Many Warm Fuzzies

It is crazy all of the huge changes that seem to be upon me in the next couple of weeks— I’ll start my first full-time job, move into my first house, be ordained to the ministry, move out of the “community” living setting that I’ve been in for a couple of months and be on my own, as well as live in a new town. It has actually been quite overwhelming to me over the past several days. Did I really ask for all of this? (The answer is yes). While I realize that change is a part of the natural human experience, whenever large amounts of it come anxiety begins to find me. It is hard to take it all in.

But then simultaneously, I realize how blessed I am to be surrounded by such wonderful people who are lovingly helping me through this transition, people who are cheering me on, people who want to see me do well in all the things that lie ahead of me.

People who understand when I cancel a social engagement because I just need to be at home on the couch after a long day of organizing things for my new life . . .

People who forgo their Sunday afternoon nap to help me go shopping for the thousand things I need for my new house . . .

People who skip church to meet my moving van in North Carolina so that my stuff can safely arrive in Maryland . . .

People who take time off of work to help me run errands and fix things up around the house. . .

People who listen to me vent over the phone . . .

People who go out of their way to make me feel welcomed and appreciated in my new position . . .

And, people who get up early on a Saturday morning to attend my ordination council and then plan my ordination service.

For these reasons and many more, I am glad to be resident of Maryland now (although of course I’m still a Duke fan). I’m so thankful to be surrounded by a loving community of friends and colleagues who bridge the gap for me when my closest relatives are miles away. This time and this place are good places to be, especially with all fabulous people I know in it.