Wondering Presbyterian

         August 22 was my “ordinaversary.” On August 22 ten years ago, I was ordained to be a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Normally, the anniversary day comes and goes pretty quietly. Occasionally, I miss the day entirely but since this year is kind of a milestone year, I thought I’d pay attention. If this were a marital relationship, my spouse would owe me some kind of aluminum gift (according to a marriage handbook my husband and I got for our wedding). While I might pick up some aluminum foil later (I think we’re low anyway), the anniversary of ordination isn’t something that generally gets more than a passing mention, if that. But it’s been 10 years, and quite honestly, year 10 has been insane. I thought year 3 was crazy (that was the year of the EF4 tornado that devastated my town in Illinois), but 2020 really takes the cake and then some.             I have learned so much in 10 years of ministry. I thought for this blog entry, I would share some of my learnings:

    If you walk into my house through the front door, the first thing you notice is the mirror on the wall. It’s a round mirror with a metal rose and ivy design I bought on clearance from Hobby Lobby. I put the mirror there for the obvious reason: so I could check my face before I leave the house. Above the mirror is a painted picture I bought with a quote from Joshua 24: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” It was one of my grandfather’s favorite Bible verses, so that verse holds a special meaning for me. We are strategic about what we put right inside the door of our homes. It’s kind of like a prelude: here’s a taste of what you will get if you come into this home.               I hope my choices say “Here we love Jesus and your face is important to us.” Well, your whole self is important to us, but the mirror only reflects your face.             I wonder what people notice first when they come into the church. What impression does that first glimpse give them of our chu