Transitions...

So it begins...

Pastor Craig arrived two weeks ago -- though he is now at General Conference in North Carolina (the lucky duck gets to hear Sarah Palin speak tonight! I'm so jealous). Pastor Rice is spending half his weeks here in Idaho Falls and half in Salt Lake City.

I'm opening up to Pastor Craig a bit. Or at least am working with how I feel for what is the good of the church. I'm trying to encourage those that have never had another pastor to give it a chance. I'm trying to encourage the kids to bond a bit with Pastor Craig even though the non church kids don't know he's going to be the new principal.

One of my students today told me how much she hates change. Devin and Ashley are with Pastor and Sister Rice in Salt Lake City this week and she's all by herself in the high school. It's driving her nuts. I told her change was coming. We are close because we both have ADD. Neither of us do well with change particularly.

All the while, as I learn to love and trust a new pastor (and that is a CHOICE I make) I find myself loving Pastor and Sister Rice more and more with every day and it's tearing my heart apart.

No, they are not leaving yet. The arrangement is still going to be that any of us can go to them if we need them (and there are some issues I want to talk to an elder about!) and not step on anyone's toes. Which is a blessing.

But I'm going to miss going into the pastor's office and spilling my guts. Teasing both the Rice's. I'm going to miss praying with Ashley at the altar and hearing her say "I love you Sister Naomi". Sitting on the floor of the pastor's office and listening to him and Sister Rice advise me on my life.

I have been posting new stuff on my EA (Everyone's Apostolic) site in the last few days and I sat looking at the picture slide show as I listened to "Seasons of Love" from Rent. Half of the pictures are from church and school and a few others that are there are from Indiana.

So how do you measure a year? How do you measure love?

And how do you measure a life transition?