Ch-ch-ch-changes

After finishing the Constitution, it is said that Benjamin Franklin wrote,  "...in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes," (in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy, 1789). 

I'll add to Mr Franklin's sentiment "and change." Life is always changing, transition is less of a season and more of a constant, at least in my experience. 

This weekend, I am smack-dab in the center of a transition between jobs, and the changes loom large! The other thing that looms large for me is the recognition of all I leave behind as Pam-the-Church-Secretary at Avon United Methodist Church.

Yesterday was my last day, and the past couple of months have been bittersweet, to say the least. The photo above includes most of the tangible gifts, cards and letters from friends and co-workers at the church. I wish I could also show you a picture of the love and friendship expressed verbally, because those intangibles are just as valuable to me...but they don't photograph well! 

With words as my love language, and the way I process my feelings, some of the most precious things to me are the written words of friends. Words expressing that I am loved and valued; words of appreciation for my gifts, talents and work; words of thanks for my time and investment in the people of this congregation over these past 6 years and 9 months...these have brought me to tears several times in the last couple weeks. Thank you,  friends, for sharing your feelings with me in words, hugs and gifts. I'll miss our regular interactions.

This last photo (which includes many of the things that lived on my desk at the church) shows you where all those sentiments will live. I keep a file of positive notes, cards and letters in an old, blue gift bag, and yours will soon be there, too. 

Thankfully, this isn't the end. Our journey of friendship isn't over, but it will change. Perhaps our communication will move more toward the digital realms of social media, and our weekly and monthly interactions will probably be less frequent...but I will continue to treasure you, and you will remain in my heart.

You see, I try really hard to live the way I think Jesus would want me to, but sometimes I fail. In those moments, I reach into that bag of word gifts and pull out loving reminders that I am enough.  I pull out reassurances that I often get it right, even though I'm not perfect, and I see myself through your eyes in those good moments...which is a reflection of how God sees me all the time, because of Jesus. 

All of that to say,

Thank you, friends of AUMC, for loving me so well. I love you, too.

Thanks also for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Church Secretary at Heart

As the month of June began, I found myself on Ravelry (think Facebook for knitters and crocheters, but better...if you yarn, check it out!), explaining to a group I used to post to very regularly the busy that has kept me from posting much in the last few months. I typed the following, and it dawned on me that I have not yet shared with the blog my latest job change...oops! (Below is only the job stuff...if you have been playing along at home, you know there was much more going on...at the same time.)

"So, in March 2016, I quit my job as church secretary at a church I loved from the bottom of my heart, about 9 months after my beloved minister passed away and the resulting staff-and-everything-else changes about did me in. I took a “dream job” (great salary/benefits/people are always trying to get into this company) for about 6 weeks, where my manager basically insinuated that I was too stupid to learn to enter data, and told me flat out that she was “embarrassed for me” because people referred to me as “that lady who knits.” Sooo, not a good fit.

"Then a friend gave me a job in insurance, so I got licensed to sell insurance, and he retired. I was hired by another agent, and stuck with him for about 16 months, and it was ok. But, I did not love it, so I started checking my options.

"On Indeed.com, I typed “church secretary” on a whim one day, and found an ad for a United Methodist Church that was hiring an office manager. I applied. What did I have to lose?

"I started at the UMC on April 2, and “shadowed” the current office manager for a month before she retired. There were a lot of “issues” to address, from files to processes to just about everything that applied to the job, and with no background in the Methodist denomination, I have had lots to learn. The GREAT thing is that I LOVE THIS JOB!!!, and I think they love me. The other great thing, is that I finally feel like I have my head above water most days, which means I get to breathe (and log onto Ravelry) from time to time!

"So, my summer plans include loving my job and going to Disney World (with son and family) later this month! Also, my sweet daughter is cooking a bun in the oven, the timer should go off around Thanksgiving! So watch for baby knits, and princess poses from me this summer! I hope you are all well and that you are finding some Joy this June!"

As my friends replied to that post, they encouraged me that "that lady who knits" is a great lady to know, and I can look back on my last two years as a time of adjusting to change on so many levels, searching for my best fit. Thank you friends! I knew almost immediately after starting at the UMC that the fit was a good one! I am thankful for what I can only assume was the prompting of the Holy Spirit to search a job-site category that barely exists, and I am so grateful to the church leadership for taking a chance on me, a lady who knits. 

As with any new job, there are always "issues" to deal with. Most are as simple as learning to live with Windows 10 (ugh!) on your work computer, or figuring out what each of the committees is responsible for (who gets this again???). Some are more delicate (forging relationships with an entire church!), but the bottom line is that I am taking it slow, and learning as I go. It takes time to wiggle into that empty space left by the gal who sat at my desk for the past 6 years, but I think I am getting there. There are still some gaps in my knowledge, but I am filling them in a little each day. Regardless of the gaps, I once again look forward to getting to work, so I can get to work, every day!

By the way, mums the word kinda on Disney...Pop Pop and I are surprising the grandkids with our arrival at the park (which is why the upcoming trip has not been all over social media, even though we have our magic bands and luggage tags, and we are ready to go! Squeee!). And yes, a bun in the oven for Face and Dollface, also mums during the early weeks, but now Facebook official! Again, squeee! Baby knits!

So there it is, for all the world to see. Once a church secretary (office admin, whatever the title du jour may be), always a church secretary at heart...for me anyway. And just like that, Pam the Church Secretary is back! (Hi Zach the Senior Minister!)

Where are you finding your joy this June? Wherever it is, I am glad that you clicked through to hear about mine.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!