Gobble Gobble!

It is a busy day here at Zumbro... well for me anyway.. since I am in charge of tonight's pie social following the service. I have a great sign up sheet of people bringing a total of 34 pies... whoa baby! AND... while we were having our staff meeting this morning, people were still calling in asking if they should bring a pie for tonight or not.... as well as pies are already starting to arrive...
It is going to be a big day! HAPPY PIE DAY!

I feel a little overwhelmed with all that will entail tonight and this weekend;
1. Setting up for the pies, coffee, and cider
2. Delegating jobs to the kids that signed up to help prepare and serve
3. Run over my liturgy for the service for tonight
4. Picking up a birthday present for my sister to give to her tomorrow
5. Packing for the Thanksgiving weekend
6. Running over liturgy for Sunday's service

The list could go on and on....

In this hectic time I am needing to slow down, be thankful for all the opportunities I have this holiday season, take one task at a time, and be present in the moment!

I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving with family, friends, turkey, and fun traditions!

Blessings,
Mollie

Norwegian Traditions!

Since I am half Norwegian I am fitting right in with all the Scandinavian traditions that are taking place at Zumbro right now. One of my first posts was about rolling out lefse for the Bazaar, and now today I got to experience making all different kind of Norwegian cookies... Rosettes, krumkaki, and Fattimund. Each cookie is a certain kind of dough and needs to be cooked in a certain way, for a certain amount of time!
My family always has Rosettes and krumkaki that my dad makes each year so I do have SOME appreciation for it. It as just great to be around such wonderful, fun, talented Scandinavians! What a way to start the day! I included some pictures from the morning! ENJOY!

Sandy, Jo, and Jean making Krumkaki!It takes a special iron and roller to get them to look like this!!

Dorthy and Jean..giggled the whole morning!Fattimund.. deep fried with sugar...the dough is made with rum or brandy...
Rosettes... deep fried... my personal favorites!Harvey was put in charge of sugaring...of course!
We called this corner~ Sugar city!Don't they look so tasty!

Hope you have a good week. I am off to enjoy the weekend filled with seeing Amanda who is home from Korea, spending some time with Dave, maybe do some Christmas shopping, and start preparing for next weeks busyness of Thanksgiving and PIE SOCIAL which follows the service! I have 24 people signed up to bring a pie or 2... there is going to be A LOT of pie!!

Thanks be to God for all the blessings in my life!
Mollie

I HEART ABBA!

So this last Thursday a few of us from church staff went to the Bjorn Again; the ABBA experience!
They sang all the best ABBA songs, they looked like ABBA... it was a blast.
We started out the night by going to a Japanese steak house called Janpachi! So tasty... steak and shrimp and fried rice... mmm can't go wrong.

Laurie, Annette, Rachel and I all piled into Laurie's car and started driving downtown to the Mayo Civic Center with our boas! The car ride itself was a hoot because we noticed Laurie was driving with her trunk open for a good mile... Annette's laugh alone was hilarious. Such a perfect experience to get us even more excited for the ABBA Experience.

We ended up sitting in the 5th row... but no one around us was dancing...BOO... how could you NOT dance to ABBA music? There was a group of ladies on the second level above us shaking their groove things.. we almost left to go up there... until.....
About 2/3rds into the concert a conga line of women started doing dancing laps around the arena. We latched on the end once they started singing MAMA MIA... made our way to the front and stayed there the rest of the concert... IT WAS AWESOME!
Room to dance, sing, touch hands to the singers, and make eye contact with the handsome guitar player!

Once the concert came to an end we danced our way out to YMCA. 2 couples that were behind us most of the concert wanted our boas to take home... so one gave me $5! NICE! I then figured out 1 of the couples were Gustie grads!!! COME ON YOU GUSTIES! FIGHT ON FIGHT ON...

We ended the night with an outing to Whistle Binkies... a fun hopping place with amazing popcorn and beer from all over the world...

It was a great night!
How I love the adventures in Rochester!

Happy Thursday!

Well it has been another busy week. I can't believe it is almost Thanksgiving! That means 3 month evaluations for internship will be due... and I JUST finished my Learning Service Agreement... AKA... my goals and objectives for internship this year. I wanted to keep them rather general since I am doing a variety of learning and ministry here at Zumbro!
Here they are for those who are curious.
1. To develop my style of teaching and leadership
2. To learn and understand the variety of worship settings
3. To grow in my ministry of grief and dying.

These are areas in which I am not as familiar with or areas I feel I want to work on. Ways to do this will be using my resources of books, asking questions, getting involved in planning, teaching, and preaching, as well as simple conversations with my parishioners and staff members.

What else.... the weather I have decided needs to make up its mind... we are in the in between stages of fall and winter where it is just wet and gloomy... it truly is affecting my mood and attitude, not to mention it's getting so dark so early! So although we complain...its time for snow... in moderation. Right?

Tonight some of the fun ladies on staff and I are going to a Bjorn Again, the experience of ABBA concert here in Rochester... we plan to go all out with boas, dinner at a fun Japanese steakhouse, and who knows what else! We got tickets for 5th row.... I have a feeling it is going to be a good night! I will make sure to get pictures posted shortly following the festivities!

Finally, I have been reading a Max Lucado daily devotion called "Everyday Blessings". Each day it gives a short scripture and a thought to go along with it. Although I do ministry everyday... my supervisor is very encouraging to have personal devotion time for me for which I am very grateful. I thought I would share the one for today on here since it really hit home today.

They sinned against me, but I will wash away that sin. Jeremiah 33:8

The next time you see or think of the one who broke your heart, look twice. As you look at their face, look aso for His face- the face of the One who forgave you. Look into the eyes of the King who wept when you pleaded for mercy. Look into the face of the Father who have you grace when no one else have you a chance... And then, because God has forgiven you more than you'll ever be called on to give to one another, set your enemy- and yourself- free.

Another day...another week

It was a busy weekend for me again. I am realizing how much I have to do in the next few weeks... but at the same time... I am realizing that I do need down time...alone time... time with friends, family, and Dave of course.
I preached yesterday on the Matthew text 25:1-13. It was all about being prepared for the coming of Jesus... as I was preaching I was thinking to myself, am I prepared? What am I doing each day to fulfill my readiness in case Jesus shows up today? Tomorrow?
I need to be prepared by being intentional... in my actions, words, ministry, in EVERYTHING! Sometimes life feels like a giant check list... at least right now it does. I want to be intentional; remember, learn...soak it all in as opposed to getting by... or getting through another day or week of internship.
Along with this I am trying to be in the present. I am such a futuristic person; always worrying about what is next, what to prepare for... I am missing out on the RIGHT NOW... There is so much to be grateful for in the present.
My family came down yesterday for my sermon.. our Christmas card picture was taken in Zumbro's sanctuary... and I had to wear my Alb... ick... but my parents were insistent.. so I did.
It felt good to see the pride my parents and sisters had. THANKS!
We all then went to Red Lobster for lunch... MMMM.. ultimate feast! So tasty! Crab legs, lobster, shrimp.. cant go wrong!

So its the beginning of a new week.. to be intentional, prepared, and grateful in the moment.

Until next time.
Mollie

I know....its been a while...

Yes... I haven't blogged in about a week now.. my apologies... it was a busy weekend of Halloween... the theological conference in Mankato, and then teaching confirmation last night, and now preparing for my sermon on Sunday.... busy little bee I am.... but that is the way I like it!
So here are some highlights of my last week...
1. Halloween was a blast at home...Dave and I dressed up as Ceiling fans.... yes we had shirts that said.. GO CEILINGS!!! get it.. ceiling....fans... WHOO HOO!!! GO CEILINGS!! And I got to see little Addison Rose in the cutest witches costume ever!! I just wanted to squeeze her she was so cute! Praise to you God for the Kuntz family and the love I have for all of them!

2. The South Eastern Synod Theological Conference was good. There are some super fun pastors in this Synod. Lots of socializing, listening to a speaker on the psalms, having lunch with Bishop Huck, roadtrips with Seyward, and having my own hotel room. I have to admit.. now that I live alone I really am enjoying my alone time when I have it. Youa re with people all day in the ministry... which I LOVE... its where I find my energy and passion...I love my job, but I now appreciate the alone time when I go back to my apartment... it is MY PLACE.... so having a hotel room to myself.. I could retreat back to me time if I needed it! Thank you God for times of solitude to be one on one with you!

3. I also got to go back to Gustavus to visit.. you know since I was in Mankato.... the bookstore was a must.. although I only bought window stickies for my new car.... shocking.. no clothing! I am shocked at myself! I got to see many from Mount Olivet... and I think I saw Grady St. Dennis about 5 times.. on and off!! WHAT A GREAT TRIP! PRAISE GOD for Gustavus and all who attend there now that I love!

4. The staff got trained in First Aid yesterday... always good to refresh on that. Now I am set for three years!! So if anyone gets hurt around me... I got you covered. As a staff we had a good time with it. Lunch after at Twigs... and apparently they have a great butternut Squash ravioli.... I did not get that, but I think I will for next time. I really am enjoying the staff here at Zumbro. Everyone works so hard at keeping this place incredible.. and I am learning more and more about them each day. Of course no one is perfect.. but as a whole... we all are lovin our positions here at Zumbro! Thanks be to God for Zumbro staff!

5. Well I taught confirmation last night... I was totally prepared with an outline to teach on forgiveness... until Rachel clued me in that I was teaching on " hollowed be thy name"... I was ahead by like 2 months. OOPS... but I took sometime to whip up a new lesson from the hear we stand program. WE talked about the importance of names, what they mean, (Mollie means bitter....) and the many names we have for God. I showed this video from you tube and I think they liked it.. It is a video from Mark Schultz called I AM..... showing images and names of God!
"If a friend came up to you, only had 10 seconds to talk, and didnt know anything about who God was, what words or actions would you use to describe God?" My favorite answer was.... " NO matter what he love you, forgives you, and is always with you... how cool is that?" These kids ROCK! Thanks be to God for our names.... his holy name.... and our words and actions to keep it holy!


Alright... that is enough for now. I promise to be more regular with my posts. I am off to format my sermon so it is in big enough print to read and glance at for this Sunday! My whole fam is coming down to hear me so I am really excited!

Until next time..... Blessings!
Mollie