moving and a shaking

I'm settled into my second trimester now and the wee one has started making his/her presence known with intrauterine gymnastics. I have started to feel better and more "like myself" in the past couple of weeks and it has made it easier to think and do things apart from dwell on the state of my uterine occupant and the physical bizarrities of pregnancy. It is also a huge relief to have gone public with my pregnancy--having secrets is really not my strong suit and I very much appreciate the prayers and support. All of this means that...

Sermon writing has become MUCH easier--now I can sit and think about the text without feeling the need to google things like "stretchy feeling in uterus". It has also allowed my prayer life to evolve a bit beyond "PLEASE GOD LET THIS BABY STICK!!!" And, I don't feel the need to lay down for a really long nap every day (just some days) which allows me to actually get a few things accomplished!

This doesn't mean that I'm not sometimes obsessively thinking about pregnancy and the seemingly imminent transformation of our family from 2 to 3. Nor does it mean that my worries have ceased...my prayers are still peppered with "PLEASE GOD, MAY THIS BABY BE HEALTHY AND I PRAY I DON'T GET SWINE FLU BEFORE THE VACCINE KICKS IN" but also include victims of violence, our health care system and the various needs of those I serve in my congregation.

In many ways I have begun to feel "whole" again and I am now able to enjoy things like the inspiration that led to my last sermon (more on that another time, but needless to say I am still reflecting on the fact that it is our responsibility to see to the resurrection of those, like the widow who gives her "mite", whose happy endings are not depicted in the story) and the joy of a long walk in the woods (during what would have previously been "nap time"). It also means that I am able to write again, one of my dominant first trimester maladies being a fierce case of writer's block! So, thank you (if there are any of you left to read this after several months of quiet on the blogging front) for your patience--and I will see you in the blogosphere!

To come: the widows from proper 27B; Episcopal Church polity and me; and Advent anticipation...