Invitation To The Dance

The Search Committee from the parish several hours north of here came to Saint Middle School today. Four brave souls who headed south armed only with GPS and address and had to search last night for the hotel in the new development whose streets are not yet on that GPS service...bless them!

They received the usual Saint Middle School love-fest welcome, enjoyed the service, did not fall asleep during the sermon, and participated in the Adult Forum (relationship between church and state from Jesus' time to the present - today's session was about Jesus and the early church). PH and I and the visitors went to lunch for a longer conversation - not a formal agenda, but lots of back and forth - that lasted almost three hours.

I think they like me. I like them. PH felt welcomed as well. Having a husband who is ordained in another denomination means we need to check such things out carefully. I really like their diocese, which is one of the most progressive ones in the nation.

I expect they will ask me to come up there for a visit in the next couple of weeks. I also expect I will go visit the other active prospect, a nonparochial job also out of state, in the next couple of weeks. I have no idea what will happen here, but it felt extraordinarily affirming to have this meeting today and to be shortlisted for the other position.

***

Some people prepare for this kind of thing by going away on retreat. I do, too, sometimes. this time, though, PH and I went two states north to visit his brother and his family prior to their departure from the country again - they work overseas. Quiet mornings with a cup of coffee, time to read some Scripture and some lighter fare, good conversation with people whom I respect and love, a chance to help out with a couple of tasks that required our attention, good food and wine...and a few ridiculously joyful moments with this:

It is a Marshmallow Blaster - you can shoot marshmallows up to 40 feet with it. to see two people with PhDs from prestigious schools, one a dean, another an ordained pastoral counselor, shoot marshmallows into each others' mouths...well, it was priceless.

And of course, I shot a few marshmallows myself.

Life is good.