Hyde Park and Goose Island

As strange as it is to be back in Hyde Park for a few days packing up the last remaining bits and pieces of my apartment and saying hellogoodbye to friends... it has been healing. This place, or rather, these people get me. I got to be myself in this space. I was loved for myself. AM LOVED for myself.

I couldn't think of any place better to process my interview than here. I grabbed a few beers at Goose Island last night with three friends who are all yet-to-be-ordained seminary friends. It is good to be amongst those who get what this crazy process is like. To get what it means to be un-ordianed but still doing ministry. To get what it is like to go interview at churches and simultaneously imagine yourself there and find it impossible to imagine that future.

I've spent the last four years... or maybe the last eight... thinking about where I would find a place for my first call. Driving through Wisconsin on the way to and from MT and then again to MN for a wedding August last year... I felt some stirring. Like I wouldn't mind ending up in Wisconsin of all places. Perhaps it was hearing my friend Sally talk about it. Or visiting her and my friend Carolyn. WI became a place where my heart felt safe and happy and curious.

So when it came time to fill in bubbles on a big document about where I wanted to go, the five synods in Wisconsin were clicked. And after hearing months later that I was in the South-Central synod of Wisconsin, my heart was rejoicing. I had a place!

Fast forward to 5 months later to my third church interview. This is after drifting around the globe for two months plus. After being "rejected" by two other churches. I felt like I had no place. At least all of my stuff now lived in a storage unit in central IL. But I was so nervous that I barely ate anything all day. My stomach was a mess. I couldn't form sentences. I was sending out prayer requests like no one's business.

The interview went well. Really well. I'd say most of the people liked me. Their questions were great. Their answers to my questions were great. I enjoyed my evening with them. Thanks for all your prayers and questions and for giving me time to process!!!

I'm looking forward to finding out Sunday. ;)