A Typical Week

My work life has fallen into a sort of a pattern. I work four days a week (notionally)

Monday mornings are full of meetings; most with other staff but its also a good day for pastoral visiting as I work a "long day" on a Monday. But I really appreciate this day as one where we get some devotional time together as a staff team.
On a Tuesday I would usually be off but until the end of May I will be working most Tuesdays to make up for time spent finishing my degree.
(Wednesday and Thursday mornings)
Thursday invariably has a service planning meeting but we have recently started to have tea and a natter during that and we love this time - it's fun! and
Friday at the moment is spent on a morning Alpha course and prep for Sunday. I finish work at lunchtime to collect my children from their half day at school.
Saturday is usually off, although my patient husband would type here that like most people involved in any kind of teaching at church I invariably spend some time preparing later on a Saturday night - I admit to that.
Sunday - I am classed as working a half day although that starts early and finishes late. I love everything about Sundays, apart from carting all my equipment about to set up kids worship times from scratch again from building to building. That bothers me, especially as I often put a lot of effort into making things good quality and fun for kids but (a) I can't moan about it except here to an audience of nine (my dear blog followers) and (b) I've already done so at elders and staff meetings so I can never mention it again, I have just got to get on with it. Oh, I no longer live but Christ lives in me......

I'm struggling with the "living sacrifice" thing at the moment. I just feel that my self is so strong. I guess this is why God moved us here, away from familiar territory, because he wants to refine me. Owch! I was a straggly heap on Sunday in an undignified face-to-the-floor type moment because, when worshipping I was humbled by the thought that Jesus is so worth it and I am so unworthy and I just wept and wept. But then it was one of those "look at his face and be filled up" moments.

I find I am doing increasing amounts of admin work and writing work at home in the evenings just now as I am combining work and finishing my degree. I can do some of this at home when the children have gone to bed as I finish early most days to collect my children from school and to have some time with them (homework takes ages though!)

Thus I try to limit my evening sessions to no more than three a week, ideally two -but this is difficult as I spend a lot of time with volunteers and caring for individuals and families.

All church staff members, I suspect, are losing days off as we can't carry them all the spare days forward. It's not that we don't want to have days off; (I do!) - its often that we have taken time back for the extra hours on Saturday things or on additional evening meetings so if we were to take even more days off we simply wouldn't get any work done.

I would be really interested in hearing how people juggle/boundary their time when they work for a church. What are other readers' thoughts and experiences?

It's probably ridiculous that I work four days a week as I hardly ever do, if I am being totally honest. Are we also in a culture often where we don't take lunch breaks; to talk to one another about non-work things is interrupting people's genuinely busy day? I have heard me say things more here than I said in the past: "I've got this deadline" "I've got to get this done today", "I'm sorry I've only got a minute" and its also been said to me just as much.

Stop for one another. Take time for the one. Calm the storm, still the seas, overturn the tables of expectation, let things go - all so so much easier said than done.

The Office

Thought I might post a few thoughts on My New Office as it is so different from anywhere I have ever been before.

It's open plan and (I think) spacious, although pretty full of people and equipment.
There are nine people working in the main space. It has a mezzanine level with two more desks at it and a little kitchen area. The first time I saw people working on the mezzanine level - and yes, they are guys, I just thought of Daniel Cleaver's office in the film Bridget Jones. The architect MUST have had it in mind!

It's not actually all that crowded; perhaps a little cluttered (that'll be my stuff!) but if you have ever worked in a large office (as I did when with the RBS Head Office)or in dreaded "pods" then there is quite a lot of space with storage perhaps being the main issue.

Very appealingly, there is a kind of communal cup when it comes to office snacks - there is a staff fruit bowl or staff donuts/biscuits, depending on the mood of the staff. There is "emergency chocolate" (80% cocoa solids, none the less) in the Office Manager's drawer. And a lovely atmosphere too. I was worried that I would really miss that about my previous place of work (the main office was a bit of a hub, but we all had small personal offices too).

I can also see the great benefits in communication; a walk down the corridor just becomes a gentle call-out to ask a question or check a detail with someone.

I've not been here long enough to comment if it's too noisy to work in or not, but it does feel kind of weird when it's totally quiet and you need to make a phone call. In an open plan office you *do* hear what other people are saying. I'm much more aware that I shouldn't be sound as flippant on the phone - the person on the other side of the call knows me but those around don't necessarily (yet).

The reality is that I don't spend all my working time in this base as I am required to meet with so many people and I delight in doing that. I love visiting and chatting to people, finding out what they think about children's ministry here.

It begins!

Joy

I've had a great day.
I'm just loving what I'm doing in work.
On the academic side, I really liked my last two classes, even though I found the time they took up were eating into other areas of my time.
My children were tired and kranky today big time (granny babysitting on Fri night = later night for them), but I've enjoyed them, more so this morning it has to be said!
Family cell at teatime tonight was - wow - amazing. Even though my little boy was - difficult. Then found out he was running a temperature!

Oh dear....I sound kind of tiresome to be around, don't I?
In chatting over my strengthsfinder results with another person, it was suggested to me that positivity, one of my themes, has a flip side.
It can annoy people.

I think I live and operate under a comment of blessing that was made to me when I was 14 years old. I'm quite old (but still in my 30s!) so maybe none of my readers will remember the band Heartbeat, who visited my church in 1984. I had just become a Christian and filled with the Holy Spirit in an amazing and dramatic way and I could just NOT STOP bubbling over, praising God, feeling loved, joyful and content. Even though lots of other parts of my life were not easy and straightforward and were causing me pain - my mum and dad, for example, were really unhappy that I was coming to church - I felt joy deep down more or less all of the time. This, folks - is the work of the Holy Spirit!

While Heartbeat were setting up, I was joyful and bubbly - I can't remember what I said or did but I remember thinking "these guys don't know me, perhaps I'm just being too enthusiastic" and I apologised to them for being uber-joyful. And one of the band said: "don't ever apologise for being excited about God. Always hold onto that". Those words really stuck with me. Makes you realise the power of the words we speak - and I would add - particularly the power of words spoken to what Bronfenbrenner calls "the developing human person" - children and young people.

Sure, I get grumpy. If I'm upset or stressed at work it's really clear to see. And my poor family will get the worst bits! But I find, in refuelling times with God, the deep joy returns. The wonderful dichotomy that exists for me as a Christian is that I can actually cry and feel sad (see Thursday's post) yet still have a deep sense of joy and excitement about the goodness of God shown to me. I am frequently moved to tears as a wave of gratefulness comes over me. Need a hanky every prayer time!

I find that this sense of joy is closely related to my devotional times with God. And in being obedient. Drop the obedience part, drop the sense of the presence. And I've been very disobedient in my time. These are times that I don't recall with pride and I remember them full well.

So (back to topic) - I think on that day in 1984 a word was spoken to me that was a word of life; that not only gave permission for joy, but encouraged and blessed the expression of joy. Words that brought life not death, blessing not curse.

What do you think - can people be so annoyingly positive that it's just too much?
Are there times when joy, excitement and happiness should be kept under wraps?
Please leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Hot Fuzz

Went to see Hot Fuzz on Friday. I strongly recommend it!! There are some scenes of murderous carnage but it is tongue-in-cheek, laugh-out-loud humour with the gloriously talented Simon Pegg.

It's also a "who's who" of British comedy - I lost count after about twelve well known comic actors.

Spent a day at the chalk-face again today (English classes). I do enjoy this. I've blogged on this before, but nothing beats the banter in a staff room. Weird thing is walking the corridors and being tapped on the shoulder by some teenagers who are part of the church - they are shocked to see me out of context and I am shocked at physical contact by a teenager in a school tie. Actually, for tie - read "hoody".

Last week was a hard one - I used to love having meetings in my job because I work alone so often and now I don't as much because at the end I am reminded of (a) all the things I have forgotten to do prior to the meeting (b) all the things I now have to do arising out of the meeting! I am convinced that my ability to retain information is receding fast.......

More poo

After a mammoth weekend of organisation, prayer, hosting and interacting with people, I am spending my second night wrapped in a blanket. I am feeling ever-so-slightly peopled-out. Does anyone else know what I am talking about?

I was at a denominational meeting today where I didn't really know anybody. I brought Hay and Nye's Spirit of the Child book so I could catch up on some college reading in the break. I paid close attention to the numerous issues that were being discussed and I thought I asked meaningful and pertinent questions although I am coming to the conclusion that:
(a) at these meetings where no-one really knows me and I don't really know anyone except to smile at, I can never stay silent; try though I might.
(b) I am the youngest by about 20 years representing my denomination and that's not good cos I'm not young. I think I was the only woman not wearing support tights.
(c) I worry far too much about what people think when I speak. I need to know the Father's ultimate and unending love and acceptance for me, me, me just as I am and not for anything that I do.

Had a lovely time over lunch with a fellow female blogger yesterday. It was the first time we had ever met and obviously it is always risky taking one's preschooler to such social events. Thought it was going really well with my son (who I do love so, so much); he of the headstrong behavioural tendencies; when he announced at the table as we ate lunch in a very LOUD voice in an airy museum cafe: "Oooooooh I think some poo is coming out!"

Thanks, M, for staying on!

I must be mad

I've only just sat a sack-load of exams/essays and here I am hitting another deadline. And its an optional one! ::::::::::slaps head::::::::::::
Why am I so last minute (truth be told; had an agony-fest weekend: see last post) plus the admin person at college was hiding all the forms that I needed to submit this appeal for credit.

(actually, like most large institutions: universities, the Health Board, the Home Office, the Dept for Work and Pensions - only One Person can give you the form you need and if that One Person is sick or on holiday or nipped to the 'loo you've had it; you'll need to come back another day to Get The Form)

Thanks for good friends who take sympathy on part-timers and take library books back, pick up forms, hand in paperwork etc etc :-)

Actually I am so busy with kids work with so many things kicking off just now, both positive and errrrr, more challenging, that I almost don't know what to do next. I seem to remember November as being quiet in my schedule....umm, nope, not this year! I've been digging out my Willow Creek leadership stuff to check what I am supposed to do next. Don't think that's the point somehow but don't tell on me!

What are your handy tips for managing time and tasks?