Drinking copious amounts of tea....

As my years internship with my home church in South Croydon gets underway, there are many things that never cease to amaze me about the 'behind the scenes' church:

1. Everybody drinks COPIOUS amounts of tea. Luckily i like the stuff, but for my new Canadian/American 'i only drink espresso' boss, it's been quite the culture shock. And contrary to popular belief, it really IS as English as it sounds. (I still feel ridiculously proud when i drink out of my 'Sensible Shoes' mug though. I feel it is important to retain your integrity...)
2. Staff meetings are not as boring as they sound......yet.
3. I have never been as scared of an eighty year old woman brandishing a hoover in my whole life....
4. It is possible to hate going out on a Saturday night; sometimes the idea of staying in and watching Strictly has never been so appealing.
5. Christians are not perfect, and stuff isn't always rosy. And that's OK with me.
6. Practical jokes bring out the best and worst sides in all kinds of people.....
7. EasyWorship IS NOT EASY.
8. You have to eat as many biscuits/sandwiches/anything else that gets donated to the office before the end of the day, otherwise they WILL just go bad.
9. Talking to the photocopier nicely does stop her misbehaving...
10. I wouldn't change it for the world.

Changing my colleague Becky's laptop language to Chinese was possibly the mistake of a lifetime, as it has spurred the office here at Church into a frenzy of practical joking. It's surprising how childish your 30-something boss becomes when he is brandishing gaffa tape, or hiding someones sandwiches (especially when he later discovers he has hidden the wrong sandwiches. This was a highly amusing moment).

Yet I can't help but reflect on my day, the amazing people I share this office with, the awesome youth that i have the privilege to be serving, and how blessed I am to be in such an amazing job. Sure, it involves anti-social working hours and it's been a strange transition from my place of worship (and refuge at times) to my place of work, but I can't deny the feeling of wholeness that overwhelms me the moment I walk through the large entrance doors, and say hello to the wonderful Office staff every morning. It is God's will that I am here this year to serve him, and it's the least i can do to make sure I do a good job.

And if your ever in the area, be sure to pop in for a cup of tea. :)