Time for an Update

I know I don't post much here, but generally that is because not much happens in my life.  It's usually rather boring - eat, work, sleep, and play a little bit.  However, there have been a few happens of late.

For starters, change is coming to my church once again and I'm not completely sure about it.  Our Director of Creative Ministries (read music, arts, media) and Youth is leaving.  This means that I have to adjust to a different worship leader again.  Under our current leader, I have really been able to grow as a musician and learn more about leading worship and making worship truly musical.  Under prior leaders we all pretty much banged out chords and played straight rhythms.  Now there is syncopation and actual lead guitar in the mix.  I have even had a few chances to play lead parts.  Through it all, I have been able to gain much more confidence in my overall playing abilities and I have really started to have fun being part of the band.  The music we play now has a much higher degree of musicality to it that is refreshing.  I do not know where we will go with our new leader, but I hope we continue to work with more complex rhythms and lead parts.  I know not everyone in the congregation understands that intricate beauty of what we do on Sundays, but I do and I find it a more significant and poignant offering of my musical gifts.  It's one thing to simply strum chords in a regular pattern; it's an entirely different thing when those chords become the background for an intricate lead part or they become syncopated with odd changes.  I guess I just have to trust that God is in control and everything will be okay.

The other significant event was my 6 month review at work.  Needless to say, I was a bit nervous after my last job ended so badly.  Fortunately I have a great boss and terrific co-workers.  I had a great review and I am feeling very confident in my work.  As with church, I have been able to expand my skills under my current boss.  In addition to tasks that I was already comfortable with - processing transactions, managing the vault, opening accounts - I have also been working on loans.  I can now take and input an application into the system, including indirect applications that come from car dealerships that we work with.  I can also check to see that a car loan has proper insurance coverage and completely handle all aspects of paying off an auto loan.  I am also starting to learn how to close a loan.  There is a lot to remember and it seems to grow with each day, but I know I can manage thanks to very encouraging co-workers.  God has blessed me with a much better place to work and I am ever thankful for it. 

I hope that the year will have more good news to share and you can bet that if it does, I will be sure to write about it.