleman said...

We welcomed you officially on the group blog today.
Welcome to the blogosphere!

Anonymous said...

Hey- welcome to the blogosphere! - and to RevGalBlogPals. I think you are going to love blogging. I know I do. I am going to add you to my Google links (RSS feed) so I can keep up with what you write!

St. Casserole said...

Welcome! I'm PC (USA) clergy, too.
Glad to have you in the RevGals.
Blog often, ok?

Iris said...

Wow! My first comments! I got a little flutter in my tummy when I saw them! It reminds me of the little milk carton mailboxes we had in my 4th grade classroom. I would be so excited when someone dropped me note. Thanks for the great welcome. I look forward to getting to know you all while reading your blogs!

Callas4Ever said...

Hi--I just joined today. I llok forward to getting to learn this world of blogging with you.

God bless!

A. Lin said...

Welcome to our group. I was like you in that once I saw all the blogs on RevGals, I just had to get me one of my own.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and being a part of our community.

(One tip, the more you comment on other people's blogs, the more comments you will receive when they trace you back to your own blog.)

Anonymous said...

did someone mention chocolate???

welcome to RevGals...

net said...

welcome iris! looking forward to journeying with you!

be blessed!

Melissa said...

Welcome aboard the RevGal ring! :-)

Pink Shoes said...

Welcome, welcome, welcome.... looking forward to reading your blog!

Unknown said...

I'm so glad you found RevGals. Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging.

I completely understand the "woo woo" factor of the guided meditation stuff. I went to an entire church for about a year that was given to speaking in the spirit, slain in the spirit, drunk in the spirit, and generally very very weird in the spirit.

Let me know how it goes.

Anonymous said...

welcome iris. Glad you found the ring. Are you a friend of one of the bloggers or did you appear from the sky?
I'm a PCUSA pastor, too. laboring out of bounds as a member at large

Iris said...

Out of the sky, of course! No, I read about ya'll in the Christian Century. I had been looking for months and months online for something like this, but every time I googled "women pastors" or "women clergy" I would come up with sites for pastors' wives or sites arguing against women pastors. So glad I read my CC magazine- even if it was almost two weeks after I received it!