themes of life

Things are going really well. Jennifer and I chatted yesterday, talking about all the details for my first day on Tuesday. It will be a long first day, from about 11am until 9pm, but that's because of worship and dinner. I'm so excited (and a bit nervous) to get started. Then after a potentially quite Wednesday and Theology on Tap (TOT) on Thursday, I'll head off to a white water rafting trip with the Vandy kids. Bob, the development director, has promised to put me right in the front of the raft. . . I'll be sure to let you know how that works out!

This morning, we heard Bruce Reyes-Chow, the Moderator of the General Assembly. He was speaking at the More Light Conference at Second Presbyterian. The More Light Conference is part of the churches within the PCUSA who are accepting and welcoming of all people, regardless of sexual orientation. It was a new experience for me, but as most of this first week has been, it has challenged me to look at things differently. I've accepted that as my theme for this year: challenging my views and pushing me in new directions. (For example, the Episcopalian service I went to on Friday night challenged me to learn what is worshipful to me, and consequently what is not.)

Besides the challenges though, I'm really getting settled to the Nashville community. I joined the local YMCA today, got a Kroger's card--even with a mini-crisis about what to buy, can almost find my way across town, got my first package in the mail, got stuck in LP Field traffic for the Titans/Packers game, have met many friendly people, and have all ready become a regular at Ugly Mugs (where I'm sitting right now, listening to a live band.). I'm eager to get my schedule settled, but I'm also enjoying living semi-spontaneously as I go with the flow. All in all, I'm still very much at peace, still extremely confident that I am in the right place, and still very eager to get to work.

I want to sign off tonight, with this Martin Luther King Jr. quote that has been on my heart all day. It was in the Civil Rights room of the Public Library. I feel like it pertains to my life as well as it did his:

"I came to Nashville not to bring inspiration, but to gain inspiration from the great movement that has taken place in this community."