Internship Goes Wild

A few weeks ago I got thrown into my internship work like I never expected. My supervisor left for his sabbatical on June 16. This means I'm getting a taste of what it's like as a solo pastor, minus some of the things I can't do because I'm not yet ordained. Of course there are also a few things that the congregation has stepped up to do that the pastor normally does. Yet, it's given me a nudge (ok, maybe a shove) into my pastoral role. Someone said to me today, "You've really stepped up to be the pastor since your supervisor left." Terrifying. And awesome.

Anyway, he left on the 16th. I had foot surgery on the 17th. For 15 years I've had a bone chip hanging out in my big to joint. Over time it was joined by arthritis and bone spurs. The surgery removed the chip and cleaned up the joint leaving me with a still very inflexible but already pain free joint! I am forever grateful for the congregation which humbled me by taking such care of me while I was out of commission. I didn't stay there long though. I'm a terrible patient, though I tried really, really hard to follow the rules. I do want this procedure to work and be worth all the trouble.



Before

In those first two weeks on my own, foot surgery, and all, I had three deaths. Two were members and one was not a member but was at Gloria Dei when she had her initial heart attack. Again, thankful for the people of Gloria Dei who stepped up to the plate in an emergency.



 

 

 

 

 

 



After

Since all these events, things have settled a bit. I hope it stays that way. My own life has been crazy enough without the addition of crazy work. Great foot news however. This past Monday, July 15 (almost exactly a month after surgery), I got the all-clear to start running again. I've done half a mile three times this past week, very very slowly. The foot feels great, no opposition to running at all. The rest of my body on the other hand...

Then there's the planning for fall back at school. I've got several horse-y jobs lined up. I'll work and ride at Haywire Farms as before as well as doing some Pony Club, teaching and conducting certifications (formerly known as ratings), or skills and knowledge tests for members. I am joining the local Horsemaster's club, which I've heard referred to as "OPPC" meaning "Old People's Pony Club." I will do some of my own riding and competing this fall and hopefully also next summer, depending on the ifs/whens/wheres of receiving a call.

That leads me to the last big crazy of current life. There is a good chance I'll be bringing home another horse. I can't say too much on that now because it's not official and I don't have all the details worked out yet. If it all goes through, she will be a resale project...there's no way I can afford to keep three horses!

I didn't preach this morning but as I was sitting in my pew listening to the sermon, I was convicted. The gospel reading was of Mary and Martha. Martha is busy, busy, busy and distracted while Mary sits at Jesus' feet listening to him teach. Martha gets upset because Mary isn't helping her but Jesus scolds Martha for being distracted and praises Mary for choosing the better thing. Anyway, as I'm sitting there my thoughts go to how when I am leading worship, I am distracted by the details of leading, worrying about where I need to be at when and doing what. I am too distracted to actually participate in what I'm leading. Irony? Yet, the more I do what I do, the less distracted I get, thankfully. And, not to give Martha a bad time, there are things that need to get done. I think it is not a matter of doing the work but what the mind is doing in the process. Leading worship needs to be done. I can't not do it. But I can continue to work on letting go of the worry and distraction.  Is it possible to be Martha and Mary at the same time?

So, with only five weeks of internship left, I am feeling the bittersweet of the approaching good-byes, yet also the excitement of returning to Wartburg for a final year of classes.

Pax.

Dream Fulfilled: Spanish Riding School

And... for the final destination of my trip to Europe in May:

The Spanish Riding School



 

 

I had arrived too late Wednesday evening to purchase tickets to Morning Exercise and the guided tour so I made sure I was at the door when the ticket office opened at 9:00 Thursday morning. With an hour to wait I snooped the gift shop for a bit before we were allowed in the school. Of course having my nose in dressage books in the shop kept me from getting in line and I never did get a seat. Imagine, a building this size with only a very few places to even stand.

 

The School

 

 

The white stallions came and went as riders exercised and schooled each horse.  It was great training for my eye to watch the less advanced horses next to the well schooled, and the less experienced riders next to the more experienced riders.  Some were more correct than others, some just less educated.

 

Morning Exercise

 

 

And, there was a token female rider.  The dynamics between the men and the woman (I think in her late teens) were fascinating as well... in a very sad sort of way.  She was obviously not welcome among the men.  Only in recent years have women been allowed to apply to the SRS. 

 

 

Token woman.

 

Yet, having seen Lippizan performances in the USA and watching "Miracle of the White Stallions" over and over and over again, it has been a life-long (all 27 years!) dream to see the SRS and the Lippizan stallions in Vienna.  And there I was.  Then I got all emotional and choked up as I watched.  So unreal.  And it was far too amazing to follow the "NO PHOTOS" rule.  I got scolded once, but far fewer times than the people standing around me.  "Everyone else is doing it too!"  Ok, so that was bad, but I have some neat pictures of MY OWN.

 

 

Then I spent a small fortune at a little artist's shop down the road.  She had beautiful watercolors of the Lippizans.  I bought enough prints that she gave me a small one free.  Someday I'll have this series of prints framed and hanging on my office wall. 

 

 

 

 

 

Stable area

Stud Muffin in his stall

Stud Muffin II



Tack room... where the tack was NOT Pony Club clean.

 

A day I will never, ever, ever forget.

 

Pax.