Happiness

There is just something wonderful and comforting about reconnecting with an old friend. Such was the case with me this weekend with my dear Kristina. While I was preaching at a conference near Knoxville, TN, she drove over to hang out (and hear me preach for the first time). Her humor saved me from the overly serious nature of the meeting-- a big gift indeed.

She is as real as they come.

When we first met our freshman years at Samford University, Kristina would tell you it took me a time to warm up to her spunkiness (which was my loss of course). However, when we became suitmates my junior year and shared an apartment senior year, the fun times began. Since then, we've been through a lot together... deaths of beloved family members, new significant others, and lots of travel. Over the past five years, we have vacationed with each other including major trips to New York City, Mexico and Italy. When we travel, everyone thinks we are sisters (Even though we are the same age, I always ask people which one of us is younger... and they usually choose me, go figure).Then, I was the maid of honor at her wedding last May. My dad did the ceremony. And, our families have mutually adopted one another as their "other daughter."

Yet, even as life has gotten all the more complicated for both of us in the past year-- Kristina has gotten married and started her own consulting business; I have worked hard to finish grad school and figure out what I'm doing with my life-- we have still found a way to connect.But, while phone calls are easy, face to face visits are much harder as we live states a way from one another.

So, this is why last Saturday was so special. Kristina stopped our conversation at one point to say, "Isn't it wonderful how hanging out it is as if no time has passed?" And I agreed. It is grand indeed. Happiness, in fact.

"My Prayer"

Often times people have asked me if it is ok to pray for strange things like healing for their pets or to find a good parking space at Wal-Mart, or even to not have their outside wedding rained out. "But, I’m just a preacher, not God" I protest. I really don’t have great answers to these questions. However, I’ve known some really wonderful people who have claimed prayer has aided them in all of these situations… but then again, I wonder, how is a parking space that important to the eternal workings of our holy God? I just don’t know???

But, I have to confess I do am adding to my prayer list something of this strange nature.

God, please don’t let my computer crash before I have a permanent job.

My 5 year old laptop is reaching the end of its life. It has been with me through so much. I’m actually kind of attached to it (even though the past year booting it up has taken more time than waiting for Christmas in January). I am addicted to all the things in life that my computer can give me: internet access, email and digital photo cropping, etc. But currently, there is one major problem that is as annoying as anything especially when there’s a deadline at hand.

It is what I like to call the flying mouse disease. The built in mouse on my laptop has developed a mind of it own over the past six months. It is a sickness that comes and goes. Symptoms include the mouse deciding on its own to flash back and forth across the screen at its own pace and it clicking on items on my desktop at its own discretion. (I even tried installing an external mouse like the one pictured to the right-- well, maybe not exactly--in order to fix the problem but it has helped me none). When the flying mouse disease takes affect there is nothing I can do besides shut the machine down and hope for a better computer day tomorrow.

In fact, as I have been writing this piece, the flying mouse has seemingly sensed that I was talking about him; thus making his appearance known to me yet again. It’s possessed I say, truly possessed. Maybe it is a good thing that I’ll be in the market for a new computer soon. I am NOT getting another Dell. (Their customer service sucks- I just have to put my two cents in here). Does anyone have any suggestions of your favorite PC machines? I am happily preparing for my big shopping day when I can lay down the flying mouse to its final resting place. AMEN.

Simple Thrills

I have to admit that one of the loves of my life is quite an unusual thing . . . a to-do list. There is just something thrilling to me about organizing my obligations onto paper and marking off my accomplishments as I go. Nothing is too great or small to go on a list of mine.

• Get car's oil changed.
• Find a better credit card.
• Learn Spanish before I’m 30.

This is all well and good until I’m in a season of life when I’m suppose to be resting from work and accomplishing tasks. No lists are required for resting. Resting should be about going with the flow, doing what you feel and in fact even nothing at all. But, I’ve never in my life been good at such things. I was the child who cried on national holidays because I couldn’t go to school. An extra day off totally threw off my routine and sent me into panic of what to do with the time. And I’ve carried such a sickness well into adulthood.

So this is why I am still making lists on my summer vacation. My friends laugh at me, but without them I seem to melt into the couch, feeling as if I’ve sunken and can’t get up. So, every week I pull out my to-do list notepad and plan the week with activities to keep me from thinking I have nothing to do. List items have included simple things like going to the bank, post office or even scrap booking. If it is on the list, I’ll find a way to do it even if it is something I normally dislike like housecleaning.

And while making lists for what some may call unimportant tasks, there have been some benefits to my insanity. When I was busy with school and a church job there were days I was rushing around like crazy that I no idea what it was like to be mentally present in the simple things of life.

I had forgotten how much I liked cooking. I had forgotten how nice it is when a friend calls you out of the blue. I had forgotten how wonderful it is to have lunch or dinner plans on a weekday.

Gratitude comes to life in me once again.

But, I don’t want to make my vacation life sound as rosy as some of your might percieve it to be. The grass does look greener on the other side. . .

There have been many moments this summer when I have been bored out my mind with my to-do list already complete hours before. I like doing meaningful work outside of grocery shopping. I like contact with people who can converse with me other than the 4 month old I’ve been babysitting a couple days a week. I like the thought of being in a work routine that doesn’t allow me to stay up as late as I want.

But, I know that this season will too pass. So, in the meantime I’ll keep making lists and see what outing I can enjoy tomorrow. . .

Ordination Summer

I was recently asked by someone what was keeping me busy this summer. After mentioning several random things, I said that I was traveling a lot especially since this was the summer of not of weddings, but of ordinations. The person whom I was with chuckled a little and said, “I guess that makes sense as this is the summer after you graduated seminary.”

Thus far I’ve been to two services of Div School friends with some others possibility in the works in the coming months. A couple weeks ago I attended my friend Mark’s United Church of Christ ordination here in Durham. And then this past weekend, I traveled to Memphis, TN for my friend and former roommate, Sarah’s ordination at the city’s First Baptist Church.

With both Mark and Sarah it was an honor to stand with them during their services not only because it was such a special day for each of them, but because I felt as though I’ve shared in the journey which they have both taken to respond affirmatively to their ordination vows.

I watched as Mark has journeyed through what it means to read scripture with new eyes and as a result has made some tough choices about his pastoral calling and denominational affiliation. I have watched as Sarah has read the saints of church history with new eyes as well and then began to take Jesus’ call to simplicity as authentic Christian witness for her own life. I saw her love of learning spring forth every time she came to our home excited about some new theologian or book she was reading, causing her to think about getting a PhD in Biblical Studies one day.

Truly, the beauty of seeing the Spirit shape a life in ways persons would have never imagined for them is amazing! This is probably why ordinations make me quite weepy. I told Kevin, who went with me to Sarah’s service, to make sure we had plenty of tissues on hand (however, among all the craziness of the schedule we forgot, oh well).

At Sarah’s service especially (just as I was at my current roommate’s ordination last August) I was overcome with emotions at several points. Hymns selections are especially moving to me. For example, I loved how we sang at both services a commitment song found current United Methodist hymnal: “Here I Am, Lord” which is based on Isaiah’s call to ministry. With Sarah in particular, I was moved as I as I watched her face throughout . . . to see how encouraged she was by community of faith present to support her that evening as she walked in the sanctuary, to see how her reverend grandfather’s ordination sermon spoke deeply to her soul, and to see her immediate family members and close college friends tearfully lay hands on her head and offer words of prayer and blessing. These were all moments of God’s presence screaming beautifully back to all of us that the Spirit is alive and well in the world. God’s spirit is continuing to draw God’s people to the call of vocational ministry. And, the because of this, I can testify that the church is in good hands.

So, as I continue on in my summer of ordinations, supporting colleagues of mine who are taking the plunge of the lifetime commitments to pastoral ministry, I know I will continue to find much encouragement along the way. In the end, ordination is not just about the candidate. It is for the church. So, it is good to see such dear friends covenant to God in such a powerful way as their lives are forever marked by an individual and corporate response to God’s call.

Why Blog?

It seems that recently I have had to explain to almost everyone in my life why I have a blog. Many people don’t understand why I would go to the trouble of writing as I do and much less posting my thoughts online. “Why write about your life for all the world to read?” or “Where is your sense of privacy?” I hear.

Well, for starters, I have a blog because it encourages me to be intentional about writing. (If I want to write a book one day, I have to start somewhere). Blogging helps me increase the productivity of the process of writing because I know that I have an audience. Knowing that you (whoever you are) read my blog from time to time provides deadline of sorts to keep me writing.

The strange part about it is that I do consider myself to be a private person. Boundaries and personal space are concepts that are important to me. There is much of my life that I do not share with the world or my larger community for that matter. Like most people I have an inner circle of friends and family that get to hear about the crap of my day in and day out living. So know that if I write about a topic on my blog, it is because I consider the material to be something that I would say out loud to anyone who wants to listen.

With this in mind, I have a blog because I’m the type of person in general who is very open to sharing my life with others. I don’t mind discussing what life lessons I’ve been learning lately or telling others about funny encounters I have had one a trip or during a major life event. Almost always, I feel at ease using personal examples in teaching and preaching. Yet even still, I often surprise myself in what actually is coming out of my mouth in front of others. For example, two years ago during a woman’s Bible Study I was leading, I remember telling an elaborate story I hadn't planned to about why I love grocery shopping so much. I found that it was a moment for all of us in the room to connect about something we have in common even though I felt vulnerable in doing it. Sharing about your own life can be a really good thing if done appropriately.

So, even though last fall I swore to several of my friends that I would never have a blog (Abby gets "I told you so" credit for this one), I am not turning back now. I actually really enjoy the discipline of it. Plus, it is a great way for me to provide updates for family and friends that I am not able to talk to all the time and connect with new faces such as those on the Rev Gals ring. (I have enjoyed getting to know several of you). So, let the blogging go on… and please excuse my spelling and grammar errors along the way. I know I’m prone to make them frequently. I’ll need an a great editor for that book I publish one day :)