new beginnings

This afternoon I'm going to the wedding of a coworker here in Seattle. I've been to loads of weddings in my life, the bulk of them in my late 20's as most of my best girl friends met the men of their dreams. Plus family weddings and other assorted ones. I was able to use my one "home visit" in my canonical year to go to my brother's wedding in California. This wedding will be my first since professing my own vows, to God and the Congregation of course, not just one other person.

New beginnings abound in life. Weddings Babies. School. New careers. etc... I've got some new beginnings on the horizon myself. I will be continuing in my ministry at the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center this year, but I will also be starting part time in the Masters in Pastoral Studies program at Seattle U. I've also got a new beginning community wise. For the past year, I've been incredibly blessed to be at St. Mary-on-the-Lake, otherwise known in my own head as west coast groovy sister hq. I've been here through all four seasons, both in the beautiful nature and in the lives of the amazing wisdom women who live here at our retirement house. It's been a true gift.

But, it's time to move on and experience a smaller community setting. I'm also getting very tired of my 30 minute commute (45 minutes in traffic) to and from work each day. So, assuming I get my act together in packing and transporting my belongings across the lake, I will be living in one of our smaller houses by September 1st. I'll be living with a great CSJP community--in fact I've been joining them twice a month this past year for dinner and prayer anyway. I'll also be living in a walkable neighborhood again, with sidewalks and coffee shops and people about. I'll be able to get to know a new-to-me parish community, as the house is literally 3 doors from the church. And ... drumroll ... my commute will be gone as I will only be 1 1/2 miles from my place of ministry!

So, lots of new beginnings on the horizon. But for today, I get to witness to and celebrate the new beginning of Melissa and Madhu as they begin their married life together. And tomorrow, set to the task of sorting through all the papers that have accumulated in my room over the past year. And in the coming weeks, continue to enjoy the daily presence of the amazing community that is St. Mary-on-the-Lake.