Slowly waiting: 2024 year in review

2024 was not supposed to look like this

As 2024 comes to an end, I remain utterly amazed by how much has transpired in such a short period of time. When the year started, Lily was halfway through her sabbatical from Southeast Missouri State University. We were still planning to return to Cape Girardeau at the end of her research fellowship here in Columbia. 

In the end everything changed when she was offered a job at the Kinder Institute for Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri. Suddenly, instead of heading back to the Bootheel, we were going to make our home here permanently. Of course, this meant some changes for me as I had already been planning for a practicum placement during the fall semester. As a result, much of my spring was essentially spent job hunting as I looked for a place that would allow me to work and train in the Como area. 

Once Lily’s job became official, the other adventure was finding a place to live. As soon as the ink was dry on her contract we connected with an agent and began exploring the Columbia housing market. What made the process such an adventure is that because of the university, Columbia has one of the tightest markets in the state. Things move fast, especially in the spring when students are graduating and professors are moving to new jobs. Most of the houses we looked at went on the market on Thursday, had an open house on Saturday, and accepted a final offer by Sunday night. Three times we made a bid on a new home, only to get beaten out by someone else. 

After three months of searching we were starting to get nervous. We were getting close to the renewal deadline on the duplex we were renting. Eventually, I ran across a small house in a neighborhood close to campus that was still listed as “coming soon.” We asked our agent to do some investigation and were able to connect with the seller. After all the normal rounds of negotiation, we were able to close at the end of June and move in over the July 4th weekend.

God’s plans are bigger than our plans

Conveniently, all of that happened just as we closed on our old house in Sikeston. We hired movers, got settled into the new place and began the process of unpacking. The remainder of the summer was spent with me studying online, Lily prepping her new MU classes, and coordinating the work of various contractors. Very quickly the house began to feel like home, and we already cannot imagine living anywhere else in the Columbia area.

Once the fall semester came around life began in earnest. Lily was scheduled to teach a full round of classes and advise several graduate students. She has already developed quite the reputation within the department. More than one student has reported to me how much they enjoy her classes, and her colleagues tell me how much of an impact she has already made on the department. (They also assure me they are not saying that because of the baked goods she provides on a regular basis.)

Meanwhile, I continued my classes at Central Methodist University and started my practicum at a local counseling practice. Over the semester I mostly worked with couples, but also met with a handful of individual clients. Getting my feet wet with real life counseling was incredibly rewarding. There is still a lot to learn before I strike out on my own, but I am grateful for the solid foundation provided by my pastoral and military chaplaincy work.

In addition to my studies, I began dipping my toe back into the ministerial waters. I accepted a very part-time position as a PRN chaplain at a local hospital, providing weekend on-call support. Pulpit supply opportunities took me to a variety of congregations in both Columbia and the surrounding area. While I was incredibly grateful for the chance to periodically preach once again, these opportunities were also reminders of just how long sermon preparation takes. Part-time chaplaincy and infrequent preaching is all the church work I will have time to do until school is finished up.

Living life in one place

One of the best parts of life in Columbia is that for the first time in our marriage, Lily and I both live and work in the same town. The lack of commute has given us so much more time together. We suddenly have been given two to three hours of life back every day. We have been able to plug into several local events and organizations. We found our church homes and officially became members of Columbia United Church of Christ (me) and Rock Bridge Christian Church (her). 

We enjoy attending MU sports events and have become active members of the American Legion Riders Chapter 202. ALR has put us in touch with a great group of veterans and their families. Significant motorcycle highlights of the year include the Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest, retracing the Missouri portion of Route 66 on the American Legion Legacy Run, attending the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days in Ohio, and completing my first ever Iron Butt ride while returning home from my 30th high school class reunion.

Star words at work

As 2024 comes to a close, I think back on the Star Words we received from RBCC back in January. My word was “slow.” Lily’s was “waiting.” In theory, those two words were supposed to guide the way we look at what God is doing in our lives throughout the year. 

Given the rapid pace of change we experienced on a weekly, or even daily, basis I will admit that “slow” and “waiting” never quite seemed to fit. In retrospect, it seems like the Holy Spirit might actually know what she is talking about in giving us those words. Maybe these words are an invitation to slow down and recognize that much of our waiting is already over. 

During the fall semester we were able to finally slow down enough to finally settle into the kind of lifestyle we have been waiting for for several years now. I am grateful for the first glimpses of stability we have experienced this fall and I pray that things will continue to slow down enough for us to more fully live into the lifestyle we have been waiting for during 2025.

Happy new year to one and all!