My final day: What's next?

Today was my last day on staff at Antelope Christian Center. I've been working at the church since June 2003, so I have a long list of highlights and memories and moments that have brought lots of emotions to the surface in the last few days.

I had the privilege of preaching in both of our services this morning, and I wasn't able to fully keep my emotions under wraps. But I didn't completely fall apart, so I guess it was all OK. And then tonight I finished cleaning out my office.

So, what's next? I don't have another full-time job lined up, but I do have freelance editing and writing opportunities. Honestly, that's really what I want to do; it's a great way to blend my editing and writing background with my ministry experience. Certainly there are some risks, but there are also some great rewards and lots of flexibility in my schedule.

Time to begin this new chapter of life!

Four years. Wow.

This totally crept up on me today. I was looking at my calendar, and I thought there was some kinda significance to June 10 or 11. Looked back a few years in my PDA and realized that four years ago yesterday, on June 10, 2003, I had my first youth service here at Antelope Christian Center.

Four years. Wow.

In one post, I can't even begin to capture all the memories, experiences, lessons, trials, challenges, and rewards I've seen over the last four years. I've been stretched, refined, challenged, satisfied, frustrated, overjoyed, overwhelmed, excited, honored -- the list goes on and on.

Four years in one job, one position marks a personal milestone for me:
* Longer than high school (August 1987-June 1991)
* Longer than college (August 1991-May 1995)
* Longer than my first post-college job (October 1995-February 1999)
* Longer than I've lived in one apartment (May 1996-March 1999)
* Longer than my stint in Berkeley (March 1999-July 2000)
* Longer than I was on a church staff in Turlock (February 2002-June 2003)

Wow. Four years. It's both easy and tough to believe it's been that long. Sometimes it seems like I just arrived here yesterday. Sometimes I feel like I've been here forever.

Guess I suddenly find myself in a pensive mood today, and thought I'd share.