It Is Decided

Going to be a lot of changes in my life. I just fired off a volley of emails in which I accepted a position as an addiction therapist here at the hospital. Unfortunately, the wheels of progress turn exceptionally slow, so it looks like I will be a chaplain for another month or so before all the red tape and paper work is sorted out. Then I get to start a completely new career.

Seems strange, really. For the first time in over fourteen years, I will not be engaged in a "ministry" related field. Oh, sure, it could be argued that addiction therapy is a type of ministry, but it does not really involve religion and spirituality (yes, I know the 12-step program is based on the Judeo-Christian spirituality / religions).

Okay, fine. I'm doing the same thing I've always been doing, just with a different group. But I will be doing it without the church. Why? Because this sort of work does not fall under the official rubric of ministry. So they do not endorse it as such. As far as their concerned, I've just fallen off the grid. Should I ever decide to re-enter church work, or hospital chaplaincy, I'll have to jump through all kinds of hoops and cut through gobs of paper work and red tape. So, for now and for the forseeable future, I'm performing live without a net. Not that they ever offered me much of a net to begin with.

At any rate, looks like at some point in the near future, the Pirate Chaplain is going to drop the "Chaplain" and become "the Pirate Therapist" or some such. I'll be keeping the same web address, never fear. It's only my life that's changing. The internet is eternal - so long as the bills get paid! : )

More later on today. I'm on the hunt for caffeine!