Friday, July 21, 2006
I think the kitchen staff have adopted me. We were joined tonight by a big group of guys on an AA retreat, and I noticed the kitchen guys standing like sentries between them and me... very sweet. The one person they didn't manage to keep out was Peppy Texas, so I finally sucked it up and talked with her over Friday Fish.
Turns out she's here to get some guidance over what to do with her job. She works for her church, but feels like it's taking too much out of her. Father Phil has met with her a few times since she's been here, but he apparently told her she "deserved a day off today." Translated: Father Phil is tired of you.
Which left the job to me.
That's right... little ol' pro-choice, pro-premarital sex, pro-female priests, gay marriage and democracy me thought I'd see what I could do to help the poor Christian Republican.
Fortunately, her problem transcends religion: she seems to be an energetic overachiever with some martyr tendencies desperately seeking validation. I told her (in my rusty Catholic) that she needs to delegate and have faith in others, just as she'd hope they'd have faith in her. And then I helped her put together a church-based marketing campaign to drum up volunteers for her group. When I left, she said, "Wow, I can see the wisdom of Christ in you... thank you for ministering to me!" Nice.
I was feeling pretty smug as I went out on my post-dinner walk, but then, in classic Chris Shellen style, I walked smack into a cloud of those little flying ants, which covered my body like sprinkles on a doughnut. A little bug's life humility for me.
Turns out she's here to get some guidance over what to do with her job. She works for her church, but feels like it's taking too much out of her. Father Phil has met with her a few times since she's been here, but he apparently told her she "deserved a day off today." Translated: Father Phil is tired of you.
Which left the job to me.
That's right... little ol' pro-choice, pro-premarital sex, pro-female priests, gay marriage and democracy me thought I'd see what I could do to help the poor Christian Republican.
Fortunately, her problem transcends religion: she seems to be an energetic overachiever with some martyr tendencies desperately seeking validation. I told her (in my rusty Catholic) that she needs to delegate and have faith in others, just as she'd hope they'd have faith in her. And then I helped her put together a church-based marketing campaign to drum up volunteers for her group. When I left, she said, "Wow, I can see the wisdom of Christ in you... thank you for ministering to me!" Nice.
I was feeling pretty smug as I went out on my post-dinner walk, but then, in classic Chris Shellen style, I walked smack into a cloud of those little flying ants, which covered my body like sprinkles on a doughnut. A little bug's life humility for me.
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