lost

those of you who read this who served on summer staff '08 at lakeview will automatically think "lost, so lost"...and that's what i was...lost-i even sent a text to a friend saying something along the lines of "i think it should be illegal/impossible to get lost on the way to church"...my church experiences since i've been at lutherhaven have been interesting...
-one random visit to a baptist church down the road with the camp family (random because we planned to go to their church-but had a last minute change of plans)
-a sunday where i thought i was going to an lcms church, but got stared down by some women at the church which i thought was the lcms church-a closer look told me it was the church of the nazarene. woops. i then went next door to the lcms church-which used all wisconsin synod materials.
-aboite lutheran-i got lost. miserably. and i was late. miserably. but it was all part of one of the best weekends i've had in a long time and i was determined not to be distraught. i made it, caught the last few minutes of the sermon, sat through communion, and headed out at the end of the service, but went back for the monday night service. a pastor and a church which are very real...they aren't concerned with labels (like synod) or what other people think-in fact, free thought, real fears, and explanations of life seem to be encouraged. mmm. on the way out, a lady stopped me and very honestly said she was excited i was there. i was too. instead of shaking hands, the pastor hugs people on their way out. he took one look at me and opened his arms even wider. i was thrilled. instead of trying to learn my name and things about me, he simply said "i hope it was worth your time"....wow. i think that was neat. definitely shocked me. but i enjoyed it. it was all entirely interesting because it wasn't the familiarity of the service, the over-welcomeness, or the content of the sermon that hooked me. usually it is...but overall i just enjoyed it.
it was worth getting lost to find...and go back twice.