A blog post by Terri Elton
Image Credit: Spring Scene with Liverleaf by Randi Hausken on Flickr
Some days I’m not sure which hat I’m wearing …
There are days, in the midst of a meeting, I get the “mom I need you” text and suddenly I’m transported from my work agenda to caring for my kids.
There are times when I’m creatively and passionately trying to figure how to make one of the deep truths about Christianity come alive — like talking with my group of 6th grade boys about prayer — and I’m both grounded in 2014 and traveling across time.
And there are moments, like yesterday, when the sun breaks open in the sky, the snow banks almost disappear before my eyes, and I’m simply drawn outside for a walk … a long walk which lets spring sink into my soul.
For whatever reason, this season, more so than others, is filled with moments that seem disconnected. One minute I’m reflecting on Lent, another minute a friend or family member needs me, all while I’m trying to stay focused on the larger project I’m working on. Maybe you’ve experienced some of these tensions in your life and ministry. Maybe your world jumps around … and while you long for connections, the connections aren’t always there or evident.
Then the next few weeks of posts are just for you. Call it a grab bag, a free-for-all, or the Spirit at work, but for the rest of Lent (which translates into March and most of April), we will be posting musings, thoughts, and ideas “in process.” The common thread, they are all Luther Seminary students.
So join us — comment on the musings, share them with colleagues, add the resources you know of and/or reflect on them in the midst of ministry and life.
Author Bio:
Terri is passionate about young people and their families, and loves the church. No really! She’s our Associate Professor and teaches with an eye toward developing leaders and leading change. She also serves as Director of the Center for First Third Ministry and hopes to help ministry leaders create environments that cultivate a faith that matters. Growing up in southern California, Terri discovered her love for the city, cultural diversity and the beach. You can usually find Terri running or biking the streets of Minneapolis/St. Paul, or wherever she happens to be. When not moving, she’s watching a movie with her husband or traveling with her two young adult daughters.
