While I could work from home, it is good to be on campus for interactions. I’m trying to front load the Swedish these next two months to be better prepared for when I’m in the classroom starting in November.
Tuesdays are chapel days with communion. As many of the students are preparing for ordination in the Church of Sweden and/or Swedish Evangelical Mission, chapel gives opportunities for the students to have valuable experience. (Johannelund has a reputation of developing really well prepared clergy.) An ordained pastor still has to preside over absolution, communion, and the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24-26).
It was good to learn that the Aaronic blessing is a clergy-only thing here, or else I would have no doubt transgressed the red line as my research on curses means discussion about the other side of the coin — blessings. Now, theologically, I have an issue with this red line, so we’ll have to see if my holy rebel (little rebel) kicks in some day!
They will still allow me–a non-ordained person–to preach, which has way more implications for theological craziness than simply quoting three Bible verses from Numbers! (After all, the power of the blessing comes from God, not the pastor.) I’ve been asked to preach for the Sunday morning, Oct. 2, of a young adult weekend retreat. At first I was not so sure this would be a good thing, but then an idea came to mind which seemed to match the objectives of the weekend and draw from my recent study of a passage from Numbers 14 (yes, Old Testament!). I wonder how many people have ever willfully chosen Numbers 14 to preach on! I see there are some sermons on YouTube, so I guess I’m no so crazy.
I came home for lunch and enjoyed a sandwich on our deck with wonderful sunshine.
Clas Ohlson is an amazing store where you can almost everything (except the kitchen sink). Think of Ace Hardware with the housewares, sport, camping, luggage, media and technology sections (without TVs) of Target, plus art and office supplies, and then throw in an introductory music section; yes, even drum sticks! It is humorously called, “The old man’s day care.”
There are some Swedish ways of life that are reflected in the Clas Ohlson catalog. I was looking for the kitchen sink, because I was curious if they sold a garbage disposal (the electric grinder in the drain of the sink). No, they don’t. At fika after chapel, I asked my co-worker, Elin, about this. She knew what I was talking about, but this young Swedish woman (probably late 20s or early 30s) said that she has never seen one in her life.
Elin is very comfortable and proficient with English. I find her wonderfully friendly and helpful. She is the one who passed on the bed that I have been sleeping on. Amazingly, I have slept through the night for the last couple of nights. That is unusual! I’m grateful for the good night’s sleep, because the days are filled with brain-draining work. So many things each day–beyond the language hurdles–need processing and interpreting. It consumes brain glucose and leaves me tired. The main reasons for heading home for lunch are:
- I have to get my body moving as I bike to and from my apartment, which is only about 4 minutes by bike ride away.
- I can take a Japanese power nap or “coffee nap.” Here’s the scoop on the benefits of a 15-20 minute nap, that I first read about years ago in WIRED magazine. And more on Wikipedia.
- One less cross-cultural event each work day to have to interpret and manage.
- It is cheaper to eat at home.
However, really, the introvert in me is still hesitant to have to go and navigate the lunch room and find people to sit with where I will feel like I’m not a burden with my beginning Swedish. I do navigate the two fika (coffee/tea breaks) each day, so I’m not hibernating in my office.
The afternoon included a conversation with my department head and my boss in helping to shape a proposal for a master’s program. I had developed a broad reading list and worked on selecting African womanist biblical interpretation readings for the course.
Time for Swedish and then off to bed.
With blessings,
Beth
Wow, I wonder if any of them have ever read The Family Blessing by Rolf Garborg! We practiced this regularly when the kids were small all the way to their teen years. A great blessing to our entire family. And the Swedish store link…I plan to look at extensively! Eye candy for me! 🙂