New Beginnings

I started at an occupational therapy (OT) job this week!! I am working PRN (which stands for as needed) at one skilled nursing facility and accepted a full time job at another skilled nursing facility near by. And my husband passed his district interview to move him on towards the process of commissioning/ordination. (For those who don’t know, in the United Methodist Church, you have to pass the district and whole conference interview to be commissioned/ordained as an elder in the church). For my husband, this is step one toward’s getting able to walk across that stage at our annual conference. So keep praying! But, it’s been a big week in our house!

So I’m writing a few days later, but I have some things to say.

1. Moving from a graduate student/field work student to a licensed practitioner is not easy. I do NOT have enough grace with myself in this learning process (I’m working on it). I am in a new setting, new documentation system, new population of patients, so many new things! So it’s learning to take it one day at a time, remembering I am my own OT (I don’t HAVE to be following around another OT all day), and to keep learning.
2. Change is hard! If you know me, you know I do not love change. Changing routines, getting up earlier, and learning new documentation skills, patients, and a role at work.
3. There is still room for grace. Something I have already been given, but also something I need to have with myself. With my own changes, I know that I am not perfect, but getting that little voice out of my head, that I need to be good enough, or that I have to know everything. So that for me has been the biggest struggle.

I’m sure I have more thoughts to say, but I’m still processing what my first week has been and what this week will look like. We have a big change coming next week to all skilled nursing facilities, so it will be a crazy few weeks. But I am resting and ready for the challenge.

Now if you’ve made it this far, you may be wondering, how does this relate to the church? Well, the church is going through some big changes too. And there are many who feel like the church is a bad place or there is no room for them. I know that I want to be part of a change in the church, but also from my own context.

So I want you to think about in your church setting how you make space for those who have different abilities than you do?

For someone who is deaf?

For someone in a power wheelchair?

For someone with sensory issues?

I hope to talk about each of these and others. Ways that I, as an OT can help you and your church think about how to make others feel loved and included. Because isn’t that the role of the church? To be welcoming, make someone feel loved and seen?

That’s the kind of church I want to be a part of. And I want to help others do the same.

Blessings,

Lauren