why i love minnesota reason #....

i'm not sure what number we're at yet for reasons why i love minnesota. i went to the pharmacy the other day to get a prescription filled. the pharmacist looked at my health insurance card and exclaimed, "i want your health insurance!" minnesota care looks pretty good in minnesota...it looks REALLY good in the district of columbia. i am discovering that part of why the schools, social services, roads, etc are so bad is because the district is dependent on the federal government for their budget. yup. so, we gripe because we don't get the extra little bit from DC...folks here gripe...well, they just don't get anything to run anything. and they don't have any representation in the federal government. it is certainly odd.

i went to a lutherans concerned banquet last friday. it was nice to be around a familiar style of lutherans. pastor bradley schmelling was there as the keynote speaker. he is such a wonderful preacher. and so pastoral. i sat with the organist and some other men from my congregation. we had so much fun. it was decided i needed a title more fitting than vicar, but could not go without a title. i am waiting to see what they come up with! should be interesting. to the little ones i am vicar maggie. to the JAG officer i am vicar mags. yup...my new found friend is an attorney in the us army...and calls me mags...and she's kind of girly. i like contradictions. and when i have a tough day i get the army treatment, "is anyone shooting at you? no? well, then you are having a good army day!" certainly keeps things in perspective...

this past sunday i went to a soccer game for the team that two the confirmation boys play on. it was pretty intense. one of the boys could not play due to an injury. when he tried to explain the game to me a little, i got the funniest look when i asked which ones the defenders were. well, i wasn't sure!!!! i laughed. i realized that the boys are coming to the age when they are trying to differentiate from their parents. so, they try to ignore them. when i am with their parents they don't talk to me. when it is class time or their parents are doing other things the boys are much more willing to talk about whatever is going on. i get more than one word answers. i think we are starting to have a rapport. we have so much fun in class. the boys never stop moving...the whole hour they are in constant motion. but, the questions they ask are so wonderful! this week we started reading about abraham and sarah. one boy asked why we had to read all the names, then they wanted to know about righteouness and about geneaologies. And why didn't God just bless everyone to begin with? what is with the going through one guy thing? All good questions....and fun to talk about. the lay person that helps me out calls it a "mini-theology class." i wish everyone could have that much fun teaching.

i preach this sunday for the first time. it is a long weekend, so many people will be gone. it makes me a little sad. since a few of the people i have begun to have relationships with will be gone. there will be plenty more sermons, though. it is good for people to rest and take care of family.

i think that is that. the kitties are well. no escapees in recent days. it is still too warm and humid here for my minnesota blood. i think i will make it though! :)