the new job - rdf

I've been on my "new" job for ~3 1/2 months now, and often I still feel like I'm behind the 8-ball. A number of people have recently asked me whether I find it more or less stressful, and I invariably respond, "More." (Though I believe stress to be an ailment that we produce from within, not something that assaults us from without. Everyone has pressures: we handle the pressure positively, we produce; handle the pressure negatively, and we stress.)

Roughly 3 1/2 months ago, I resigned my job at Compuware as a Usability Engineer, designing and testing user interfaces for business productivity software, to assume the role of Administrative Assistant to the Pastor full-time at the church. I run the church office and daily affairs in addition to ministerial responsibilities (teaching, preaching, counselling).

While at Compuware, I had a variety of things to do within the relatively narrow scope of my profession (still largely a niche in the industry), and I could plan and pretty much account for things as they developed.

Now at the church, while there are some things that I can account for on a regular to semi-regular basis (read: control), what seemingly leaves me flummoxed is the unexpected, last-minute things that constantly arise. It's difficult to get into a flow or routine, when only a third of what you do is actually routine.

My wife and others tell me that I'm doing a great job, and I thank them for their kind words. But I can't help feeling that I'm not yet meeting the standard I've set for myself: I'm not yet anticipating the unexpected to the degree that I feel I should. I tell myself that it will come with more time, and I guess it will, and maybe I'm expecting too much of myself too soon, but after 3 1/2 months I'd hoped to be more on the ball than behind the 8-ball.

All that's not to say that I don't enjoy, or that I somehow regret my decision (it is really more the Lord's decision/orchestration, and I agreed). Not in the least! But I'm just anxious to be as proficient in my "new" job than I was in my last one.

Somewhere out there, I can hear all the ministers saying, "Welcome to full-time ministry, son."

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!