Saturday, October 30, 2010

Formatting, Formatting, Formatting

Okay dissertation has some issues to be corrected before we even get started on substance and it is the nitpicky kinds of issues that drive me absolutely batty. And to make matters worse, they want me to mail them a three-ring binder with a hard copy for the initial draft. We live in the 21st Century......why waste a tree for something that will eventually be thrown away. All of the comments can be done electronically.

Oh well, time to make sure everything is exactly the same.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Plans of Mice and (Wo)Men

Well, zoning out and relaxing as yet to occur, ministry keeps getting in the way. Isn't there a quote about ministry happens in the interruptions? Well, I've been doing a lot of ministry. Lot's of deaths occurring in my church and it would be depressing, but I feel such a bond with the people as I'm allowed to be apart of their lives during this transition from this life to the life eternal. These bonds seem to be stronger than many of the other pastor/parishioner bonds that form over the course of a ministry. It has been good and I can say that because the people who died were suffering.

I have continued to work on the dissertation. I have assembled it all together in the correct format and with all the appendix/bibliographic information. It is right around 100 pages long. Seems kind of short considering the years that went into this project. Part of that is that I have never written the max required length of almost any paper because, why use 100 words when 10 will suffice. I hope this habit doesn't bite me on the rear.

And then the normal everyday crap of living in modern society. For instance, I have had automatic draft for my car payment for years. I don't have to think about it and the bank gets their money, sounds perfect. Until loan changes hands for servicing and the new company cannot draft money on a regular basis. Last month it drafted, this month it didn't and then they start calling my parents (my references) talking smack about debt collection. So I have removed it from automatic draft and I will write a check every month (but it will be with a bit of anger thrown in).

On the good side, I have finally crossed that month long plateau and have started losing weight again. Hurray!! I have preached and recorded my "ordination" sermon and finished the doctrinal questions. I had my "ordination" physical last week and my "ordination" mammogram yesterday. So 2nd base is safe for another year :) Really, now it is a matter of waiting for the interviews next Spring and lots of praying.

Sadly, it doesn't look like I will be able to stay at my church after my (hopeful) ordination. The money just isn't there for an associate pastor. I'm praying that I will stay in the same county for just two more years so my daughter will finish High School. I'm afraid that she will disown me if we have to move. It won't be a pretty sight.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

P.S.

In the midst of all this writing, I have really been working at becoming more physically healthy too. Over the summer, I lost 40#s and lot's of inches. Working out is the first thing I do in the morning now so that it doesn't get lost in the "to-do" list.

The other thing is tracking all of my calories. Church dinners are laden with hidden calories but the church ppl have been good about understanding why I only get a tiny bite of their Aunt Lucy's favorite casserole.

I am walking as part of the United Methodist "Holy Healthy" program under Virgin Healthmiles. Out of hundreds of clergy that are currently taking part in a month long, eight conference challenge I am ranked 42nd. I am ranked 2nd in my conference. Not to bad for an old lady :)))

Excitement

I have just finished the first draft of my entire doctoral dissertation. This has been a project years in the making and here at the very end I didn't think I could force myself to type another word. I was just exhausted. It was like I had writers block ten times over.

I know that it will probably undergo a zillion rewrites but getting the first draft finished was a huge accomplishment. I plan on reading a novel today and just zoning out for the first time in "like forever".