10 things I have learnt in my next six months as a curate....

1. I no more more like writing essays for post-ordination training than I did writing them at college.
   
2. Dave Walker cartoons are actually quite mild compared to real life but Rev comes close.
   
3. What a difference a year can make - the changes that God has wrought in me in the last twelve months are extraordinary.
   
4. You can drink almost any liquuid called tea and smile through it in the name of pastoral visiting.
   
5. I really should have known better then to introduce my father to the Bishop. The embarrasment of dad asking if I "was behaving myself" was out of the ball park.
   
6. Stewart Henderson says it better than I ever could.
   
7. People are very forgiving of mistakes - besides committing a body to be created rather than cremated has some theological justification surely?
   
8. The Church of England should consider ordaining octopi for the task of performing baptisms- one hand for holding the service book, one hand to hold down the squirming toddler being done, one hand to stop said toddler knocking the free standing font flying, one hand to show the Godparents were we are up to in the promises, one hand to indicate to the congregation this is the bit you say......Well you get the point.
   
9. It can be hard to switch off – all too often you find yourself listening to your friends in pubs and without realising it slipping into pastoral mode with the head tilt, the nodding and the periodic uhmmms and “where do you think God may be in this?”
   
10. I never realised that it was possible to feel so totally complete and content as a person.