I'm having an ebb and flow kind of Fall. Sometimes it is difficult to know what is ebbing and what is flowing, but there you have it. As Emily Latella would say (RIP Gilda Radner) "It's always something..."

I've learned that it is possible to really roll with the punches more easily at St. Stoic. A really dynamic realization was that it is Perfectly Okay to preach a Pretty Good But Not Spectacular sermon once in a blue moon. Or at least to feel that way afterwards. I hope that if/when PGBNS slides into Borderline Dreadful, the homiletics police with come drag me away from the pulpit. But for me, preaching mojo ebbs and flows.

I've learned that the one woman who comes up to me and says the exact same thing after every worship service: "Lovely service, dear. Just lovely." is really just greeting me in the way that she has been taught to. I should not assume any lovely-ness or un-lovely-ness from her comments, just smile and sincerely acknowledge her greeting.

I've learned that one of the Elders currently serving on Session (church ruling board) can be one of the people I rely on most heavily during the week for Buildings and Grounds matters, and can still be cranky towards me in the middle of the meeting. People's temperments ebb and flow that way.

I've learned how to approach the woman in my congregation who I have always just assumed didn't like me: ask her to sew something for the church. It's a win-win-win proposition. She gets to do something she loves, I get to practice feeling appreciation for her, and the church ends up with some truly stunning hand-stitched Advent paraments. Hopefully that undercurrent of discontent will ebb and flow as well.

I've learned that my son really, truly wants to be living out on his own; he just lacks the necessary housing to do this. He makes up for it by staying away for 48-72 hours at a time. Apparently his cell phone signal coverage ebbs and flows, too.

I've learned that I have friends out there in the world with whom I can temporarily lose contact, but with whom I can pick up the conversation either by phone or e-mail, and no matter how long it has been, we can take up where we left off in the ebb and flow of our friendship. Those friends are like gold.

I've learned that a relationship that has been my primary relationship for an amazing 24 years (next month) also ebbs and flows, but that two people who have been together for that long can still have, now and again, a really amazing week together. (As long as we don't take it for granted. And also spend some constructive time apart. Married and conjoined are not the same thing, silly.)

For these lessons and more, I am truly grateful. Thanks be to God!