November - Sometimes words are not enough. I feel this month’s article would be incoherent and ill-attempted if I tried to explain everything that has gone on the past month in seminary life. Things are a-bustle here, papers, meetings, group studies, you name it. It would take a phone call of probably an hour or more to catch up what all is involved, so I think I’ll spend this article to talk about how we keep things fun up here. So here is my Top Ten list for staying relaxed and fun (try these out if you can!):

• 10) Flag football tournaments with seminaries from half the continental USA
• 9) Playing ping pong in between or during anything located near a ping pong table
• 8) Charlie Chaplin movies when we should be doing reading for next week!
• 7) Talking for hours at picnic tables because it’s too nice outside (darn that weather!)
• 6) Group dinners (we’re Lutheran, can you blame us for a potluck?)
• 5) Defending statues from people who would attempt to decorate them!
• 4) Decorating said statues for large formal gatherings!
• 3) Eating lunch with faculty and staff (who are funnier than students usually!)
• 2) Debating college football and liberation theology in the same sentence
• and the number one way to stay relaxed and have fun for this fall season:
•    (1)APPLE CIDER AS MUCH AND AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!

I do not know what it is about the cider up here, but it works better than chicken soup on an upset stomach. Need to get through a rough project for work? Apple cider can help you with that. Want a nice way to wake up in the morning or a great way to curl up before bed in a nice comfortable recliner? Apple cider is the way to go. Thirsty? Guess what will help with that? Hot or cold, in a mug or straight out of the gallon (that’s how we do things up here), apple cider is the ticket! So when the fall season catches up with you, whether it be in the form of a cold and rainy day, a cold morning of your kid’s soccer game, or just simply a Tuesday afternoon in November, rest and relax and recuperate with a good ol’ cup of apple cider.

Cheers!
Jonathan Wolf