Starting to fit in

After almost two and a half weeks at Calvary, it seems I am finally starting to find my place here. I still struggle sometimes to find enough work to keep me busy all day, but at least now they've given me more freedom with how to use that time. I take the first hour every morning to myself for quiet time, reading and reflection. This is such a gift, I hope this experience will help me to keep this as a priority and schedule into my own time when it is no longer part of my work. I had a good chat with my mentor, Cindy, last Friday and we talked a lot about spiritual disciplines. She was very encouraging to me and also very truthful in saying that these disciplines are a life-long growing process. It seems like we are rarely where we want to be as far as spiritual maturity and discipline. Sometime I get discouraged because I weigh myself against other Christians who seem to be so much farther along than I am. I guess it is good to have positive models in our lives, but I think it is also good to realize that that kind of discipline does not happen over night. I know I have a long way to go, but it is encouraging to see that I've already made progress this summer.
On a completely different note, we had staff lunch yesterday and I don't remember how, but the conversation drifted to talking about Catholicism and Catholic worship practices. I was really surprised by the obvious disdain with which all these ministry leaders looked upon Catholicism. They were laughing somewhat condescendingly at chant practices and how they do communion. Now, they were referring to some really old fundamentalist Catholic churches, but still, there was no respect. I guess I was just surprised because I had a very close Catholic friend in high school and have learned to have a certain respect for this denomination, even in my Christian worship class with Dr. Witvliet. I know that Catholics have some strange ideas, but they have a lot of really good ones too. And I think many of their worship practices, if properly understood are things we CRC people could really use in our churches. I wasn't sure how to respond when the conversation took this turn, so I just listened, but I think I might ask my mentor about it later this week, because the attitude of all these Christian people toward other Christian people really bothered me.
And one last entirely different thought.... I still spend a lot of my time here doing busy work like cutting papers, filling church mail boxes, sealing envelopes, etc... Now I don't mind doing this work, it is nice to feel useful, but I have found that these are not the most fulfilling times of my day. The most fulfilling times are the hour or two each day when I get to be part of a conversation that has real spiritual significance or just when I get to work directly with people. Maybe one thing I am learning is that I an even more of a people person than I always thought.... maybe I am more of a pastor than I always thought... Everyone needs time along, certainly, but as a great deal of the work I've done here has been kind of quiet and on my own, I'm really learning to treasure the time I get to spend with people. I'm looking forward to the vacation Bible schools and service work I will be doing later this summer where I'll get to work directly with people all day. :)
Thank you God for the rays of sunshine that break through the clouds!