Up and rising star, son of a local merchant in a small town I lived in joined the military. As a padre (chaplain).
Shock and disbelief - not only that he joined in an ecclesiastical role but that he joined the military.
Now, I'm sure there are many from my childhood days and my career years that have many disparaging comments to make about my own turn to faith and calling.
But rumour had it that the military paid better than the local church. Which sounds so much like something this person I knew years ago would say - very pragmatic. Well, I doubted that statement but have been proved quite wrong.
Upon completion of basic training a padre is given the rank of Captain and is thus an officer. Salary - starts at 62,000 a year. They may pay for housing though if they do it would be pretty low - base housing is cheap (it used to be free).
Now you work your butt off for the money - talk about fishbowl existence. Ministry in any church means your life is on display for everyone - multiply that by about 10 if you serve on a military base. I was very neurotic moving to Toronto because I was ingrained to understand that anything I did was a reflection on my father's rank and position. I was never directly told this, I just knew this. Women stayed home and cooked and cleaned and hung out in their own station in life - officer's wives hung out with officer's wives. It was fairly easy to do this as you lived in housing on base which was segregated by rank. We lived in Captain's quarters forever and when my father was promoted to Major we were excited that we were going to move to Golden Row - they have much bigger kitchens and I think a fireplace if I remember correctly. Truthfully my fascination was a boy that I had a long standing crush on lived on that street. Along with a lot of funny guys in my class.
We didn't move - wasn't worth the bother my father said and he wasn't the type to care about these things.
So, if I can lose 100 pounds, get my degree and get signed off I can apply. The beauty is that there is so much to do and you get a ton of training in suicide prevention, crisis situations, interpersonal relations...and as a Protestant you work with a team of different denominations.
Ain't gonna happen. But how interesting if it had!
I thought this was very interesting from their web site:
Being a chapel-life coordinator doesn't mean being all things to all people. And contrary to what some members of the community may want, it doesn't even mean always being present. The most significant role of the chapel-life coordinator is to empower the community of faith to do the ministry to which they were called. This means working with the community to assist them as they discern their gifts and look for ways that they can use them. This also creates a network that the chapel-life coordinator can utilize to assist in the ministry within the faith community. This means that instead of trying to function as visual artist, Sunday school superintendent, program scheduler, or any other list of functions, the chapel-life coordinator knows that there are qualified individuals who are willing to assist. This only works when it is abundantly clear that we all share in ministry; the chaplains and the community of faith. When this occurs, it is possible for everyone to be enriched and nourished within the faith community. It is possible for everyone to make the best use of his or her gifts for the ministry of God.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
I Win Contests
I do pretty good in winning raffles. And once when I was in grade 12 I won a doozy of a raffle. We had gone shopping in Marshall's store. Marshall's was an independently run clothing store in Kingston, Nova Scotia. Teenagers didn't tend to shop there unless they were looking for a dress. I don't remember why we were there but my mom entered me in a draw. The draw was for a free bra.
Now Marshall's was owned by the parents of a fellow student in school. Luckily not a jock or one of the wildly popular people, but still with a dry sense of humour and enough self-confidence that I was pretty sure that I would be teased about this winning. I dreaded the next week - telling myself that there is no way that he would be aware of the ins and outs of his parent's business. I was right and the story remained a secret with a friend.
I am surprised though. I can't remember if Kingston had its own paper or if everything was printed in the Annapolis Valley paper - but often news of this type does get published. Thankfully, I never heard anything about it.
Now Marshall's was owned by the parents of a fellow student in school. Luckily not a jock or one of the wildly popular people, but still with a dry sense of humour and enough self-confidence that I was pretty sure that I would be teased about this winning. I dreaded the next week - telling myself that there is no way that he would be aware of the ins and outs of his parent's business. I was right and the story remained a secret with a friend.
I am surprised though. I can't remember if Kingston had its own paper or if everything was printed in the Annapolis Valley paper - but often news of this type does get published. Thankfully, I never heard anything about it.
My Wish List - Bra
I'm trolling around the Sears website yesterday checking out the bras. Some of you out there can relate to this - it doesn't really matter what size you are - buying a good fitting bra is something of a pain in the butt. Not to mention the chest.
First of all - not all bras that are the same size are really the same size. You have to try them all on. But you can only generally take in three at a time. However, you almost always have to try a band size and a cup size up or down based on your own experience from your own size. It is nearly impossible to get out of the fitting room without doing two trips. By the time you try on your 5th bra they all feel like crap - and you can't quite remember if the 2nd one you tried on was really as good as you thought.
So why am I looking at a website? Well it occured to me that looking at the online and establishing on or two styles to try would save me a lot of hassle at the store. To keep track of what I looked at they have a wish list button. They inform me that it is very handy for me to send my wish list to friends and family by email - this way I might receive these items as gifts in the future.
Those at the smaller end of the spectrum and the larger end of the spectrum have a hard time finding the perfect bra at a department store. But I heard about a place called Secrets from Your Sister that is supposed to be fantastic at bra fitting though the bras are pricey - around 100 bucks. But better 100 that fits then the 50 dollars that don't I suppose. So if you are looking to buy me a gift for no particular reason I will save you the hassle of going to the lingerie department with a print out in your hand - give me cash!
First of all - not all bras that are the same size are really the same size. You have to try them all on. But you can only generally take in three at a time. However, you almost always have to try a band size and a cup size up or down based on your own experience from your own size. It is nearly impossible to get out of the fitting room without doing two trips. By the time you try on your 5th bra they all feel like crap - and you can't quite remember if the 2nd one you tried on was really as good as you thought.
So why am I looking at a website? Well it occured to me that looking at the online and establishing on or two styles to try would save me a lot of hassle at the store. To keep track of what I looked at they have a wish list button. They inform me that it is very handy for me to send my wish list to friends and family by email - this way I might receive these items as gifts in the future.
Those at the smaller end of the spectrum and the larger end of the spectrum have a hard time finding the perfect bra at a department store. But I heard about a place called Secrets from Your Sister that is supposed to be fantastic at bra fitting though the bras are pricey - around 100 bucks. But better 100 that fits then the 50 dollars that don't I suppose. So if you are looking to buy me a gift for no particular reason I will save you the hassle of going to the lingerie department with a print out in your hand - give me cash!
Depression Lingers....
Yeah, the depression, though slight, is lingering. I had great plans for today - but fell asleep on the couch watching History Bites (one of my favourite shows) and ended up heading to bed until Cliff got home. Now of course I can't sleep so I am going to read one of my books that I need to do a two page reflection on. Of course, if I'm blogging I can hardly be that productive in my reading!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Kids are Driving Me Crazy
I used to wonder a bit about Christians that don't watch TV. Its such a foreign idea to me - I would really feel like I would miss something.
Two days of babysitting children on little sleep has meant a more cranky Auntie then the one who normally shows up. And the little darlings were really driving me crazy. They seem to be on some kind of permanent "I want" routine. In Pizza Pizza we were getting something to eat and the 6 year old sees an advertisement on an inscreen TV type of think and announces that he wants to see Step Brothers. He has seen the commercials enough to know the name and to add it to his list. He also wants to see the Mummy. In two days he has asked for so many things I finally got fed up and told him that there were children who wanted food and water and couldn't get that so maybe its time we start counting how many times he says "I want". When I say "no" he says "Why not?". As if I need a good reason to say no to giving him a cup of coffee. His response is "But I want it". As their mother was getting up from sleeping after night shift I was calling up the stairs for the door slamming to stop. "Please stop slamming the door, someone's fingers are going to get caught". She says "You sound just like me, that's what I say". In truth, I just couldn't take the noise any longer.
Being cranky is not my normal mode with the kids and I sensed once or twice that they were playing me. They work as a tag team and there is a tremendous amount of giggling going on. What am I going to do when they realise (and its coming soon) that I am not nearly as smart as they think I am? Maybe we have already reached that day!
At any rate, it distrubs me that the kids know so much about what is out there - games, food, movies, tv shows. I don't know if children who don't watch TV have this compulsive need to ask for things as well or if this is the effects of thinking that things are just their for the taking. I have had the money talk a few times - I think they think that lack of money is a problem to be fixed rather than the natural state of things. Its not that they want too much stuff, its that Auntie and Mom and Dad are being home enough moola for their needs.
So, I'm rethinking the whole question of TV. I used to think it was good for kids to be familiar with the culture out there - but now I'm thinking that it seems wrong to expose young minds to so much excessive stuff.
Two days of babysitting children on little sleep has meant a more cranky Auntie then the one who normally shows up. And the little darlings were really driving me crazy. They seem to be on some kind of permanent "I want" routine. In Pizza Pizza we were getting something to eat and the 6 year old sees an advertisement on an inscreen TV type of think and announces that he wants to see Step Brothers. He has seen the commercials enough to know the name and to add it to his list. He also wants to see the Mummy. In two days he has asked for so many things I finally got fed up and told him that there were children who wanted food and water and couldn't get that so maybe its time we start counting how many times he says "I want". When I say "no" he says "Why not?". As if I need a good reason to say no to giving him a cup of coffee. His response is "But I want it". As their mother was getting up from sleeping after night shift I was calling up the stairs for the door slamming to stop. "Please stop slamming the door, someone's fingers are going to get caught". She says "You sound just like me, that's what I say". In truth, I just couldn't take the noise any longer.
Being cranky is not my normal mode with the kids and I sensed once or twice that they were playing me. They work as a tag team and there is a tremendous amount of giggling going on. What am I going to do when they realise (and its coming soon) that I am not nearly as smart as they think I am? Maybe we have already reached that day!
At any rate, it distrubs me that the kids know so much about what is out there - games, food, movies, tv shows. I don't know if children who don't watch TV have this compulsive need to ask for things as well or if this is the effects of thinking that things are just their for the taking. I have had the money talk a few times - I think they think that lack of money is a problem to be fixed rather than the natural state of things. Its not that they want too much stuff, its that Auntie and Mom and Dad are being home enough moola for their needs.
So, I'm rethinking the whole question of TV. I used to think it was good for kids to be familiar with the culture out there - but now I'm thinking that it seems wrong to expose young minds to so much excessive stuff.
I'm Feeling Down
I'm feeling down. Good friends are moving soon and I am really going to miss them! I haven't lost a friendship due to moving in years - I don't remember if it was hard when I was younger or not - if it was me moving it was easier because I had a new routine and stuff to go to and a new school to deal with. I had so much on my mind already.
So that along with a few day of insomnia (I only got 2 hours sleep on Monday - I finally fell asleep Tuesday morning at 7:00 a.m. and had to get up to babysit at 10:00 a.m.) and thinking about Calvin Seminary and having some work that needs to be done for school hanging over my head has left me feeling a bit down. I hate feeling like this because sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. I'm finding that the more free time I have the longer it takes me to get stuff done because I am a procrastinator.
So that along with a few day of insomnia (I only got 2 hours sleep on Monday - I finally fell asleep Tuesday morning at 7:00 a.m. and had to get up to babysit at 10:00 a.m.) and thinking about Calvin Seminary and having some work that needs to be done for school hanging over my head has left me feeling a bit down. I hate feeling like this because sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. I'm finding that the more free time I have the longer it takes me to get stuff done because I am a procrastinator.
Books, books and more books!
I am so fortunate - I have boxes and boxes of books - commentaries and theology and all kinds of stuff donated via pastors who can't take everything with them. Only trouble is that I promised myself I would read 4 fiction books this summer. I've started one while babysitting.
Anyhow, I will have books that I can't use so now I can pass those along to classmates and the library and such. Its interesting looking at someone else's library. Mine is filled with certain books and now that I am growing a bit in my knowledge they are ready to be moved out and given to someone else. It never occurred to me that I would ever get to the point where I would give any away.
So I have committed myself to clearing more of the old stuff out and finding a good home for my new stuff - and I have promised not to buy any more books for some time. And now I need to go to the library and find a fiction book to read - I used to read tons but now it seems like its wasting time to read fiction. Which is stupid because watch way too much TV !
Anyhow, I will have books that I can't use so now I can pass those along to classmates and the library and such. Its interesting looking at someone else's library. Mine is filled with certain books and now that I am growing a bit in my knowledge they are ready to be moved out and given to someone else. It never occurred to me that I would ever get to the point where I would give any away.
So I have committed myself to clearing more of the old stuff out and finding a good home for my new stuff - and I have promised not to buy any more books for some time. And now I need to go to the library and find a fiction book to read - I used to read tons but now it seems like its wasting time to read fiction. Which is stupid because watch way too much TV !
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Friday's Feast - July 18
Appetizer
When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?
About a month ago and I have to say I did not like the job they did. Usually I am very happy but this time it sucks. Need to think about my next cut.
Soup
Name one thing you miss about being a child.
Hmm. I was a very anxious child so I remember a lot of angst. I think growing up in Greenwood, Nova Scotia the first time (we were posted there twice) - from grade 2 to midway through grade 5. It was a blast. Especially going to the HandyStand with 25 cents and picking out penny candy.
Salad
Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.
Butter. I'll eat margarine but it wasn't something I suffered through as a child. I always marvelled at friends who had margarine. Yuck.
Main Course
If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?
I think French. Its the "other" language. It would be cool to be able to be understood anywhere in Canada.
Dessert
Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…
What a scary thought. I should be done my schooling and I guess leading a congregation? I just don't know.
When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?
About a month ago and I have to say I did not like the job they did. Usually I am very happy but this time it sucks. Need to think about my next cut.
Soup
Name one thing you miss about being a child.
Hmm. I was a very anxious child so I remember a lot of angst. I think growing up in Greenwood, Nova Scotia the first time (we were posted there twice) - from grade 2 to midway through grade 5. It was a blast. Especially going to the HandyStand with 25 cents and picking out penny candy.
Salad
Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.
Butter. I'll eat margarine but it wasn't something I suffered through as a child. I always marvelled at friends who had margarine. Yuck.
Main Course
If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?
I think French. Its the "other" language. It would be cool to be able to be understood anywhere in Canada.
Dessert
Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…
What a scary thought. I should be done my schooling and I guess leading a congregation? I just don't know.
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