Oh Happy Day ...

Guess what I picked up today?

My Master's Hood!!  Graduation is in 66 days!!!!!

Today was an incredible humbling day.  I haven't really talked about it here, but a few weeks ago I submitted an application for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), which is a chaplaincy program that I need to complete before my ordination.  I applied for a two-and-a-half month summer full-time program, but you can also do a part-time year-long program.  Once you've completed one of these units, you can apply for a year-long full-time residency.  The residency is a paid position and it is a great stepping block into both parish ministry or vocational chaplaincy.

Atlanta has several amazing CPE sites, but they are fairly competitive due to the sheer volume of people trying to get into them.  I found out this week that I have been offered an interview at Grady Memorial Hospital downtown, the largest hospital in Georgia and the only hospital in an eight county area that functions as a Level I trauma center.

Let me say that again.

LARGEST hospital in all of Georgia.  Georgia is a big state (I'm from Connecticut, remember?)

Only hospital in an EIGHT COUNTY AREA that functions as a Level I trauma center.

Okay, let's take a deep breath and think about that for a second.

My first thought?  'Holy crap, what did I write in my application that would let them think I can handle this?'  (I am thinking I will need another thought before I go in for the interview)

So fast forward to today.  I am taking a class called Pastoral Care with Persons with Mental Illness.  My professor is a chaplain at Emory Hospital and he works with CPE students and residents.  After class today, he pulled me to the side and asked me what I was planning on doing after graduation.  I told him I was on the ordination track, but I was doing CPE this summer.  He asked where and I told him where my interview was.  He then proceeded to say, "Have you ever considered doing a full-time residency after that?  We really should talk at some point, I think you would be a really good chaplain."

I'm not sure what my exact response was, something to the effect of 'thank you, I would love to talk to him about it, I would see him after we got back from spring break.'  Of course, I couldn't tell you exactly what I said, because in my mind I was thinking, 'Holy crap, what have I said in class that would let him think I would be good at that?'

So, needless to say, I have been thinking about a lot tonight.  I am praying for a good interview in two weeks so my summer plans can be set in stone and I can continue with my ordination materials.  I am thinking about what it might mean to do a residency - either in Atlanta or somewhere else.  I am thankful for the opportunities I could possibly be rewarded that would allow me to step outside of myself and be part of a powerful ministry.  I am incredibly humbled that other people are seeing something in me that I do not see in myself.  And I am amazed at the way God continues to work in my life.