Lutheran Grilled Cheese » Internship

Routine

papajoemc — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:32:11 +0000

Routine –

Everyone seems to have it, it does not matter if you have a planned routine or not. What we do in life becomes a routine. This really became evident to me this morning when I woke up late. See when you have children you are use to not setting the alarm because more likely than not the kids are up at some crazy hour in the morning. But yesterday morning they slept in until 8:00am. This threw my routine off. I had to rush to get ready for work then I arrived at the office about 20 minutes later than I normally do. In doing so I missed three phone calls. But that’s not the biggest problem for me right now.

I don’t want to get into a bad routine which is something most pastors fall into easily. I don’t want to put my ministry and my family above my personal needs. I don’t want to have poor personal care habits which I have seen first hand over and over again….I also had terrible personal care habits while on internship. I want to be able to get up in the morning and go to the gym (once we find one to join) and I want to work out and then have a nice breakfast and work reasonable hours. I want to be able to recognize when I am at the church too long and I need to go home. I want this church to be “daddy’s church” for my children instead of “daddy’s home” which it was on internship.

It is easy to get into a bad routine — to get caught up in the work day and stop at McDonalds for lunch instead of eating the healthy lunch that is packed. It is easy to say that tomorrow I am going to start going to the gym instead of doing it NOW. It is easy to stay alittle later at the church to finish Sunday’s sermon instead of going home to put the kids to bed……It is harder to START a good routine but once it is started it will make a world of difference.

Share and Enjoy:

Guess who's back….

papajoemc — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:42:40 +0000

I think all the writing I did from the end of December until January 2nd really took a toll on my ability to sit and actually blog. Between assignments due for school and stuff for my approval interview next week I was actually constantly writing over my whole vacation. Don’t worry I did have some fun

We had a great vacation. The first part was tricky with where we were going to stay and who we were going to see when, I guess that’s the trouble when you are dealing with divorced parents. I did get some time to have fun and some time to relax.

Now we are home and the reality of my class coming up hasn’t fully hit me yet. I have a class starting on the 21st. Now I was thinking that these next few weeks are going to be great. I am not going to have to do anything school wise and I can work some and play some and start actually cleaning out some rooms for our move (God only knows where) in May/June. However, I look up the class yesterday and I see that I need to read four books and write 2/ 600-word essays about two of the books that I read.

This class is a VERY intensive course. We meet for four days — three blocks a day for three hours each block. I don’t think it will be very exciting. Then by the middle of February we need to have a 15-page paper written. I do not want that paper to carry over into the next semester.

Today is Logan and Daddy day– this tradition started while I was on internship. To make sure I had quality time with my son I would keep him home from Day Care on my Days off. We would go swimming at the YMCA and then have pizza for lunch and then just hang out. Today we are playing video games, going to the library at the seminary and perhaps getting some pizza somewhere.

There is so much I want to talk about – Roger Clemens, the voting in Iowa, and maybe even a little NFL playoffs but Logan wants a new race car to play with on Need for Speed.

Share and Enjoy:

Life…..

papajoemc — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:15:25 +0000

Parts of my life the last week…….

Beware- there is some venting with scattered thoughts, I don’t have enough energy to really get too deep. But I need to process and this is me process some of the “bigger” things in my life right now.

I feel like I have not really done much the past week. Ever since last Wednesday my back has been bothering me….again….

I blame it on driving for Dunkin’ Donuts, the fact of the matter is that I have had this constant pain since I have been driving the truck back in August. I have not diven since Friday and I am feeling ALITTLE better. It has been so bad that I have had trouble walking. Just tonight it has been a sharp/dull pain. I don’t know if that makes sense…..

So I went up to D&D to talk with the owner about quitting, but I could not bring myself to do it. I am off between now and when we get back from our Thanksgiving excursion. Between now and then I will be at the doctors and physical therapists to see what I can do to get better.

I have already been told there is a compression in my lower spine. I just need to know what to do in order to either reverse it or stop it from happening even further.

So besides resting my back I have been reading alot for my classes, writing papers and whatnot. I have been trying to force myself to do some things that I need to do in my “regular” life but that has been few and far between.

I just question why it is hard for me to quit a job I really don’t like. Sure the extra money is nice and it helps out alot, but I know my health is more important, but I think I don’t wnat to disappoint people. And I need to get over that.

_________________________________________________

In other news I have added some stuff to my blog, so let me know what you think. I have been debating if I should stay with WordPress or go back to Blogger. Most of the blogs I read are done through blogger and I once had an account there. I still have an open account but I don’t use it at all. I debated going back. There are certain things that I would like to add on my blog that I have seen on others. But there are some things I have put on that I really like so for now I will stay here. Down the road I would love to have my own domain name with my blog. I would like to add podcasts of sermons and have a few pages in which I just have fun with. But for now this will do.

_____________________________________________

Let me tell you I hate cars — we have had both go to crap on us the last two weeks…….one “new” car later and the other with a new radiator we are on the road again.

_________________________________________________

I think one of the things that has been on my mind lately is the event that occured almost a year ago. Around this time (at the end of November) one of the first graders at my internship died. It was a girl that I worked with at the after school program. I have been thinking about her and about what happened because I wrote it up as a case study for one of my classes. I will be working through it with some classmates. It was a really hard thing for me to go through, especially so because the parents asked me to preach at her funeral. Now this was my first funeral sermon ever, and it was for someone who I really cared about and who went home to God alittle earlier than most of us would want.
I have been thinking about her because of all saints day this past week. I think deep down I was avoiding worship some because I don’t know how to handle it. I have been keeping some of my emotions inside — it is really hard to think about sometimes.
Then, once your mind goes down that road it is hard to control. During intership our sexton died while working on the job, I was one of the last ones who talked with him. We were moving picnic tables and then I went to do a home communion visit and then I had a lunch meeting. I was going to go back and see if he needed anything else — but I did not and I felt guilty that I could of done something to help him…..for a few weeks after I had trouble eating and I was trying to work through a lot, and being at the end of my internship I was trying to get things done for that as well……ahhh life.

If I make it through this process I will be amazed.

that’s what all saints day was for me this year – to think about two very special saints that will have a special place in my heart.

Share and Enjoy:

UPDATES

papajoemc — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:11:33 +0000

Since I last wrote in here I ended my internship. It was a long year, but very worthwhile. It is an experience I will never forget. I know that it has really prepared me for parish ministry. There are things that I learned on how I wnat to do things in a church of my own (God willing) and there are things that I learned how I don’t want to go about doing things.

One thing that I know that I want to focus on during my ministry in the parish is an involvement with the youth of the church. I know that was not a focus for me while on internship, but I loved being with the kids in the afterschool program and now as a youth director — basically revamping a program. I am very excited.

I am having my first youth/family meeting tonight. I am kinda nervous, I always am nervous when I am going in a situtation like this for the first time. But I am sure things are going to go well.

I wish that I could update about everything but there is too much. I hope to get a regular blogging schedule.

one thing that I am excited for is the release of the iphone. Now I SO wish I could get one but I am waiting for two reasons. 1 – there are things that I use daily on my treo that I would not want to give up and 2 — $600 is a lot for a phone. Now when you add the video components and the ipod components that might be worth it but I don’t have that kind of money now.

Anyway, that’s all I got, I have to go home now and cook dinner.

Share and Enjoy:

Easter Morning 6am

papajoemc — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:24:05 +0000

I had to preach 3 times over Easter Weekend. I decided I wanted to post my Easter morning 6am “sermonette.” I was told it had to be short (5 min or less). I am glad it was because it was COLD and I don’t think anyone wanted me to go on longer than I did.

Enjoy

John 20: 1-18

Christmas is the promise, Easter is the proof

It seems like just the other day we were gathered into the church celebrating the birth of Jesus. The promise of a king bore in a manger, born to save the world.

Here we are today, Easter morning, coming to the conclusion of Lent where we reflected on the life of Jesus – who he was and what his message was for the world. We are coming to know the fullness of the Christmas message. We are coming to understand the purpose of the life of Jesus and why he was put here on the earth.

Can there be a little Christmas at Easter?

A chaplain at a Chicago hospital worked with a family who had been struggling with their little boy’s leukemia. Just days before Christmas they brought him to the hospital in tough shape. The form of leukemia he had was aggressive and there was not much the doctors could do. The young family did not have a church connection although the mom had taken five-year-old “Billy” to Sunday school. The dad admitted that he was not really a believer, but was open to the chaplain’s ministry.

Knowing the end was near, the young parents wanted Billy to have a Christmas, so they planned a special early Christmas and asked Billy what he wanted.

He wanted snow. It was one of those warm Christmas seasons and the chances of snow were slim to none. “Billy,” the mother said, “Isn’t there some special toy you would like, something really nice?” “No,” the boy answered excitedly, “I want snow. Santa can’t come without snow, I want snow and Jesus can make it snow! I’m going to ask Jesus to make it snow.”

Not wanting the child to be disappointed, the parents and the chaplain tried explaining that it was too warm for snow and that he could still have something really wonderful for Christmas. All he had to do was ask. “No,” Billy insisted, “I want snow and Jesus can make it snow!” They realized that there was no talking him out of it.

Do you know what happened that night? You guessed it! All weather reports pointed to strange temperature phenomenon that caused a freak snowstorm. The parents walked into Billy’s room as the boy was jumping up and down in his bed looking out the window shouting, “Atta boy Jesus! Atta boy Jesus!”

Sadly, Billy died two days before Christmas. Perhaps the surprise snowstorm was indeed a curious, coincidental weather phenomenon. But let me ask you a question. Is it possible that the loving God, Creator of the universe made it snow for Billy?

Here’s the Easter part of this Christmas story. Billy’s dad came back to talk with the chaplain. He and his wife had become a part of a local church. “My being in a church, ” the dad said, “Is just about as surprising as the snow Billy got. I can’t say I’m a true believer just yet, but Billy’s Jesus is my connection to Billy.”

Do you see? Billy’s Jesus is the Jesus who met Mary by the garden tomb… the Jesus who died and then showed up two days later. Billy’s Jesus is still alive!

We all come to Jesus in our own ways, sometimes we come through personal experiences, and sometimes we come through experiences that other people have.

For example, Mary encountered Jesus in the garden. Billy’s dad encountered Jesus in a freak snowstorm. St. Paul encountered Jesus on the way to arrest Christians and drag them back to Jerusalem in chains. Mother Theresa encountered Jesus in the poorest of the poor. Peter encountered Jesus in an amazing catch of fish.

We don’t have to have big experiences, but something brought us to church, and the more in touch we are with that experience the more we can reach out to others around us.

Jesus Christ rose this day for us- so that we can hear and proclaim his message of grace, love and forgiveness.

Amen

Share and Enjoy:

New Life with Love

papajoemc — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 17:17:00 +0000

So here I am today — getting ready to do another wedding at the church. It is kinda cool this time because the people who are getting married I kinda know. I guess once you start to build those relationships the weddings become more meaningful in some ways. But weddings bring me back to Katie’s and my wedding. Such good memories!

I think that our wedding was the last time – I guess for awhile that we can have that many people who love and care for us in one place at one time. While it is such a good day, it goes by so fast and the fact that there ARE so many people there who love you and want to talk with you, you don’t really get to spend that quality time that you want with them.

On a different note, I have been thinking a lot about my health lately. I have been committed to getting healither for the last few months. Ever since I got my Cinch Kit from Shaklee I have really wanted to be good with it, I really want to get healthier and to feel better. Maybe one of the reasons I have been feeling sick lately and having other problems is because of my health. I don’t know — but when I started I got a cold and I was out for a week. Then my back hurt and that still bothers me a little but that’s been going on for the last three weeks. Now I feel up to speed a bit and I can jump back on that horse. I hope to get in a rhythm and stick to it somewhat during thanksgiving. Part of me wants to wait but part of me knows that I can’t wait because then something else will come up.

Well that’s all for today, I think I hear the bride so I should go and get ready.

Share and Enjoy:

Today is the two month anniversary of my internshi…

papajoemc — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 12:56:00 +0000

Today is the two month anniversary of my internship. Man has it been a whirlwind. One of my goals was to blog everyday, maybe that was a little over ambiguous but I would of hoped that I would blog more than three times.

Like many people who blog I have different ideas throughout the day that I say to myself “self that would be good to blog on” and then it goes out of my head just as fast.

So one of the exciting things in my life is that I got a new phone. Not just any phone but a tree 650. I love it. I can’t imagine my life without it anymore. No more worries about where my phone is or my palm — I can check e-mail from my phone, do text messages once I get a SD card I can play MP3′s and even movies. There is SO much more I can do on it all I need is an SD card and some more money. I hope that I can have this phone for awhile and really get it pimped out.

So for those of you who read this and do not know, we are having another baby!! Yes it is an exciting time but also kinda scary. The scariest thing is that there is not a lot of room in our apartment for another child. We do have a two bedroom apartment but it is SMALL. One of the reasons we took the place was so that we would not have to move next year into a new place, but I don’t know how we can live there with a baby. Since the baby will be born February 14th we will have 3 months to see how things are and then go from there. I really hope we don’t have to move again but I am not sure.

I also am thinking ahead to next summer. I will not have seminary commitments, I will not have internship commitments and I don’t know what I want/need to do. I hope that I will be able to supply preach and teach guitar lessons for income but I should get another job for some extra cash. But where can I work for the summer?

Plus I was thinking about taking a class in June so my load won’t be as heavy throughout the summer…..I would like to participate in the triathlon and see about Mexico. All very interesting ideas but I am not sure if they will happen or not. We will see I guess. First I need to make it through internship and the birth of our son/daughter.

I really should update this more, maybe then I could get some readers and I won’t have such long updates. There is so much more going on in my life but I really should work on my sermon for next Sunday.

Until next time…..

Share and Enjoy:

Internship update

papajoemc — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 19:48:00 +0000

I can’t believe I am 27 days into my internship. Things are still going well, I preached for the first time this Sunday and I really liked it. I think I did a good job. I actually found I don’t mind preaching from the asile so much as long as I am wearing my alb. That might seem weird but I am comforted by that.

VBS was fun but it was LONG — Monday and Tuesday I got here at 8:00 am and went right to work, I had 30 min for lunch and then to the pool with the kids until 5:00 — it was a long day. I am lucky that I did not have night meetings, or I would of fallen asleep!!

Katie and I found out we are having another baby! That is pretty exiciting. It is a little sooner than we wanted, but we are excited. We are trying to make plans now. We both want a girl but in the end it does not matter. I think it will be a boy — that’s what happens in my family. But now is the time when the morning sickness comes but the excitement is there– we are thinking about names, and awaiting doctor appoitments.

But then around september is when we really can start enjoying it, it is when she starts to show a little bit and I think at that point it becomes more real to me.

In other news…. we went to sara and gary’s wedding. That was so much fun. I loved going back to see everyone and catch up with people and dance and drink with friends. I did get sad alittle becuase I realize how disconnected i have become. Sure I try and e-mail and call when I can, but it is not the same as it was about 4 or 5 years ago. But can I expect it to be like that? I know times change and people change. I mean look at me, I am VERY different htan I was 5 years ago…..mabye that has been a factor, I don’t know.
I can’t go to parties like I use too because I have more responsiblities now. I know my friends will have that eventually but not now. I wish there was a way I could see them more, and be with them more and feel closer than I did this past weekend. Maybe things will change when we move back to new england? I hope so — but I am sure life will be different then — but I would have more opportunities to hang out and I would think that things could get better…… I don’t know….

That’s what’s been going on lately. I want to try and blog more. I always have things on my mind but I feel like I don’t have the time to do this. I can make the time. I just need to do it…once i get home I get caught up in home things…..making dinner, playing with logan, talking with katie, cleaning, organizing things ect… plus we don’t have wireless anymore so we have to sit on the bed to use the computer. It is not fun….
But no more excuses –

I do have to eat dinner now, and then I have a couple of meetings tonight….first council meeting!! wish me luck!

Share and Enjoy:

Week one….And a little more

papajoemc — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 21:40:00 +0000

So it has been almost 10 days since I last posted. A lot has happened in that span of time. Good things, but I have been busy.

So I think I am getting settled both at home and here at the Church. The only big downfall right now is that I don’t get to go home between the end of the day and any night meetings. So that makes my day pretty long. But maybe I can once I get into things more….Who knows. The days fly by so I don’t even realize at times what time it is…..So that is good too.

So I have gotten my feet wet at putting together a worship booklet (all digital — pretty cool) I have made some hospital runs and I have really gotten to know the church and some of the people here.

I have to get VBS stuff together which is next week, so I have been trying to figure out what that is all about.
I know it is easy for me to fall be hind so I have tried really hard to keep on top of things.

Share and Enjoy:

Wow, we did a lot of work on the house today….ok…

papajoemc — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 00:19:00 +0000

Wow, we did a lot of work on the house today….okay apartment, but it is easier to spell house.

We have another van full of stuff to go to storage, seriously HOW did we get so much junk? I don’t know how we are going to get everything in storage but I will find a way, maybe on my day off I will go and reorganize everything. I really don’t want to do that but it needs to be done.

We also got logan’s hair cut. He seriously looks like a different kid. I can’t believe how much of a little boy he looks like. I know he is a little boy but he seems like my baby as well. Every day he looks older and older and it is really awesome. The coolest thing is that we took him for a walk but he road his tricycle. He was really good at it!!! I was very imporessed. I thought he would fumble along but he really caught on pretty fast. I walked alongside him so that he would not steer himself into the road but I really did not need to be there. He seemed like he was in full control of the suitation.

I have to still go over the services tonight. I think I have to wake up by 5:30 tomorrow morning to get ready to leave by 6:15…..that is going to be rough, but I know I can do it. Tomorrow is going to be busy and I am going to feel like I am running with my head cut off. BUt it will be good. I am sure I am going to meet a lot of really great people. I am pretty exicted about that. I just have to takei t one step at a time I think. I know it can be overwhelming and I will pretend that I know more than I actually do. I just hope that they like me and I like them and they like my family. I don’t think I have ever had problems with that but it is always a possiblity.

Well I should get stuff together before I got to bed. I will let you all know how things go…..

Share and Enjoy: