confusion and chaos

The long silence in blogging isn't indicative of much, other than the fact that I haven't been sure how to talk about some of what's been happening. So, I'll do a kind of bulleted update:

• On the call front: I supplied at an area congregation and the call committee from the church I'm in process with made the trek to attend the service. I've supplied at this small church before, so they know me and it is a mutually-affectionate relationship. That definitely helped, as it didn't feel like an audition at all, even though the call committee was there. They interview one other candidate, and I'm waiting to hear from the call committee chair about time table for the rest of this process.
• On the further call front: I had a phone call from a pastor that I have known for a couple of years. The congregation he serves is growing, albeit slowly, but they are at the point where they need to staff for growth, so they are adding an associate pastor to their staff - beginning probably in the late winter, early spring. We are going to talk tomorrow in more detail, but I'm the only name they are considering right now, so I need to be in serious discernment about this congregation, the location and the ministry...it is my call or not?
• On the academic front: I'm working again on my thesis. Slowly, but surely, I'm making progress - yay me! Maybe I can actually get this thing done by the next deadline! I'm continuing to do the TA gig for two classes, and I enjoy that. I never would have guessed that I'd be here all semester, but I'll be seeing these classes through to the end. I'm very thankful that I'm doing work that I enjoy, so I'm trying to not complain too much!
  
• On the life front: I continue to be thankful for friends close and far - the encouragement, the compassion during the whining, and the laughter have all been appreciated.
  

So...that's the brief update on things. Maybe now that these things are "out there" I won't be so reticent to give updates...the second call process came out of the blue and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it and figure out what I think about it all. Updates will be made...I promise.