A Real Oasis in Texas

So this year coming into Texas for internship, my personal biggest fear was that I would never see a Packer game and worse, I would be surrounded by Dallas fans.  A common fear for most Wisconsin ex-Pats, but that is why the Packer bar was created.  A heavenly place where fans of the Packers can congregate and be united when so far from Wisconsin and our beloved Green Bay Packers.  You can look them up online or you can stumble upon them like lucky old me.

I was driving to a nursing home to help put on a afternoon church service, something I had done a lot a couple summers ago, so I was glad to help out.  I did realize that the Packers were playing their first game that Sunday, so I was hoping to catch the second half somewhere on the way home.  While I was driving I had decided I would return home and skip the first game, but on the way I looked to my left and saw green jerseys.  Some jerseys said Matthews, others Rogers, and one Favre (ended up being his first name was Favre, true fan!).   Did I just stumble upon a Packer's Bar?!  I did not have time to stop and went on my way with renewed excitement.  About 2 hours later, I started back the way I came with the new goal of finding that place, hoping it was not a mirage in the desert of Cowboys and Texans fans.  At every corner I searched for my green and gold brothers and sisters, until finally I spotted my soon to be Packer family.  Quickly parking I came in the door with none of my usual attire, no Packers jersey, no Packers overalls, not even my green and yellow shoes.  I arrived and was filled with awe at opening the door to a rowdy room full of TVs and screaming fans.  So much green, so much yellow, they were even selling bratwurst and cheese curds for that at home feel.  I quickly put in an order for some food and as I mingled I was quickly assimilated and became part of the group.  Cheering, high fiving, and booing in unison.  Conversations quickly turned to, "why did you leave WI" and, "how long have you been gone?"  Soon it turned to, "will we see you next week?"  In less than an hour I had become a part of Billy's on Burnett, my true oasis
This place matters so much to me not because I love the Packers so much, but they remind me of home and they accepted me before they met me.

The same is true for seminary.  As much as I love Austin, I find that I miss LSTC, my classmates, and all the familiarities that my last two years have been built upon.  I miss feeling like a part of the group.  That connection was so quick I felt it when I arrived at LSTC the first day.  I was reminded me of a different Lutheran/Christian home and they seemed to accept me before they met me.  That kind of bond is hard to find, and to make such a bond in less than two years, speaks to the community at LSTC and what I am excited to get back to.  I have a wonderful year until I do though, and I will focus on making the most out of Austin, Texas, but for the time being...I have my Packer Bar!

#46 in Austin

A gift from vicar number 44 Carolyn Albert

Even the chips have Texas pride!

Pack your cowboy hats and boots?  Not really, better to pack loose fitting clothing and ear plugs!  Although when we think of Texas, maybe we think about a big cowboy saying, "Howdy partner!"  But here, with the slogan being "Keep Austin Weird" I find out they have the most restaurants per capita and everywhere you look it seems you can find live music.  I am excited to take part in eatin some BBQ and finding that new band no one has ever heard of, and I am sure I will do my part to keep Austin weird, but I have a bigger job to do in Austin.  I am the 46th intern or vicar as they like to call me at First English Lutheran, and yesterday was my first day in the office.  I spent a majority of the time looking over paperwork for the coming year, finding out when I preach and what special responsibilities I may have throughout the year as the vicar (lead a talent show on Shrove Tuesday?!).  I was feeling a little daunted by the number 46 and worried about what I could ever do to be original.  I have never heard of a church so committed to the internship process and making it a ministry of their church for so long.  But after I realized how relaxed Austin is, I was able to see that First English was and is a place that could create great leaders, and all the while Austin cultured them at the same time.  I appreciate that opportunity and feel blessed to be on this journey with my supervisor, pastor at First English, and former vicar at First English as well, Mike Coffey.  Already showing support by taking me on a driving tour of Austin which included lunch at an Austin favorite, Mike has even had me over to his house and fed me his soon to be famous Hatch Chile (very popular down here) Queso!  I also was greeted in my apartment with a bag of Texas goodies from the vicar committee including some chips and salsa, but not to be out done by any other chips, the chips were shaped like Texas!  I feel lucky to have encountered such an amazing church built on such an amazing culture as Austin.  I hope to remember such lessons in hospitality in my own life and ministry here and wherever I go.

Aww 'shucks'

I have a classmate, David, from Louisiana, and his parents came up for a vacation this week. With them they brought 20 lbs of shrimp (heads on, of course), several kinds of sausage, jambalya, and the crowning glory, Oysters! Now, I had never had oysters till January of this year. Louisiana Oysters were way less salty than the French oysters I had, and as David's mom said 'they're uglier too". It's true that they had muscles and seaweed attached to them, but to me that just made them unique.


Now the fun part about these oysters is that they came all closed up. Like good, helpful seminarians, we all pitched in to help cook and prepare the food. The time came to shuck the oysters, and since I always like an adventure I thought I'd give it a go. Those wiley little things are practically cemented shut and *graphic detail ahead* you had to stab them in the back, which surprises them enough to open up...then you have to cut the muscle attaching the oyster to the top shell, and voila! an oyster on the half shell.

Some of them we served charred over the coals with a hot pepper butter, and others we had raw on the half shell...my favorite! I learned that the Louisiana way of eating them is on a cracker with lemon juice and hot sauce. I prefer mine with just lemon and right out of the shell, but either way, they were great.

Now the best thing about all of this, even better than all the shucking I got to do (which I'd love to do again!) is the hospitality that David's parent's showed to us. It seems like a lot of the time in this job we get to provide hospitality for others, something which is really important, and something which I particularly happen to love. But I also know that those moments of being able to receive hospitality (even by helping shuck a little) are always life giving moments for me. They help connect me to part of a larger story of the Christian faith and witness, that we are all meant to share God's love to others, to be hospitable with God's love.

For some people that is praying for people, for others it is making the perfect latte, others show hospitality by smiling to strangers, and others...by showing up with pounds and pounds of Gulf Coast food. All are good, all are heartfelt, and all show God's love to others.

What are moments of hospitality that you have ever received? Given?