weekly post from April 8, 2006

Hello friends & loved ones,

We survived Daylight Savings Time, however, it really does take at least a couple of days to get back into the rhythm of things. Jim and I are always surprised how much it messes us up. And next year it will start the 2nd week of March and end the first week of November.

It's a chilly 33 degrees here in Western, NY on April 8. I took off the electric blanket during the last week of March and the next day I put it back on where it is still laying today. Enough with the cold weather bring on the warm weather; it's taking so long. It sometimes seems like the things we want take a long time to come to fruition. It's that way with change in people too. People say they want to change or we wish someone were different, however, that person can only change when they are ready. Someone saying they want to change doesn't mean anything until they actually start to change.

Last Sunday I survived my first Sunday sermon and I was not even nervous. It was very surreal. I made a couple of very small mistakes but I didn't lose my place and I even managed to venture out from behind the podium. I did that to impress Jim; I had to do something to try and impress him after 6 years. I got some good feedback and while I would not be averse to preaching again, I certainly don't think of it as a new calling. For anyone who hasn't yet read the text of the sermon, I've attached a copy to this email. Feel free to read it and of course comments, good or otherwise, are always welcome. The ad-libbing I did is not included in the text; I was a theatre minor in college, of course I had to ad-lib. The most surprising part of the sermon: I preached longer than Jim usually preaches. According to Jim he preaches about 12-13mins, I preached over 15mins. I really stepped out of my comfort zone on this one. I've done public speaking before but never in a church, preaching a sermon to congregants who may not be ready to hear what I'm saying. Now it's your turn; do something that takes you out of YOUR comfort zone. It's liberating and exhilarating.