2 Weeks

2 weeks!!! 2 weeks from today we will be moving.  2 weeks from today we will be starting our new life.  2 weeks from today will get here before we know it.  In the meantime we are consumed by packing, saying goodbyes, purging old stuff that is no longer needed, and preparing ourselves for this new life.  This new life, I am not sure what that means, or what it will be like.

As we have been packing up our stuff, taking down decorations, it hit me hard.  The home we have been in for 5 years,  where we have brought 2 of our children to after they were born, the only home our oldest child really remembers and knows will no longer be ours.  Our loving church family we have been a part of for the better part of 3 years will no longer be a daily part of our lives.  The coworkers, whom I have known and worked with for nearly 10 years will no longer be a part of my work life.  This also hit me, I was in Wichita Falls to introduce that area office to my replacement.  As we were leaving I started saying my goodbyes to them.  It was harder than I thought.  Somehow I kept it together, but it was hard to do.

I know all of these people will be with me in prayer, and I will still be able to see them.  It is just a reminder that my life is going to change.  But it is a good change, a change where God is with me.  I am not hesitating, I am not wavering,

So as I approach the end of one chapter of my and my family's life, I remind myself that the next chapter is about to begin.  And like a great novel, I anxiously await the next chapter, because I know it is going to be exciting and fulfilling.

Back to packing and preparing for the end of my current career.

Would you like to support a seminarian?  you can make a tax deductible contribution to help fund my seminary education, and my journey to Ordination to:

Tara Elgin Holley
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Seminary of the Southwest
501 East 32nd Street Austin, Texas 78705

be sure to include a note that the donation is to support Andrew Ellison. 

A new journey

Well it is official, I am a postulant.  I also have been accepted to the Seminary of the Southwest (SSW) in Austin TX, starting this fall.   A lot is going on spiritually, and emotionally.  To start I am feeling every emotion I can.  I am feeling intense excitement, excitement to start this next journey, which will last 3 years.  I am excited about being a part of such an awesome community at SSW.  I am excited to immerse myself in all of God, from classwork to daily worship.  I will spend significant amounts of time growing spiritually.  I am also excited about living in Austin, what a great place to raise a family.  My son will be enrolling in Kindergarten, his school is within walking distance from where we will be living.  In fact many seminarians walk their children to school together, more time to spend as a community.  Blake and I think it is pretty cool that we both will be going to school together.  But with that excitement comes anxiety.  Of course the move itself makes me a little anxious, who doesn't get anxious from moves?  But also the question of what lies ahead.  What will seminary life be like?  What will it do to my family?  What about their needs?  What about finances? Etc.  That is not the most difficult part though, as I know and have faith that God will provide for us, he will lead us through this time and in the future.  No, the most difficult part I think is leaving my church family.  The church family i have grown to love.  That is the part I am finding most difficult.  The good thing is we will not be going off too far, and hopefully, God willing, I can return to the Diocese of Fort Worth.

In the end, God is doing something special in our lives, and I am going to make more of an effort in keeping all my family and friends updated on what he is doing in our lives.  I am going to start getting more active with this blog, I will provide updates on what is going on at Seminary, what is happening with the children, I will even provide pictures.  Until the next post, hopefully which will be soon :), God bless.






Would you like to support a seminarian?  you can make a tax deductible contribution to help fund my seminary education, and my journey to Ordination to:

Tara Elgin Holley
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Seminary of the Southwest
501 East 32nd Street Austin, Texas 78705

be sure to include a note that the donation is to support Andrew Ellison.