[Magdalen] Is the Pub closed?

[Suzie Buchanan]

I hang around the pub, but rarely post.  Who knew I'd ever be the quiet one
in the corner?
I pray.  Praying right now for Judy and Ginga.  For knees and necks.  For
Ryn and Jay.  And wish we had an update from Lynn on Jim's surgery.

I am doing well.  For those who don't know, I had a very painful exit from
my parish in Richmond VA just after Easter 2017.  Am feeling so blessed by
the open door God then offered to become Rector of St. James in Lenoir NC
(foothills of the mountains - Diocese of Western North Carolina).  I have
been here now for 17 months and love this parish - the people and the
area.  I rent a small home here (amazing space and location, a real gift
considering the budget I had for it), and drive the 300 miles each way
twice a month back to Richmond to spend a couple of days with my husband,
Rick, who is still at his job at Union Presbyterian Seminary there. My days
off are Thurs-Fri, so I hit the road on Wednesday about 5 pm for the 5 hour
drive.  Rick and I eat an early dinner on Friday before I hit the road that
evening to return to North Carolina.  I do that about every other week.
Our tight budget means I do the driving (my Honda vs his truck mileage)
plus this little rental without a fenced yard is hard on our two big dogs.
So Rick doesn't come south often.  We are so tired of this arrangement,
though, so have begun the work needed to both put the house in Richmond on
the market and find a new one here.  I don't know what he'll do for work
here . . . that will be our next challenge.

But I am deeply joyful these days, and am doing ministry that both
challenges and delights me. St James is a really healthy place - with
people that are actively involved in their baptismal ministries in the
world and in the parish.  They keep saying they can't believe they got me .
. . and I keep thanking God that I get to be in ministry with them.  Good
diocese, too.   I just miss my husband!  And we're working on taking care
of that.  In the meantime we FaceTime every night and talk on the phone
every morning.

Now, back to my prayer corner!

blessings
Suz

On Sat, Jan 12, 2019 at 8:17 PM Kate Conant <kate.conant at gmail.com> wrote:

> Nothing in the past two days.
>
> Kate
>
> "What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love mercy, and walk
> humbly with your God?"
> Micah 6:8
>