Is it Spring yet?

So, I'm thinking to myself "is it ever going to stop snowing and show us a little Spring?" Yup, it's snowing again in Dubuque. This is nothing new, we've had record snowfalls in Dubuque this winter with a few snow days of many inches.

I'm going to cheat Spring a bit by traveling to California, Anaheim to be specific, for the ELCA Youth Ministry Extravaganza. This is a fun Annual event that brings together those involved in youth ministry, seminary,specialty organizations and such. It's continuing education, fellowship, networking and interaction under one roof. It would be neat to meet YOU there, but if you're not going, just know that I intend to wear a pair of shorts outside and laugh at Dubuque winter.

On yet another note, it seems as though the little kitten we have been fostering since early November may be working on us to adopt him. He's had major health issues, so much so that some at the Dubuque Humane Society thought he should be put down. Happily we won the day and kept nursing him to health. He still has a little bit of an eye issue, which he may have for the rest of his cute little life, but worse than that, he's REALLY LOVEABLE and I'll be danged if I can resist him. He's a munchkin of a kitten, just now getting to the 2lb. mark that his little friends reached in mid December. We'll see, if you are on Facebook, you can pet him (virtually of course) and see his picture.

That's it for today, this week we are battling more snow and the arrival of the flu at the Amlin Ranch. Say a little prayer for us, won't you?

Peace,

Paul :o)

Happy New Year [an obligatory reflection on 2007]

Happy New Year Everyone!
I thought I'd take advantage of my early wake up today (New Year's Day) to publish a blog post about the past year. I haven't been very good about blogging, deferring to time spent on my own web site, I hope you've enjoyed following things there, and listening to my Podcasts of sermons I've preached on internship. So, here it goes..

Last January I went to Seattle for a J-term course on the emerging church and what it means to be the church in a new, post-Christian environment. It was interesting, made more so perhaps by the group of people participating. January gave way to February rather quickly, and I got to visit my home and friends in the Tampa Bay area. I was there for the ELCA Youth Ministry Extravaganza and got to spend some quality time with friends. (of note, this February I'm off to Anaheim, CA!) Lorice and a friend from work joined the trek to Florida and a highlight for them was visiting Shamu at Sea World.

February also brought more Hebrew language. Aaaaargh! Need I say more? I have been humbled by a language, but I still passed [cue celebration music here]. Spring semester went by incredibly quickly and before I knew it, it was time for me to tackle CPE [Clinical Pastoral Education] and I spent my summer commuting back and forth between Dubuque and Davenport with a new, good friend named Adam. [he's currently serving as an intern in North Dakota - OUCH DUDE!] CPE was a very formative experience for me, challenging and fulfilling all at once. Next, time for my pastoral internship to begin! I'm serving a two-point parish in rural Iowa. I entered internship wide-eyed and wondering what it would be like. Shortly after I arrived, the Associate in Ministry [Barb, who rocks!] took a medical leave to have surgery, what was to be 6 weeks turned in to an extended absence, she won't return until March. This has been good for me in as much as it has allowed me to preach more than I would have otherwise.

Family wise, Uncle Stevie has started working for Goodwill, he's still going to school each Monday morning, and he's learning what it means to "live" for the first time as an adult. Taylor is a senior in high school, I told him at the beginning of the school year that his senior year would go by very quickly, just the other day he agreed. Lorice has been busy working and has had an interesting year serving as the executor of her great aunt's estate. Clearing out her aunt's house was a whole story in and of itself.

At the end of the year we got back into fostering kittens. We had done this in Florida for several years, but only just got the chance in Dubuque. Cute kitties (what else would you expect of kittens who are a couple of weeks old and need to be fed by a bottle!). That litter went back for adoption, but the bonus kitten we got a week in to the other litter, is still with us. He's a little guy, a midget among kittens if you will. He's gonna be tough to part with, aaargh!

I'll keep my web site updated, and I'll keep posting sermons as I preach them. I look forward to hearing from all my friends in the coming months and I pray you all will experience a blessed new year.