The bittersweet in between

Most are describing this last month of internship as bittersweet. It seems fitting. After one spends an entire year loving people and doing ministry with them, it isn't easy to pack up and say goodbye. And yet, the pulls to leave are strong. For most of us, internship is not our ideal ministry setting. We are longing to return and discuss the experience with our fellow interns. We are longing to have absolutely no where we have to be for a month of Sundays. We are longing to experience the bliss of not one but FOUR services in the chapel led for us (and sometimes by us).

So we want to leave and we want to stay. Welcome to the last month of internship. I'm trying to comfort myself in trusting that God's plan is great and in many cases, I will come across these people that I love again. The Lutheran world is quite small, after all. As a matter of fact, a good friend here is best friends with a woman I hope to meet in Chicago whom several of my good friends know already. (*Starts humming "It's a Small World"*)

So as the bittersweet continues to linger, I am packing and making some intentional plans to celebrate my time here. And, ya know, doing a funeral today, preaching and leading worship tomorrow, continuing my bible study on the parables...