Diaconal Reflections

Well, so much for good intentions. I have obviously been shockingly bad at blogging in my diaconal year, and so here I am, determined to pick the thread up again.

There are a number of reasons why the blogging has been basically put on ice for the last 9 months...which in reality can all be summed up in the fact that other things have taken higher priority.

What things? Well, to name a few:

1. Settling into a new home and new role, with a wife and son who need to have quality time with their husband/father; time which can be at a premium in this vocation.
2. Getting to grips with what it means to be a deacon, and particularly what it means in the context of this parish.
3. Arriving as Assistant Curate with 9 years Church Army experience...so being given more responsibilities than might be expected of many 1st-year curates.
4. Finishing my Oxford degree (achieved last month - woo-hoo!)
5. Kent Initial Ministerial Education. (Deserves a post on its own).
6. Spending time with God - kind of important!

Far too much has happened over the last eight months to go into lots of detail, but this post is my sincere effort to try and get back on track with blogging. I have a good friend from Church Army days who regularly challenges me on keeping up with the blog - Dorothy, you have my permission to comment vociferously if I don't blog for more than a week!

I've titled this post Diaconal Reflections, because it has been through reflecting on my time as a deacon (as part of my preparations to meet with the Bishop next month prior to priesting in September) that the lack of blogging has returned to my mind. More of this will follow; in the meantime, for those who have been waiting, above is an up-to-date picture of our Nathan, now aged 20 months, and entering the terrible twos far too early!