Love me like the world is ending

Just heard a song with that title by Ben Lee on my Travis Pandora station. This idea is a fascinating exercise in thinking about what matters most. It's also very sexy. What immediately occured to me is that Christian marriages should be great because that's how we should be living all the time. I guess this goes under the heading of "ideas to keep your feet warm" as I prepare for our wedding in--yikes--19 days.

Floating

Today, NPR seemed to be positive about the world. The Pope had changed his image in the US for the better. Two Dutch architects are building floating houses and prisons on water to cope with climate change. The truth about ethanol is emerging. George Bush is celebrating his way out of the White House, having a party with NAFTA this week.
Later in the morning, a co-worker told me about how on her water ski team, they have to tug the big jump they use down river from its storage site to their performance area every spring. So that it won't tip over, they tug it at 3 MPH and require people to sit on it while it's being towed, and they make it into a party every year, bringing beer out and enjoying the three hour trip.
How long can we expect to float?

The Lord's Supper

I was thinking today during mass about how it's at that momentous Passover before the crucifixion that the gospels record Jesus as "fully aware" that he was God's son, that he wouldn't be on earth much longer, etc. I was thinking about what it means to "drink the cup"--what it meant for Jesus and what it means for me, for all of us.
Next year at this time, I think I will be preparing to enter the Church.

Tired

When you live with 11 other people, you have to be creative about getting time alone. While most people live isolated, lonely lives (it seems) and crave time with others, by Friday night, all I can do is go to bed early, play spider solitaire, and listen to Joni Mitchell (For the Roses).

p.s.: She's a genius. I mean, seriously.

Frustrating Dilemma

So this year while I've been a fellow with the TFA, I've been thinking a lot about "leadership" and what it means. We invite many "leaders" to come out to our campus and speak to us about "leadership" and we read a lot of books and discuss many ideas, great and small, all of which have to do with "leadership."

I was talking to a friend today about how his Dad is so unhappy with his job, but it's one of the highest, most honorable positions in the country. Yet it causes him to be away from his family and the town where he grew up and lived all his life and he doesn't get to interact with people like he used to, but he's affecting peoples' lives more than he ever could have before and he's being a good leader and he's a great person for the job.

Where do we draw the line? If the world, our society, whatever, if life is set up so that being a leader of thousands/millions is a lousy, depressing job, why don't we change it and localize? Does being a leader nationally or internationally mean that you have to forsake family and friends and the comforts of a life where you know people locally, can be a member of a church and other civic organizations?

More on that some other time. That's just what I've been thinking about lately. Rage against the machine!

Valentine's Day

Better to start with no apologies.

I had such a great Valentine's Day this year that I've decided to out myself and my boyfriend. Poor Jonathan.

I'm dating a splendid man named Jonathan. He is very sweet and generous and intelligent. He is working on an organic garden and writing a new album of music. I really like him.

For Valentine's Day he sent me my favorite flowers (see below) and we went out to dinner. I felt as though I had never truly celebrated Valentine's Day before. If you've ever felt that you know what I mean and if you never have then you don't.

Get to the Point!

Oh, what a long absence from blogger-dom. Forgive me, dear readers and gird up for a long, intense nine months.

On Wednesday, August 30, I moved out to Osprey Point Retreat Center in Royal Oak, MD for a nine month fellowship with the Trinity Forum Academy. I'm going to be intensely busy, but I'll also have a lot to think about, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to share a lot of it here. Check out their site if you need more information on the program. A first official blog is to follow shortly.

If it looks like I have relocated to a palatial estate, it's because I have. In the best, homey, nautical, Maryland-ish sense.

Bienvenido a Miami

I'm in Miami, Fla. for the General Conference of the Brethren in Christ. For a small denomination, they've sure given me some sweet business travel opportunities. 2004 - LA area (well, Upland, Calif.) and now Miami.

Here's my reflection from last night's worship service, which is also featured on our official GC 2006 blog:

Wow. Worship on Friday night has divinely awesome. There’s this feeling, which I’ve been experiencing for this whole week, but which Warren highlighted tonight during his opening remarks.

Here we are: two distinctly different parts of the BIC who are “meeting” ostensibly for the first time, on common turf. General Conference and its traditions has been primarily Anglo for its entire life, but we’re in Miami now, so tradition and geography balance each other out.

Freddy, the worship leader is singing verses in Spanish and then English and everyone is fully embracing both. There is dancing, laughing, and smiles as wide as the Susquehanna. Here in this swanky, swanky hotel, the Latino suits and beautiful dresses meet the Central Pennsylvanian blue jeans and polo shirts and praise God together. It’s like heaven in here. When the Spanish comes up on the screen, the Anglos happily and eagerly sing it. And yet we do not do it for our brothers and sisters here; we do it for Jesus, for the love of this Savior we have all found.

Somehow, though we are all so different and have such varied experiences of what it means to be Brethren in Christ, we can feel it working. The first night is going ok; this is a marriage that will last, both sides of the family are running toward one another with open arms.

Eager, that’s what we are. This is not your mother’s General Conference, but this is our General Conference. And this is an event that won’t be forgotten; perhaps the first at which all parts truly felt fully free and welcome. How will we ever go back to Grantham, Collingwood, Upland, and Abilene the same?

A Funny Thing Happened...

A funny thing happened on my way to work about, wow, three weeks ago. (Sorry I've been out of touch, but I'm about to inundate you, dear reader.)

I passed a small construction site around the corner from my house. A new home is being built and I was surprised to notice how quickly the project has been progressing. And then I saw the answer: amid all the usual construction workers (white t-shirts, jeans, tims, hard hats) I spied two Amish men (wide brim hats, blue shirts--long sleeve, button down--, black pants, suspenders, beards, etc.).

Five minutes later, at the intersection of Derry and 17th, a latino man crossed in front of my car, possibly on his way to work. This was a grown man and he was wearing...a Harry Potter, Hogwarts backpack.

Somehow these events seem to inform one another. Thoughts?