Hot Tubs Make Me Feel at Home...Among Other Things

On Sunday I preached like I do every other Sunday, but this time it felt super familiar.  I am getting used to my church yes, but this time it was almost like I was back in Chicago...oh wait is that the honorable Terry and Karen Baeder in the crowd?!?!?!  Terry, on staff at LSTC, was visiting my internship site before heading up to lead our cluster retreat for interns and intern supervisors.  So maybe this should have been scary or nerve racking, but the trick was that Terry and his wonderful wife, Karen, attend church at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection where I did my ministry in context last year, an almost part time internship lasting about 7 hours a week.  So when asked if I was nervous, I was able to respond, this is not the first time they have heard me preach.  In fact they have heard me preach at least 5 or 6 times...so for me this was comforting, not one, but two friends in the crowd, who have given me critique and support all last year.  I felt at home, and not just because the weather is getting colder, but because it brought me back to all the experiences last year that prepared me to be an intern.

Now the retreat itself was amazing, getting to meet other interns and supervisors, and hearing about what everyone was doing.  I loved it, but the highlight for me was the hot tub!!!  Now in WI, the best part about hot tubs was when it was cold out, we would jump in them and be able to be outside even though it was not appropriate swimming weather.  And it just so happened to be 52 degrees out... so Monday morning I crawled out of bed and got in the hot tub before breakfast and later in the evening with some other interns we went back in there and chatted it up.  This was just a perfect addition to a wonderful couple of days, and I appreciate the willingness of the two Ohioans from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Bob and Ethan, that joined me in remembering their baptism!