Hello, friends! I hope you have all had a great week. Since my post last week was so long, I'll try to give you a break this time. (Please note I said "try.") Rather than go through my week day-by-day as I usually do, I'll focus on a few things that are new/interesting.
First, an update many of you have been curious about: I have stopped looking for a part-time job. This is for a few reasons. Number one, finding a part-time job has proved very difficult for me. I don't know for sure what the reason is, but I suspect my somewhat inflexible schedule is part of it. Number two, I saw two goals for the part-time job -- to make some extra money and to connect with students outside of church. After nearly three months of searching for a job, I decided that since I'm not short on money at the moment, there might be another way I could connect with students outside of church.
And I have found one! There's an organization on campus called the Center for Leadership and Social Change, and they have a community outreach program. Every week there are various volunteer opportunities you can sign up for. They don't seem to mind that I'm not a student, so I've been signing up for a few each week. This week I will be helping at a community center garden, the Red Cross, and America's Second Harvest Food Bank.
Second, next Friday, October 3rd (also significant for another reason) is the end of the "First Forty." The first 40 days of school are when students figure out their routines and decide what they're going to be involved in. If we haven't gotten in touch with them already, it's much less likely that we will after the First Forty. So I'm excited that I have been able to get together with a lot of students -- and definitely a variety of students, as well.
Third, as I mentioned, October 3rd is a rather significant date. That's Baby Winters' due date! Yay, baby! It's significant not only for Pastor Jay and Liz but also because it will change things around University Lutheran. Katie, Matt and I will be taking on more and different responsibilities while Pastor Jay is otherwise occupied.
Fourth, there are some exciting things coming up. PJ, Katie and I will be going down to Orlando next week for the FL-GA District Presidential Convocation. That should be great fun and a good time to network and meet people. The students are also having a Beach Day this Saturday, which will be my first visit to a beach since moving to Florida!
Lastly, the weather is finally cooling down. Tonight I walked outside for almost two hours because it was actually chilly. Normally this wouldn't be so exciting, but I can't remember it being cold outside since I moved here, so I just had to experience it for as long as possible.
There, that wasn't terribly long, was it? Unfortunately I have no pictures for you this week, although I really wish I had pictures of the cats I just saw in the ULC parking lot. Adorable! I miss my cat! Anyway, good night, friends. This Iowa girl is going to bed.
P.S. The FSU campus could use some prayer this week -- there's a lot of controversy and division surrounding the star quarterback and also the new university presidential appointment.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Iowan and Alligator Sightings
Hello, dear friends! Much has happened since my birthday last week, but Thursday through Sunday, very little work got done because my best friend JESSIE was visiting! However, before I get into that wonderful event, I should tell you about the Interfaith Council meeting Thursday morning.
The Interfaith Council consists of all campus ministries at FSU, although of course not all of them were represented at the meeting. The leader is a delightful woman named Melanie from Hillel, the Jewish ministry. (I was curious, so I looked it up: Hillel was apparently a famous Jewish religious leader, one of the most important figures in Jewish history.) I met many other ministry leaders whose names mostly escape me, but I got to sit next to Rhea, the Chi Alpha International leader who happens to be from Iowa. That's what matters! :) Iowa connections aside, I really enjoyed the council meeting. Since it was September 11th, Melanie began by reading a letter written by a former student who was in class on 9/11. It was chilling, but an appropriate remembrance of that day.
We then moved on to hear from some student government leaders, who told us about a perfectly awful website called FSU ACB. I won't give you the details, but they showed us some screenshots that were... disturbing, to say the least. This website allows you to post anything you want completely anonymously. There are death threats, rape threats -- all specific, naming certain people -- and the police can do nothing, because the website deletes the poster's IP address a few seconds after the post goes up. Apparently most universities have similar websites. The student government leaders asked for our support to help pass a law requiring websites to retain IP addresses.
I bet you're wondering, "Why did you enjoy this meeting? That sounds awful!" The enjoyable part came after that discussion, when our speaker, Michelle, began telling us about Greek life on campus. She described it in detail, which was very beneficial for me, given that Greek life at Concordia consisted of frantic pre-seminary students studying for exams. I was fascinated to hear all about this campus culture, and Michelle was an engaging speaker.
After the Interfaith Council meeting ended, I went downstairs, sent a few last-minute e-mails, and then headed off to the airport to pick up my dear friend Jessie. When we got out of the airport, she made an observation: "It is HOT in Florida!" It was wonderful to have someone who understands my longing for Midwestern fall sweatshirt weather!
We had a wonderful weekend in Tallahassee. Thursday, we mostly just hung out at my apartment, watching Once Upon a Time and eating the last of my mother's oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I also gave her a tour of campus, and we spent time playing the game she got me for my birthday: "Castle: the Detective Card Game." So much fun!
Friday, we slept in, took a trip to the Capitol building, and then went to Wakulla Springs, where I had my first Florida alligator sighting. We also enjoyed what we called "statue birds." I can't remember their actual name, but these birds have to dry out their wings after swimming before they can fly. They just sit there on rocks or logs with their wings extended for as long as 45 minutes. When we first saw them, we were convinced they were statues, they were so still!
We also went to the Melting Pot (they were donating $5 to the Children's Home Society for everyone who ordered their 35th Anniversary meal). Oh my goodness, the Melting Pot. I'm officially obsessed. Cheese fondue, salads, hotpot-style main course, and yin-yang (white and dark chocolate) fondue for dessert... my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
On Saturday, we slept in once again, and then went out to explore the beautiful canopy roads. We intended to go to one of the state parks, but after venturing outside, we mutually decided it was far too hot for such excursions. We stopped by Target for old time's sake and may have also spent several hours watching the show "Too Cute" on Animal Planet. If you like cute animals, don't start watching that show... you may never stop.
Sunday morning, I sadly took Jessie back to the airport. It was so great to be able to reconnect with my best friend and show her around my home for the year, but I won't deny that I am a bit homesick now, both for my friend and for the Midwest. I'm told back home it's beginning to get that autumn chill in the air, and I miss it. Fall has always been my favorite season, and here it's just not the same.
I got back to church for worship with just minutes to spare, and then went out to lunch with Evan, Justin, and Anna, which was delightful (even if we did have to cut it short). Sunday afternoon, Katie and the students returned from their service retreat in Mobile, Alabama. I'm told it was a great weekend, with much worship, service, and friendship! They did service projects at Camp Dixie and were able to have Bible study on the beach.
After Katie's return, we met up with Pastor Jay to debrief the week. It was a relief to be able to meet with all three of us! On Monday, my day off, I slept in, went grocery shopping, volunteered at CHS, and attended TrueLife. Caroline led this week, talking about time management in college. Definitely a worthwhile topic, and she did an admirable job! This was my last week of attending TrueLife, given that Mondays are my day off, but I'm not at all worried about them managing without me. They don't need me! ;)
On Tuesday, I spent some time being present on campus in the morning, and then met up with grad student Danielle for lunch. She's a fellow Midwesterner, so we found much to talk about! After walking back from Chili's, I went to pick up Pastor Jay from the airport. I'm so glad he now has a break from traveling! I'm sure he's exhausted, and we are blessed to have him around. After bringing him back to church, I watched a lot of Castle on DVD before going to bed.
Today, we began with campus ministry prayer at 9:30 and then had a brief staff meeting. I went out to lunch with student Noelle at Mr. Roboto, where she had sushi and I tried not to cringe. :P At 2:00 we had our weekly staff meeting. Much of our time was spent discussing Matt's unfortunate experience on Monday, when our church computer died a sad death. Luckily, PJ and Matt were able to go out and get a new computer this afternoon.
After our meeting, I met up with Zoe and we went to Brooklyn Water Bagels for an afternoon snack of muffins and milk. It was very enjoyable! When we got back to church, I spent some time with Matt admiring the new computer and then relaxed a bit before Vespers. Katie was our leader tonight, teaching us about "Kairos moments" -- what some people might call "God moments" or, in Katie's terms, "God lightbulbs." These are moments that cause us to take a step back and reflect on what this means in our life in God's terms. We talked about how this relates to confession and absolution and then confessed to our brothers and sisters (at my table, I only had brothers) and they absolved us.
After Vespers, we had some great bonding time discussing those valuable topics such as "Orange is the New Black" and "Gilmore Girls." When everyone headed out, I came downstairs and started to write this blog, and NOW we are to the present moment! Isn't it great?
You get the picture jackpot today! (Get excited, Melissa!) All of these pictures are from my adventures with Jessie this weekend. The first is in front of the Capitol; the next four are various wildlife we saw at Wakulla Springs; and the last is of me in front of the University Lutheran sign.
The Interfaith Council consists of all campus ministries at FSU, although of course not all of them were represented at the meeting. The leader is a delightful woman named Melanie from Hillel, the Jewish ministry. (I was curious, so I looked it up: Hillel was apparently a famous Jewish religious leader, one of the most important figures in Jewish history.) I met many other ministry leaders whose names mostly escape me, but I got to sit next to Rhea, the Chi Alpha International leader who happens to be from Iowa. That's what matters! :) Iowa connections aside, I really enjoyed the council meeting. Since it was September 11th, Melanie began by reading a letter written by a former student who was in class on 9/11. It was chilling, but an appropriate remembrance of that day.
We then moved on to hear from some student government leaders, who told us about a perfectly awful website called FSU ACB. I won't give you the details, but they showed us some screenshots that were... disturbing, to say the least. This website allows you to post anything you want completely anonymously. There are death threats, rape threats -- all specific, naming certain people -- and the police can do nothing, because the website deletes the poster's IP address a few seconds after the post goes up. Apparently most universities have similar websites. The student government leaders asked for our support to help pass a law requiring websites to retain IP addresses.
I bet you're wondering, "Why did you enjoy this meeting? That sounds awful!" The enjoyable part came after that discussion, when our speaker, Michelle, began telling us about Greek life on campus. She described it in detail, which was very beneficial for me, given that Greek life at Concordia consisted of frantic pre-seminary students studying for exams. I was fascinated to hear all about this campus culture, and Michelle was an engaging speaker.
After the Interfaith Council meeting ended, I went downstairs, sent a few last-minute e-mails, and then headed off to the airport to pick up my dear friend Jessie. When we got out of the airport, she made an observation: "It is HOT in Florida!" It was wonderful to have someone who understands my longing for Midwestern fall sweatshirt weather!
We had a wonderful weekend in Tallahassee. Thursday, we mostly just hung out at my apartment, watching Once Upon a Time and eating the last of my mother's oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I also gave her a tour of campus, and we spent time playing the game she got me for my birthday: "Castle: the Detective Card Game." So much fun!
Friday, we slept in, took a trip to the Capitol building, and then went to Wakulla Springs, where I had my first Florida alligator sighting. We also enjoyed what we called "statue birds." I can't remember their actual name, but these birds have to dry out their wings after swimming before they can fly. They just sit there on rocks or logs with their wings extended for as long as 45 minutes. When we first saw them, we were convinced they were statues, they were so still!
We also went to the Melting Pot (they were donating $5 to the Children's Home Society for everyone who ordered their 35th Anniversary meal). Oh my goodness, the Melting Pot. I'm officially obsessed. Cheese fondue, salads, hotpot-style main course, and yin-yang (white and dark chocolate) fondue for dessert... my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
On Saturday, we slept in once again, and then went out to explore the beautiful canopy roads. We intended to go to one of the state parks, but after venturing outside, we mutually decided it was far too hot for such excursions. We stopped by Target for old time's sake and may have also spent several hours watching the show "Too Cute" on Animal Planet. If you like cute animals, don't start watching that show... you may never stop.
Sunday morning, I sadly took Jessie back to the airport. It was so great to be able to reconnect with my best friend and show her around my home for the year, but I won't deny that I am a bit homesick now, both for my friend and for the Midwest. I'm told back home it's beginning to get that autumn chill in the air, and I miss it. Fall has always been my favorite season, and here it's just not the same.
I got back to church for worship with just minutes to spare, and then went out to lunch with Evan, Justin, and Anna, which was delightful (even if we did have to cut it short). Sunday afternoon, Katie and the students returned from their service retreat in Mobile, Alabama. I'm told it was a great weekend, with much worship, service, and friendship! They did service projects at Camp Dixie and were able to have Bible study on the beach.
After Katie's return, we met up with Pastor Jay to debrief the week. It was a relief to be able to meet with all three of us! On Monday, my day off, I slept in, went grocery shopping, volunteered at CHS, and attended TrueLife. Caroline led this week, talking about time management in college. Definitely a worthwhile topic, and she did an admirable job! This was my last week of attending TrueLife, given that Mondays are my day off, but I'm not at all worried about them managing without me. They don't need me! ;)
On Tuesday, I spent some time being present on campus in the morning, and then met up with grad student Danielle for lunch. She's a fellow Midwesterner, so we found much to talk about! After walking back from Chili's, I went to pick up Pastor Jay from the airport. I'm so glad he now has a break from traveling! I'm sure he's exhausted, and we are blessed to have him around. After bringing him back to church, I watched a lot of Castle on DVD before going to bed.
Today, we began with campus ministry prayer at 9:30 and then had a brief staff meeting. I went out to lunch with student Noelle at Mr. Roboto, where she had sushi and I tried not to cringe. :P At 2:00 we had our weekly staff meeting. Much of our time was spent discussing Matt's unfortunate experience on Monday, when our church computer died a sad death. Luckily, PJ and Matt were able to go out and get a new computer this afternoon.
After our meeting, I met up with Zoe and we went to Brooklyn Water Bagels for an afternoon snack of muffins and milk. It was very enjoyable! When we got back to church, I spent some time with Matt admiring the new computer and then relaxed a bit before Vespers. Katie was our leader tonight, teaching us about "Kairos moments" -- what some people might call "God moments" or, in Katie's terms, "God lightbulbs." These are moments that cause us to take a step back and reflect on what this means in our life in God's terms. We talked about how this relates to confession and absolution and then confessed to our brothers and sisters (at my table, I only had brothers) and they absolved us.
After Vespers, we had some great bonding time discussing those valuable topics such as "Orange is the New Black" and "Gilmore Girls." When everyone headed out, I came downstairs and started to write this blog, and NOW we are to the present moment! Isn't it great?
You get the picture jackpot today! (Get excited, Melissa!) All of these pictures are from my adventures with Jessie this weekend. The first is in front of the Capitol; the next four are various wildlife we saw at Wakulla Springs; and the last is of me in front of the University Lutheran sign.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Fireworks, Icebreakers, and Propitiation - Oh My!
Hello, friends! I hope your day has been as fantastic as mine, because let me tell you, my day has been quite fantastic. BUT you'll have to wait for that information until the end of the blog. (I'm such a heartbreaker. I'm terribly sorry. Really.)
This past week was so busy, the time log I normally write on one sheet of paper took up one and a half. On Thursday, we began the day with prayer and devo. Then I had my one-on-one meeting with Pastor Jay. Until I didn't have that time for a couple of weeks, I didn't realize quite how much I value it. If you've never had pastoral counseling, I would recommend it. Your pastor, well, he knows his stuff. Take advantage of it!
After my one-on-one, I did some preparation for my Vespers study and organized the list of Lutheran students we received from the university. Then I had coffee with a student and really enjoyed the conversation we were able to have. After that, I met up with my friend Mel at Paint-a-Pot, which (as you can probably guess) is a paint-your-own-pottery place on campus. We intended to stay just for an hour or so, but it turned into a four-hour excursion ending with dinner at Chili's. Yum!
On Friday, I spent a few hours in the morning contacting students from the Lutheran student list. I was able to find most of them on Facebook. I did more Vespers preparation, went to Yogurt Mountain with a student, and intended to do some more work afterwards... but I was full-out exhausted. I hadn't been sleeping well all week, so instead of trying to work more, I decided I needed a night off. Unfortunately, my night of relaxation became a little stressful when I realized there was no good place on campus to park my car during the game the next day, because I am not a student, faculty/staff member, or Booster. Those are the only people with parking options on campus on game days. In the end, I parked my car in the grass next to the church parking lot.
Speaking of, Saturday was Game Day! I got up in the morning to help set up for the tailgate, and then got my relaxation in before the tailgate started at 3:30. On game days, University Lutheran opens its doors for people to come in, use the restroom, eat some good food, and enjoy the air conditioning (and protection from the rain). I had tasty lasagna for dinner and was able to play some ping-pong, Clue, and Sorry. It was really fun! Once the game started, we closed the doors and cleaned up before everyone headed home. "Home" for me, of course, is downstairs. I discovered that we are close enough to the stadium that I can just walk outside and hear the announcer and the marching band. I could also hear the fireworks at the end of the game -- the first "boom" scared me half to death!
On Sunday, of course, we had Bible study and worship. (Gary and his new wife Jessica were there! Yay!) After worship, we had a student leadership meeting, which as usual ended at a local restaurant for lunch. Since Pastor Jay was going to be at a conference all week, the three of us met in the afternoon to plan out the week in advance. I finished up my prayer cards and spent some time contacting students before calling it an early night.
Monday, being my day off, started out by sleeping in. I desperately needed it. After I finally got going around noon, I did my laundry and went over to CHS for my weekly volunteer time. Instead of calling people to take surveys, I ended up stuffing folders, which fit my mood because it required much less thought! I got groceries and stopped by the library on the way home, and then attended the very first TrueLife Bible study. This is a study led by a few of the student leaders from University Lutheran. We played some icebreaker games and then spent time in discussion about how to make good friends on a secular campus. I was really impressed by the leadership skills of Austin, Caroline, and Evan. Great job, guys!
Tuesday started out a little strangely. I'm used to being up and ready to go by 9:30, because that's when Pastor Jay, Katie, and I normally meet for devotions. However, PJ was in Orlando and Katie was at work, so there was no one to meet with. I met up with a student for coffee in the morning, and then another student in the afternoon. Before I explain how the second coffee meeting went, I should explain that normally, this meet-ups right now are just to get to know the students. I'm not normally having deep spiritual discussions with them. But Tuesday afternoon, I had the most spiritual discussion I've had yet with a student who describes himself as "not religious." I really enjoyed our conversation, and I hope we are able to have another one sometime.
After that meet-up, I went out to be present on campus and accidentally came across a huge poster sale. It was interesting to observe which posters were popular. I think I heard "Game of Thrones" mentioned most often! I took a break in the afternoon and evening to read a book (yes, a whole book... that's kind of what I do), and then went upstairs to "rehearse" for Vespers. I had written out what I wanted to say, and I wanted to make sure it sounded normal when said out loud. I made some adjustments, and then went back downstairs to meet up with Katie and find out how her day had gone. We read a devotion together and had some great bonding time culminating in a spontaneous pre-birthday trip to Chik fil A for a cookie sundae. Delicious.
Now we're up to today... my 23rd birthday! When I first got up this morning, I opened my door and discovered that Katie had decorated for me. What a great roommate! She went off to work and I went upstairs for campus ministry prayer. After prayer, I went to visit Mel at Market Wednesday, which is SO much bigger than it was during the summer. It took me 5 minutes to find the booth she works at. We visited for awhile, and then I walked back to church while talking to my mom on the phone. I went to Firehouse Subs and got a free lunch, and then to Yogurt Mountain, which had coincidentally sent me a discount for today.
After delicious fro-yo I headed back to church and spent time contacting the remainder of the students on the Lutheran student list. (I had some major help with this -- Evan took the initiative and looked up the e-mails of everyone I couldn't find on Facebook!) I met up with Matt, our church administrator, and he showed me how to utilize the church databases. Then I went to do laundry to prepare for my best friend Jessie Hoepker coming tomorrow! I also picked up some donuts and fruit for the Interfaith Council meeting tomorrow. Around 5:30, I went upstairs and listened to the choir practice for awhile before my brother called to wish me a happy birthday. At 6, we wrapped up our conversation and students started arriving for Vespers.
We had pizza for dinner, and I was enjoying talking to Arlen, Larry, and Julie when I heard "Happy Birthday" being sung from behind me. I turned around and there was Katie, bringing me a giant cake with "23" candles! I blew out the candles and we enjoyed some delicious cake and brownies. Apparently, both PJ & Liz and Katie had decided to bring me birthday treats, and that's how we ended up with birthday cake AND birthday brownies. Best problem ever.
When we finished up eating, I led the group in discussion about the twin concepts of "covenant" and "kingdom." "Covenant" refers to our relationship with God, and "kingdom" refers to our responsibility from God. We were divvied up into three tables, and I had each table study one passage twice to demonstrate that these concepts are twins -- they're inseparable in God's Word. There's rarely a mention of what God's done for us without what he expects of us, and vice versa. I really enjoyed prepping and leading this study, and I was so glad to see such great discussion. Favorite moments: overhearing an enthusiastic "That's a brilliant idea!" from one table, accompanied by high fives; another table using the word "propitiation" correctly (and often); and one table being so engaged in discussion that I had to cut it short after 8 minutes.
(Also, "How's it going?" "It's going.")
We ended on a high note with more brownies and cake, and then Katie and I set up for the Interfaith Council meeting tomorrow and headed back downstairs. I was checking my e-mail, about ready to begin this blog, and then I got a call from my lovely grandparents. I talked to them for awhile and then was ready to start my blog again, only to see that my dad had called. I called him back and talked to him, and once we wrapped up our conversation, I finally began this blog. It's taken me an hour to write because so much has happened this week, and especially today! I am so blessed to have received 2 birthday packages (with food!) and numerous birthday cards and well-wishes. My friends and family are wonderful! Thank you to everyone who has helped me celebrate!
Two pictures again today. The first is the cup I painted at Paint-a-Pot with Mel and the second is my beautiful birthday cake!
This past week was so busy, the time log I normally write on one sheet of paper took up one and a half. On Thursday, we began the day with prayer and devo. Then I had my one-on-one meeting with Pastor Jay. Until I didn't have that time for a couple of weeks, I didn't realize quite how much I value it. If you've never had pastoral counseling, I would recommend it. Your pastor, well, he knows his stuff. Take advantage of it!
After my one-on-one, I did some preparation for my Vespers study and organized the list of Lutheran students we received from the university. Then I had coffee with a student and really enjoyed the conversation we were able to have. After that, I met up with my friend Mel at Paint-a-Pot, which (as you can probably guess) is a paint-your-own-pottery place on campus. We intended to stay just for an hour or so, but it turned into a four-hour excursion ending with dinner at Chili's. Yum!
On Friday, I spent a few hours in the morning contacting students from the Lutheran student list. I was able to find most of them on Facebook. I did more Vespers preparation, went to Yogurt Mountain with a student, and intended to do some more work afterwards... but I was full-out exhausted. I hadn't been sleeping well all week, so instead of trying to work more, I decided I needed a night off. Unfortunately, my night of relaxation became a little stressful when I realized there was no good place on campus to park my car during the game the next day, because I am not a student, faculty/staff member, or Booster. Those are the only people with parking options on campus on game days. In the end, I parked my car in the grass next to the church parking lot.
Speaking of, Saturday was Game Day! I got up in the morning to help set up for the tailgate, and then got my relaxation in before the tailgate started at 3:30. On game days, University Lutheran opens its doors for people to come in, use the restroom, eat some good food, and enjoy the air conditioning (and protection from the rain). I had tasty lasagna for dinner and was able to play some ping-pong, Clue, and Sorry. It was really fun! Once the game started, we closed the doors and cleaned up before everyone headed home. "Home" for me, of course, is downstairs. I discovered that we are close enough to the stadium that I can just walk outside and hear the announcer and the marching band. I could also hear the fireworks at the end of the game -- the first "boom" scared me half to death!
On Sunday, of course, we had Bible study and worship. (Gary and his new wife Jessica were there! Yay!) After worship, we had a student leadership meeting, which as usual ended at a local restaurant for lunch. Since Pastor Jay was going to be at a conference all week, the three of us met in the afternoon to plan out the week in advance. I finished up my prayer cards and spent some time contacting students before calling it an early night.
Monday, being my day off, started out by sleeping in. I desperately needed it. After I finally got going around noon, I did my laundry and went over to CHS for my weekly volunteer time. Instead of calling people to take surveys, I ended up stuffing folders, which fit my mood because it required much less thought! I got groceries and stopped by the library on the way home, and then attended the very first TrueLife Bible study. This is a study led by a few of the student leaders from University Lutheran. We played some icebreaker games and then spent time in discussion about how to make good friends on a secular campus. I was really impressed by the leadership skills of Austin, Caroline, and Evan. Great job, guys!
Tuesday started out a little strangely. I'm used to being up and ready to go by 9:30, because that's when Pastor Jay, Katie, and I normally meet for devotions. However, PJ was in Orlando and Katie was at work, so there was no one to meet with. I met up with a student for coffee in the morning, and then another student in the afternoon. Before I explain how the second coffee meeting went, I should explain that normally, this meet-ups right now are just to get to know the students. I'm not normally having deep spiritual discussions with them. But Tuesday afternoon, I had the most spiritual discussion I've had yet with a student who describes himself as "not religious." I really enjoyed our conversation, and I hope we are able to have another one sometime.
After that meet-up, I went out to be present on campus and accidentally came across a huge poster sale. It was interesting to observe which posters were popular. I think I heard "Game of Thrones" mentioned most often! I took a break in the afternoon and evening to read a book (yes, a whole book... that's kind of what I do), and then went upstairs to "rehearse" for Vespers. I had written out what I wanted to say, and I wanted to make sure it sounded normal when said out loud. I made some adjustments, and then went back downstairs to meet up with Katie and find out how her day had gone. We read a devotion together and had some great bonding time culminating in a spontaneous pre-birthday trip to Chik fil A for a cookie sundae. Delicious.
Now we're up to today... my 23rd birthday! When I first got up this morning, I opened my door and discovered that Katie had decorated for me. What a great roommate! She went off to work and I went upstairs for campus ministry prayer. After prayer, I went to visit Mel at Market Wednesday, which is SO much bigger than it was during the summer. It took me 5 minutes to find the booth she works at. We visited for awhile, and then I walked back to church while talking to my mom on the phone. I went to Firehouse Subs and got a free lunch, and then to Yogurt Mountain, which had coincidentally sent me a discount for today.
After delicious fro-yo I headed back to church and spent time contacting the remainder of the students on the Lutheran student list. (I had some major help with this -- Evan took the initiative and looked up the e-mails of everyone I couldn't find on Facebook!) I met up with Matt, our church administrator, and he showed me how to utilize the church databases. Then I went to do laundry to prepare for my best friend Jessie Hoepker coming tomorrow! I also picked up some donuts and fruit for the Interfaith Council meeting tomorrow. Around 5:30, I went upstairs and listened to the choir practice for awhile before my brother called to wish me a happy birthday. At 6, we wrapped up our conversation and students started arriving for Vespers.
We had pizza for dinner, and I was enjoying talking to Arlen, Larry, and Julie when I heard "Happy Birthday" being sung from behind me. I turned around and there was Katie, bringing me a giant cake with "23" candles! I blew out the candles and we enjoyed some delicious cake and brownies. Apparently, both PJ & Liz and Katie had decided to bring me birthday treats, and that's how we ended up with birthday cake AND birthday brownies. Best problem ever.
When we finished up eating, I led the group in discussion about the twin concepts of "covenant" and "kingdom." "Covenant" refers to our relationship with God, and "kingdom" refers to our responsibility from God. We were divvied up into three tables, and I had each table study one passage twice to demonstrate that these concepts are twins -- they're inseparable in God's Word. There's rarely a mention of what God's done for us without what he expects of us, and vice versa. I really enjoyed prepping and leading this study, and I was so glad to see such great discussion. Favorite moments: overhearing an enthusiastic "That's a brilliant idea!" from one table, accompanied by high fives; another table using the word "propitiation" correctly (and often); and one table being so engaged in discussion that I had to cut it short after 8 minutes.
(Also, "How's it going?" "It's going.")
We ended on a high note with more brownies and cake, and then Katie and I set up for the Interfaith Council meeting tomorrow and headed back downstairs. I was checking my e-mail, about ready to begin this blog, and then I got a call from my lovely grandparents. I talked to them for awhile and then was ready to start my blog again, only to see that my dad had called. I called him back and talked to him, and once we wrapped up our conversation, I finally began this blog. It's taken me an hour to write because so much has happened this week, and especially today! I am so blessed to have received 2 birthday packages (with food!) and numerous birthday cards and well-wishes. My friends and family are wonderful! Thank you to everyone who has helped me celebrate!
Two pictures again today. The first is the cup I painted at Paint-a-Pot with Mel and the second is my beautiful birthday cake!
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
All Heaven Breaks Loose
Hello, friends! Since last week's blog was so long, I'll give you a break this week and write something short and sweet. (But take that with a grain of salt, since the last time I said that, my blog was still long.) Awhile ago I blogged about a day in the life of a campus missionary. I gave you the caveat that it described what it would be like until the fall semester started and all hell broke loose. Well... all hell has broken loose, so here's what a day in my life is like now!
Morning:
(Also, am I a church basement lady now? Why yes, yes I am. They should write a musical about me.)
Only two pictures this week. The first is one that was featured on the Florida-Georgia District Facebook page; PJ and I are quite famous, as you know. The second is a picture I took my first week here of a small lizard very similar to the one I spent nearly 12 hours trying to remove from my apartment on Saturday. I admit that I am pathetic, you are allowed to make fun of me.
Morning:
- Wake up, shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, etc.
- Meet with Pastor Jay and Katie for our morning devotion
- (If Wednesday, meet with other campus ministers for some prayer time!)
- Discuss ministry matters with PJ and Katie
- (If Thursday, have my one-on-one meeting with PJ)
- Do ministry
- Sometimes, this is still desk work, like I described the last time I explained my day. For example, planning for the Vespers study I'm leading next week, reading "Building a Discipling Culture" or contacting students via Facebook or e-mail.
- However, the difference recently is that students are here and available now, and one of my main purposes is to build relationships with them. Therefore, a lot of "doing ministry" these days is meeting up with students for coffee or lunch and just spending time getting to know them on a personal level. I met with one student on Monday and have three more dates set up for the next two days!
- Eat lunch (with a student if at all possible!)
- Do more ministry (make more connections)
- (If Wednesday, meet with PJ, Katie, and church administrator Matt for a staff meeting; currently we are going through some questions about University Lutheran's upcoming annual focus)
- Be "present" on campus; yesterday, I sat in Oglesby Union and counted how many people walked by for half an hour. I counted 427, but given the huge crowds that went by at certain points, I'm guessing I saw at least 500. It really gives me perspective on the sheer number of students I have the opportunity to witness to.
- Complete assigned tasks; last week I finished up my flood relief bucket project, and Pastor Jay and I delivered said buckets to John Elliot
- Eat dinner; or, if it's Wednesday, attend Vespers! Tonight we had spaghetti and meatballs and discussed what it means to be in a discipleship huddle. I will expand on that more next week.
- Relax; or if it's Wednesday, blog about my week!
- Do something fun -- recently, that involves watching Full House and Friends on Nic @ Night and working on a puzzle
- Read and reflect on the Bible for my evening devotions
- Go to bed and (hopefully) wake up refreshed for another day!
(Also, am I a church basement lady now? Why yes, yes I am. They should write a musical about me.)
Only two pictures this week. The first is one that was featured on the Florida-Georgia District Facebook page; PJ and I are quite famous, as you know. The second is a picture I took my first week here of a small lizard very similar to the one I spent nearly 12 hours trying to remove from my apartment on Saturday. I admit that I am pathetic, you are allowed to make fun of me.
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