1. Your first “place” – whether it was an apartment, dorm room, or home with a new spouse, the first place where you really felt like a grown-up: My first place away from home was my dorm room. The summer before I worked at Bible camp but was moving from one cabin to the next so I never really felt like I had a place of my own. 🙂 When I got to college, my roommate never came so I spent the first few weeks by myself. Then a transfer student transferred in and we became roommates. After my first two years of having a roommate, I decided to stay in the dorms. Because I was an older student I had my own room and shared a bathroom with the RA next to me!
2. Your first time away from home. Construe this any way you want. College? Girl Scout Camp? Study Abroad? I dont really remember my first time away from home. I suppose it was a Girl Scout camp. I do remember the first time I went to Bible camp. I had the most awesome counselor and I truly wanted to be like her some day. I remember having a great week at camp. I also remember it was canoe camp and I was paired with the male counselor. We stopped at one of our spots and he got out to the pull the canoe in or something and I remember tipping and getting soaked! 😛 My parents were a little late picking me up (they called to let us know they were going to be late!) so I got to hang out with the super cool counselor I wanted to be like until my parents arrived.
3. Your first job in your field of endeavor (so, not babysitting, unless you are A Professional Babysitter today):
   This one is easy for me! I had many jobs growing up; driving tractor, working at the local theatre taking tickets and selling concessions, babysitting etc. But the first job I had closest to my field of endeavor would be CAMP COUNSELOR! Camp is the first place I heard God calling me into ministry. And after camp, I found myself at seminary! 🙂
4. Your first time hosting. Again, construed broadly, this could be a dinner for the in-laws, your first time to have guests for a holiday meal, etc.
   I dont remember the first time I hosted. I do remember when I first started at my current job my friend B and I decided to host a monthly dinner for our camp friends who were in college. We had a blast! Planning out the meal, buying the groceries, making goody bags to send home with them. I truly miss those gatherings!
5. Your first love.That can be a person or something else!! I truly don’t remember my first love! Probably writing… I love to write! As for first love in a person I can’t name anyone in particular. I have had plenty of crushes on boys. At seminary, I had the HUGEST crush on one of my good friends. I even had the guts to tell him which probably wasn’t the smartest move. We are still friends but I don’t think in the same way as before I told him. I have a friend right now who I am blessed to have in my life. But I am just trying to be a good friend as this individual is grieving the loss of his marriage.

Our Friday Five is very simple today. Share five ways you’ve learned to care for
yourself when life becomes overwhelming. What does the pastor do after a rough
day in the office, or at meetings, or at a bedside, or even, in the pulpit?
Share your best five self-care strategies, and, with any luck, we all will learn
at least one or two new ones.

(1) Zumba. I try to do Zumba at least two times a week. I started doing Zumba about a year or more ago. I didn’t think I would like it because I am not coordinated. But there is something about how I feel afterwards and it doesn’t hurt that in 45 minutes I can burn 350 calories. It makes me feel good about myself! 🙂

(2) Reading. I love to read. Just about anything and everything! Books that make me laugh (Check out Alison Arngrim’s Book “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch.” Alison played Nellie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie. I was literally rolling on the floor laughing at points). Books that make me cry. Books that make me think. Books used to make movies (My latest: Silver Linings Playbook).

(3) Spending time with friends and family. Going to a movie, shopping, etc.

(4) Watching mindless TV–such as reality shows. Right now it’s Big Brother, America’s Got Talent, and Project Runway. I don’t know what it is about these shows but there is just something about realizing my life is no where near the DRAMA found in these shows.

(5) Writing. I’m a writer so when I can sit down and blog…or write a poem or a story…it is so healing for me.