the last week in minneapolis...

the good-byes really started last spring as all the seminarians began to head out for various summer adventures. the last day of classes at luther we had our last chapel service. at that service there was a blessing and commissioning service for the middlers going on internship in the fall. a list was handed out with all the names of students headed out for internship and the churches they would go to. my name was on the list...i just didn't have a church. nor, did i know if i would get a church. i looked at my friend kari and asked if i should get the blessing. kari was not interested in my hesitation. she sent me down to the altar. i received the blessing with my peers, but felt out of place. i had almost given up on going anywhere. i almost began to cry as the blessing was said.

this past week i have been beginning the final good-byes before i load the kitties into my little car. needless to say, in may, i did not think i would get to do this. today, i got my blessing. this time it was a blessing that was, for me, filled with joy. my little church in minneapolis that i have attended since i first moved here in 2003, laid hands on me. it was the kindest thing they could have done. all the people that i have grown to love in the past few years gathered around me as jay prayed. one of the words that comes to mind is, "cozy." yes, cozy. it was so nice to be wrapped in those loving arms. a sea of warm faces looking at me. i have described this to people as like "receiving a giant hug from the congregation." i am not certain that other interns got such a wonderful send-off. i feel special to have had one.

the little church in minneapolis is called bethany. there have been a surprising number of seminarians and other graduate students for such a small church. four of us have left this summer for various adventures. three to begin grad school and myself to continue grad school. each of us had prayers said over us. i was struck today by how special i was made to feel. yet, i received what the others had received. isn't this what God does for us? the gift of grace is uniquely for me, but it is not any different than what God has done for anyone else. God makes us feel unique and special, yet this is a gift for all of creation. a little lesson in grace, from a simple blessing, done by a loving community.


me and jay

one set of good-byes that i have done is to my mentors. jen and jay have only been mentoring me for a couple years, but they have been a good support for the craziness of the dual degree. it seems strange to suddenly have a year in which they won't be near by. of course, in an age of email, they aren't that far away! still isn't the same.

this will be a crazy week. good-byes, cleaning, packing...and then travel!

it will be good.

Were books included in the moving costs?

I am moving from my cozy little home in South Minneapolis to Washington, DC! I always knew that I had a lot of books. I grew-up in a house with lots of books. I just seem to collect them. I thought I had managed to set aside about half of them to sit in storage for the year I am living in DC. Well...I have discovered that I may fill a small UHAUL trailer with just my books!!!! oops. just half my books! I can't imagine not hauling them cross country. It seems so sad to leave even a few behind in Minnesota. So, I have included a photo of my mountain of books. At least my new apartment is on the first floor. Everyone laughs at me when I tell them that I need to have a trailer, because of my books! I can't help it!