Okay, Okay Already, Technology Wins

I've dragged my feet for long enough. After numerous requests and frustration that I can't stay in as close a contact as I'd like with my friends and family, I've decided to start a blog. If nothing else, it will be a kind of road map of what I'm doing and where I've been.

So, without further ado...

I'm just finishing up my third year of seminary. In two weeks, I'll be done with classes! However, this doesn't mean I'm graduating. Rather, I'm about to start the more practice-oriented stage of my program.

Next year, I'll be a hospital chaplain in San Francisco. It's a year-long residency in which I'll be part of the hospital care team along with doctors, nurses, social workers, etc... My job is basically to listen to the patients and their family and friends, sit with them through whatever they are going through, and help them with spiritual needs (i.e. prayer rugs, baptisms, last rites, etc...). I'll be the chaplain for two floors of the hospital patients, visitors, and staff. Also, five times a month I'll be "on call" and can get summoned to whatever area of the hospital needs me.

I know that chaplaincy is going to be stressful and exhausting, but I'm really looking forward to it. I've been training for this for so long, it feels really right to actually be out in the field doing it. Also, it's going to be really nice to get paid! Weird, huh?

More later...

P.S. Jessie is the gray kitty on the left, and Pumpkin is the orange kitty on the right. Just to warn you, this won't be the last picture of my cats that I post, and I apologize.