Hey Everyone

Yes, it is Linda. I have no real good excuse for not posting lately, just know that I am still alive. I thought the insanity from my last posting would calm down, but no it hasn't. I should have remembered this from my previous church, but for whatever reason, I forgot. Maybe I blocked it out. When a church is in transition, unknown about the leadership in the future, and having to face some self-reflection...it causes anxiety. In this case, a lot of anxiety and being the one that has been here the longest and in front of the parishioners, well...makes it a bit more challenging.
I do know there are challenges in leading a church and a church in New England for that matter. My skin is thicker then ever, but there are still a few cracks in it. I have been busier than ever and trying to hold my own. I am definitely learning a lot about myself in the process. I am hanging in there.

With that in mind, the little time that I've had off - i treasured greatly and was intentional about what I did. If I didn't spend the day sleeping, I went out. I went apple picking and walked around Harvard Square (where the poo book comes from). I went to see the ever wonderful Jim Brickman and watched a Duke and Boston College soccer game. Then on many days - I just enjoyed the stillness and quiet of being home with Jelly Bean. I really enjoy the quiet reflection now.

A couple of day trips included a day trip to Cape Cod, Massachusetts and a day on Block Island, Rhode Island. I rented a moped scooter for that one. Oddly enough I found lighthouses to take photos of. Can you imagine ME finding some lighthouses? Both days were extremely windy, cold, and cloudy but nonetheless, the beauty of the lighthouses out shined them all.

I think what meant the most to me though happened on October 15th. I officiated my first marriage ceremony. One of my former youth from Virginia asked if I would marry her and her partner. I was honored and humbled that they asked and happy to do so. It was a wonderful wonderful experience for me to take part in. I witnessed a love and compassion between two people and I was so proud of Jennifer for growing as much as she has. I have known her since she was 8. They have been chastised by so many others, including by people who I used to look up to, yet they still keep true to who they are. In fact, their gift to me was a necklace that says, "Be true to yourself" and God bless them, they have been.

So that is what's been going on. I can't get into too much of the church "stuff" for confidential reasons, but I ask that you continue to pray for me as many questions are being asked (some by me) and wondering how God is going to take care of everything that is going on; what the next steps are; and how we will get there. I have no doubt God will help us through it all, but I just wish it were a little easier. But in the midst, I get to remember the Beacons of Light and the love of those who stand up against all odds and remain true to who God has made them to be.
Take care, Linda

Hello - My name is Linda and I am a sporadic blogger

Hey Everyone, thought I would finally check in after some time away. My Floridian aunt will be very pleased. I am getting a bit sporadic in my posting I know. Life the past several months has been insane. Well, I am finally settling down after some crazy months.
I told you two posts ago that our Sr. Minister left the church. I was on my own trying to lead the church since April/early May doing both jobs. I am proud to say that I made it through and dare I say, I think I did a pretty decent job under the circumstances. My experience ran the gamut of emotions, praise, criticism, insanity, hope, doubt, laughter and tears during this time. I definitely learned a lot about myself through this process and will cherish every bit of it - even the bad stuff.
I have to say though - thank the Good LORD that I got that camera. I was able to continue some daily escapes during that time on my days off to enjoy the wonderful beauty of Boston. Here is a link to some of those moments, including the weekend when the Tall Ships were in town.
http://picasaweb.google.com/educatemoore/BoatsBirdsSunshineAndJustAllAround?authkey=Gv1sRgCMLi8-HIpNnaMQ&feat=directlink

And, there came a light at the end of the tunnel. The church finally found an interim minister, which meant there was hope that I would get a break. I won't lie to you..I got extremely tired, frustrated, and just exhausted towards the end with all that was going on and I was definitely ready for a break. Well, he started on July 15 and told me to take two weeks off. Guess what? I DID!! hee hee
First, I went to see my family and friends in Richmond and had a wonderful worship experience at First Baptist Richmond. Second, when I got back from that visit, I went on a much needed break and found a wonderful wonderful place to find rest and peace and DECOMPRESS - Cape Ann. Dare I say, it almost felt like I was in the Outer Banks! Almost!! As many of you know, that is the place of my most wonderful solitude and I think I found a place up here to make up for not having the OBX close by. The photos you see on this post (except the guy) are from my trip.

And of course, there are more photos from where they came from. Here is a link to the Cape Ann photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/educatemoore/CapeAnnTrip?authkey=Gv1sRgCP6KoZiykOXvnAE&feat=directlink

The guy? Well, he is the famously wonderful soccer player, David Beckham! He and the LA Galaxy played against the New England Revolution last weekend and at the last minute, I went to see! Pretty cool. I also picked my very first batch of blueberries too and they are scrumptious! I might go back to pick some more!

Well that is the past 4 months in a nutshell. Continue to keep the church in your prayers (and me) Lots going on and change will be going on. If you have ever been in a church, change is not a bad thing, but sure does make for some anxious people. Pray that the leadership continues to follow the guidance that God provides and that I don't take things personally and keep my integrity in tact. Also keep my family in your prayers too.

Hope all is well with you.

Leading With My Heart Again

So, I finally got back to doing something that I love to do....taking photos. Yes, on this blog, you can see lots of photographs. But a long time ago, I use to do photography as a hobby in sports, landscape, etc. My "old" canon rebel (the film version) broke down a while back and I could not afford a new one.

Well, recently, after a lot of saving and building up my reserve, I got the new SLR Canon Rebel EOS Xs - yippee! Digital and back behind the camera. And what a wonderful escape as well. In the midst of all the "stuff" going on around here, I have been extremely busy and staying at work a lot. This hobby has taken me back to some creative juices that have allowed me to escape from the day to day gring and go out to see the world, well Boston.

Here are a couple of links to photos that I have taken:

Harvard Arboretum
http://picasaweb.google.com/educatemoore/Arboretum?authkey=Gv1sRgCKSBkMWryMGKlgE&feat=directlink

Around Boston: Memorial Day 2009 Newton Cemetery and Downtown Boston
http://picasaweb.google.com/educatemoore/MemorialDay2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCMCk2_jfk7G3Uw&feat=directlink

So, if you have not been able to do something that you truly enjoy doing, maybe it's time to look at why. Because it sure does feel good inside and out when you go back to leading with your heart.....and filling your soul.

Finally - An Update and the Reason Why

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Hey Friends and Family,
Yes, I am still alive but have been extremely busy. I apologize for not checking in, minus the photos. I have been working very hard (harder than normal).
Remember before March, there was a lot going on that I was not allowed to talk about? Well, I can talk about it now. Our Senior Minister, my friend and colleague, announced his resignation from the church and will be going to another one. His last day is this coming Sunday. I have known about it for some time, but could not say anything. The church found out in March.
Since then, I have been working in various capacities, most importantly, helping the church through the grieving process and incoming transition. For a long time, I wondered, what in the world is God calling me to this church for? now I know. To help them through the transition. Many of you will remember that while I was at my previous church, they too went through an interim process and i was a part of it. Now, here I am again. I wonder if it's me that's making the pastor's leave?? haha
I have been having a funny conversation with God. God is determined to shake my limbs just when I am feeling comfortable with my life. God says, "yeah Linda. Don't get too comfortable. I am not done with you yet." I am going to be filling in as Sr. Minister and my "normal" Associate Minister position for a couple of months, until an interim is in place. I am working with the church to begin the process of understanding this change, getting an interim in place, and going through the tough questions of "who we are...what type of church we are supposed to be...what is good...what do we need to work on?" I wonder if us humans, families, friends, etc... should go through those same questions and shake up our lives to see what new things we can do?
So, I ask for prayers please. I am out of my comfort zone, being challenged to do things that I have not done. I am going to be leading this church for the next few months. I am going to have to step up my skills and face conflict, confrontation, and some hard questions, while at the same time comforting those who are grieving and extremely anxious about change and looking deep within themselves to find something even better. Who isn't afraid to do that?
Personally, I am losing a dear friend who I won't be able to see on a regular basis. This colleague and I have become close friends and I will be missing him and his family terribly. I have had my own grieving to go through as well.
I also ask for forgiveness. If I don't call as much, or write as much...it's just because I am so tired by the time I get home, I crash. It has been an emotionally draining, yet fulfilling time for me to try and do both jobs, do new things, and reach new levels. I am pleased with how things are going for me professionally, but tired. So forgive me. Selfishly, I will say that I LOVE to get mail that does not have a computer attached to it, nor a statement, nor a bill, etc...Feel free to send cards, notes, etc.. haha.
Take care. The photos are from a beautiful day I spent in Scituate, Mass at the lighthouse. A rare day that I was able to go away.

My First Baptism on Easter Sunday

So, I did my first baptism on Easter Sunday! I was so excited and humbled at the same time. one of our youth asked that I do her baptism. So here are a couple of photos from the day.

Some more photos from York, Maine

a retreat in York, Maine

So I went on a couple of days of R&R. I went to York, Maine and spent some time on the beach. Oddly enough, it snowed 4 inches on Monday while I was there. Love the irony! I actually loved the time away and did not want to come home. Sunday was 60 degrees. Monday was 4 inches of snow and Tuesday was 45 degrees. I found a store that sells nothing but LIGHTHOUSE STUFF!! It was wonderful but you would be proud of me because I maintained control and stayed in budget.
I got to visit with a lighthouse. I stayed in a beautiful bed and breakfast (although the breakfast could have used some work - it did have a wonderful jacuzzi!) I have posted a few photos. It is the Cape Neddick Lighthouse on the three different days. It was pretty neat to see the extreme differences.
I will also post my favorite photo of the bunch, the lighthouse at dusk with a pretty moon over top. I am also posting a pretty snow photo with a cool looking red house too. Some neat stuff. Do you like my terminology and extensive vocabulary?

Happy Birthday to Me!

Hey Dad! Hope you are doing well. I am going to have a good day today. Busy but fun too.
Miss you.

Hey there - dodgeball and prayers :-)

So, not much has been going on here - haha. Too much really, but I can't say right now. It is February and like I said, the workload is increasing and so is the stress. That is ok. It comes with the job as minister. I can now say that I am insane. Teachers and ministers I think have the hardest and most unappreciated jobs in the world and I have done both. But as I was reminded recently, if you are loved and admired all the time in your job as minister, then you are not doing your job. oh boy. What does that mean? You have to do your job with dignity and integrity and if you do, then you are going to be challenged and people are going to push back. They may even say bad things about you. They may stomp their feet and whine too.

So, how do I relieve that stress?? I signed up for an adult dodgeball league!! That is right - I am now playing my favorite childhood game with a bunch of adults. I am having a blast. The first night we played, I hit a guy in the face, but I really didn't mean to. We all just laughed about it. The balls are made of foam anyway.

I want to share a link with you. I have decided to do another blog. I know. I can barely keep up with this one. haha This new blog is more focused on the "professional" side of my life. A devotion of sorts - not sure how else to describe the random thoughts that occur in my daily encounters with ministry. So I have put them in a blog. http://educatemoore.wordpress.com/
Don't worry. I will still keep up with this blog for my home folk! I do want to share two things with you and ask for your prayer.
First, we have some challenging things happening soon here and I am being challenged to come out of my comfort zone. I will be able to tell you more at a later date, but pray that I get the rest and eased mind that I need. I have absolutely no problem with being able to handle whatever comes my way. God is there to help me through it and pick me up when I need. Just the added prayer helps. God and I are having an interesting conversation now that God doesn't want to stop challenging my growth and development as a minister and I am having my own whining and stomping of the feet (gotta love the humor in that!!)

Second, February is such a great month because we have so many family birthdays to celebrate - it's Christmas all over again. But February is always a hard month for me. Most of you know that Dad died on my birthday and I have never been the same since (neither has my birthday) and being up here, not being able to visit Dad, makes it harder. So I go and visit him when I visit a lighthouse, the Boston Harbor and the local fishing hole. Please pray that I will be able to celebrate my birthday in the way it was meant to be, knowing that my dad is right there with me.

I do have some WONDERFUL news to report. The educational debt that I collected while being in seminary is finally paid off!!! We have the Massachusetts Baptist Charitable Society that provides yearly grants to help ministers pay back their educational loans/debts. They saw how hard I had been working on paying mine down and decided to help. I received a check the other day to pay off the remaining $6000. YEP - you read it right! How wonderfully blessed is that??

Ok - I gotta get back to work and actually do what I should be doing. Thank you for checking in, for your prayers and for the cheers.

Yes - Linda is Alive

ok - i got a gentle reminder today that i have not updated my blog. And you are right. I have not. Sorry about that. i went on a little hiatus for a wee bit. As always, my life is not very boring when it comes to my work here in Boston. I am working on actually having a life that does not involve a church building. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do and I am challenged every single day to step out of my comfort zone and many days I actually do. But imagine if you will working at your job all day and as well as many evenings, wondering if you are doing it right because nobody is responding - until you are doing something wrong. Wouldn't you try to find a life outside of your job where you are not responsible for anything at all but hanging out, having a drink, and hanging with people that you aren't trying to impress?
Well, that is what I am trying to do. I signed up for an adult dodgeball league but I won't know for a couple of weeks if I am in or not.
January is usually pretty quiet for me. With the exception of two feet of snow sitting in front of my home, a car that is quickly breaking down, a mouse getting into my house, and getting those daily challenges at work, things aren't too bad. I have preached a couple of times. Once while I was in Richmond, at my home church and once since I have been back. I even got podcasted and my sermon in Richmond is on the internet. How cool is that? haha Google me and the word sermon.
I have seen a couple of movies on my day off. I now call Mondays "Movie Mondays" and when I get a chance I go to a matinee. Two oscar contenders: Slumdog Millionaire and Milk. Go and see them!!! Slumdog is different than anything I have seen before: well written with an unknown cast that makes it more intriguing, and inspiring children who were actually brought out from the slums. Be careful with the first 5 minutes and if you have a heart for children, it will be painful in a few scenes, but worth the strain. Milk, with the quintensential Sean Penn, continues to reach new heights. Very inspiring and a reminder that you shouldn't give up, no matter how many times people tell you that you are wrong.
Do you know that I actually bought myself an "extravagant" Christmas present this year? Whenever I get cash as a gift, I put it towards bills. This year, I decided to get a toy and I purchased a Nintendo DS. Along with it, I bought two brain type games to attempt to enhance the skills that are in desperate need of repair. Well, they are still in need. Got a lot of work ahead. haha
Jelly Bean is doing well. She got a toy to play with in that mouse. First time she has seen once since living with me. The funny thing is that she woke me up at 4:00 am Sunday morning (the day I preached here) and was playing with the little rodent. She never hurt the thing, just played with it. The mouse was so scared, that it was hiding in my shoe when I found it. Kinda funny, until I put it in a tupperware container and put the container in the snow while I went to work.

I will try to update regularly again. My workload is going to increase as we head into February and lent, along with a few other things but I will do my best. Thank you for checking in.

Merry Christmas to All

Luke 2:10-14
¹⁰But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ¹⁴‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

before and "after" the snow and of me in church

Some "after" shots

ok, here are some after shots....with the understanding that the snow is not done yet. We already have 12 inches and more will be on the way tomorrow. ugh...And GUESS WHAT? I saw some CrAzY people today. I had to go pick up something and there were people jogging...jogging in the snow! oh my....

Before the Storm

So if you are watching any sort of news, you know that New England is in the middle of a snow storm on Friday evening, with one to follow on Sunday. I have posted a couple of "before" pictures. I will try and get "after" pictures when I am able because, it's not done yet.

I almost made it without snow. I can't help but laugh since last year we had 22 inches of snow before Christmas. And we have been threatened that we will get that much in the next 48 hours. I am just grateful that I do not have the sinus infection that I did last year. (knocking on wood)

I can't help but laugh that this is not Richmond and the panic that comes with the anticipated flurry, however there were many people at the grocery store, including me. I was only there because I have friends coming over tomorrow night for dinner and I needed some wine. Wait - did I say that?

Church work and ministry are very trying at times. You are trying to minister to so many different people, who have so many different opinions on how you should be doing things. In the midst of the Advent season, you schedule your most busy time of year, even though, you are supposed to be "waiting" and "anticipating" the coming of the Christ child.

I wish I could just say, "sit and wait". Wait for the hope and love that comes with the manger. Wait for the joy and peace that comes with the promised gift. But it's hard. We have a job to do. We have a message to get to the people. You are holding onto so much as a pastor and you can't find a way to find peace, hope, joy and love yourself because you are trying to remind others that we are supposed to wait. phew.

So what do you do? You pray that others find it in the midst of their waiting, like the following:

• I am worried for my aunt who is without her husband for the first Christmas in almost 50 years. Her boys, her friends, and her spirit are the rocks of her life. I hope she holds onto that this Christmas.
• I am worried about my friend Bill, who has an incurable cancer now. His faith is unshakable though. He ministers and inspires people beyond his imagination and reach.
• I am worried about transition and my friend who is unhappy with a current situation. How can I help? I can't. I can't fix it no matter how hard I think or how hard I pray. God has control over this one and I have to let go. I can only pray that peace, comfort, and patience comes before it's time.
• I am worried about a family who can't take hold of the positive change that they see in front of them. I worry about the one who takes on all their comments, looks, and reactions, with painful hurt that they will never be satisfied or say that they are proud. But then, they are not the ones whom she needs to impress. The only One is the one that is already honored to call her one of his is impressed with the call that she has answered.
  

What is wonderful though, is that Isaiah (chapter 9:2-7 - you can click this link to the text - http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=96734196 ) reminds me that in the midst of the darkness, we can look to the light of hope and promise that will come before us soon, very soon. That is what Advent is all about....finding hope in the midst of the darkness; promise in the midst of the pain; love in the midst of the storm; and peace in the blessing of a child. Picture if you will, that innocent child, wrapped in cloth, with his little fingers wrapped around yours. The love that brings us new life, new promise and a new journey that we are blessed to travel.

Before the storm - you have your shovel ready and you look outside at how deep it is getting and you wonder if you will make it through the trenches. Then you wake up in the morning to a beautiful blanket of snow and you know it is going to be ok. You are in awe of the trees trimmed in white, the children laughing as they fly down the hill, the sun that shines off the glow of the glitter of snow, and the hope that tomorrow is going to bring a brighter day. You are going to have to walk through the drifts and get the car cleared off. You may even get stuck on the road. But you know, that eventually the snow will melt and life will go on - because God has made it all possible when you look up in the midst of the storm and you see a child with a smile as bright as the Son.