Firsts

Last week was filled with firsts and these next couple weeks promise the same. Here are some that top the list.

Started my assistantship on Tuesday.

Had a boss for three days.

Have no boss now (Wednesday they should announce an interim)

Received a study guide for prelims (yeah, those are still 2 years away)

Was completely overwhelmed with the thought of starting school

Was completely underwhelmed because I was 'working' with no work to be done...yet.

I've seen three confederate flags in three days (I can't get used to that, nor do I want to)

And I visited my third official city in Georgia....Commerce, GA (it's where the outlets are)

And this week should be filled with more firsts...

Graduate Assistant orientation (tomorrow)

Grad school orientation (Wednesday)

Program orientation (Friday)

That's a lot of orientating. Anyway, just wanted to let the world...or my little world know that I'm enjoying my time in Georgia thus far!

Oh...yeah...and school starts with 16th. :)

With all these firsts, and of this new beginning, it reminds me of a poem that my friend Kristin shared awhile back. Enjoy.

Help Me to Believe in Beginnings
God of history and of my heart,
so much has happened to me during these whirlwind days:
I've known death and birth;
I've been brave and scared;
I've hurt, I've helped;
I've been honest, I've lied;
I've destroyed, I've created;
I've been with people, I've been lonely;
I've been loyal, I've betrayed;
I've decided, I've waffled;
I've laughed and I've cried.
You know my frail heart and my frayed history -
and now another day begins.

O God, help me to believe in beginnings
and in my beginning again,
no matter how often I've failed before.

Help me to make beginnings:
to begin going out of my weary mind
into fresh dreams,
daring to make my own bold tracks
in the land of now;
to begin forgiving
that I may experience mercy;
to begin questioning the unquestionable
that I may know truth
to begin disciplining
that I may create beauty;
to begin sacrificing
that I may make peace;
to begin loving
that I may realize joy.

Help me to be a beginning to others,
to be a singer to the songless,
a storyteller to the aimless,
a befriender of the friendless;
to become a beginning of hope for the despairing,
of assurance for the doubting,
of reconciliation for the divided;
to become a beginning of freedom for the oppressed,
of comfort for the sorrowing,
of friendship for the forgotten;
to become a beginning of beauty for the forlorn,
of sweetness for the soured,
of gentleness for the angry,
of wholeness for the broken,
of peace for the frightened and violent of the earth.

Help me to believe in beginnings,
to make a beginning,
to be a beginning,
so that I may not just grow old,
but grow new
each day of this wild, amazing life
you call me to live
with the passion of Jesus Christ.