February 29

Technology can be a great gift. I "saw" the council tonight and the staff this
morning. Although the signal cut out for council, it was good to "be" there for at least a bit of the meeting. It is good to still be connected to my Peace family.

It was absolutely gorgeous today. 65 degrees and sunny. T & I walked to meet J after class and there were students everywhere. Frisbee, guitars, hula hoops. It was one of those days the communications people must love. I loved the energy and delight. The elementary kids were adorable. Days like this energize and rejuvenate and bring great joy.

February 28

I finished reading the Winter 2012 Word and World on water this morning.  Church nerd alert: I love reading about baptism.  I love thinking about baptism.  I love remembering my baptism and talking about baptism.  I love being at church when someone is baptized, and it's particularly amazing to be the one who speaks the words "I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."  "I am baptized..." said Luther.  Good stuff.

We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon walk, talking and laughing together.  Justin made a delicious dinner.  Sometimes it's nice to have quiet days and just enjoy being together.  Sometimes we see God in the simple things.

February 27

Sometimes, our hearts are broken open.  With pain, with grief.  In utter shock and full of questions.  A school shooting just an hour away leaves me feeling numb and sick to my stomach.  How does this keep happening?  What can we do to make this senseless violence stop?  What can we do to help our students understand that they are loved, preventing yet another horrific day, yet another tragic death, yet another life ended even as it is really just beginning?  I just don't understand and have so many unanswered questions.  I fear that we become numb the more we become overwhelmed.  I fear that we have become too used to these things happening.  We cannot shrug these days off.  They are too real and, unfortunately, becoming too common, not just in this country, but around the world.  Tragic, violent death at the hand of another human being.  If we are created in God's image, why can't we see the beauty, the worth in one another?  What keeps us from looking at another person and seeing not an enemy, but a reflection of God's grace?  Sin, sin, the answer is sin.  I know the answer, but I still do not understand.

My faith tells me that we find God somehow in the midst of these moments, grieving along side us, comforting us in the midst of grief that is too much to bear.  And yet, the words of Psalm 22 echo in my head--"my God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"  And of Psalm 13--"how long, o Lord, will you hide your face from me?"  Deep, deep lament.  Questions.  So many questions.  Today, they're laments for all of us--why have you abandoned us?  How long will you hide your face from us?  I trust that God is not hiding from us, that God has not abandoned us, but that is hard to see on these days filled with despair.  That is hard to remember as the timeline is layed out and the news replays the events of the day.  As young people, not unlike the ones I love so dearly, gather to mourn the loss of innocence and the loss of life.  Today, as we do everyday, we need to watch for God.  We are not abandoned.  We are not alone.  I have to believe that God is grieving today, too.  And that, out of this deep darkness, somehow, there will be light.

February 26

One of the gifts of this year is the opportunity to worship at many different places. Today, we went to Peace, the American Baptist church in town. The music was eclectic, but wonderful. In lieu of a sermon, two students shared their experiences during J-term, one in Atlanta, one in Kentucky. I loved hearing their excitement and passion and the ways they are making real connections between life, ministry, academics, and faith. After worship, we chatted with several people, including a student considering the U of C, which allowed us to wax nostalgic about Hyde Park.

Though we hadn't seen many of the films, we enjoyed hanging out with friends to watch part telecast of the Oscars. I do appreciate the creativity and ingenuity. And Tree of Life (I think the only nominated film I saw besides Midnight in Paris. Pathetic, I know) was beautifully filmed. It's too late for soap boxes, but watching celebrities talk about "who" they were wearing was a huge and mostly disturbing contrast to listening to stories of Appalachia this morning. And yet, somehow, God finds it in God's hear to love all of us. That is perhaps the greatest miracle of all.

February 25

I finally went on the Oberlin Heritage Center tour today. It was fun to see the old furniture and knick knacks, but it was inspiring to hear the stories of abolitionists and feminists who made this town what it is. I was inspired by the ways our Oberlin fore-mothers and fathers lived out their faith in very tangible ways. They worked hard to establish a town that took equality--for all people--seriously. They took action to give many people a good education and thought long and hard about what it meant to live a godly life. I loved hearing the stories about the underground railroad and the establishment of the college, as well as stories about some pretty amazing alumni. It is truly a historic town and the ways that ideas continue to be cultured and grown is very exciting. It is good for us to be here...

February 24

I had a beautiful conversation today about where art comes from. From somewhere within. We talked about watching a painter begin with a blank canvas and watching as the scene in her head becomes alive through the tips of her paintbrush. We talked about the gifts that we share and the ways that we sometimes surprise ourselves. It was a conversation that emerged from awe and wonder. And it was delightful and inspiring and made me think about the ways we can talk about our God-given gifts am using them well.

The conversation was inspired in part because I shared that we were going to the master class led by Marilyn Horne at the college tonight. The woman I was visiting with loves this class and spoke of her own awe at the singers and the way Horne draws beauty out of them. And it was true. Four students sang in front of a fairly large audience and then received critiques, still in front of the audience, from Marilyn Horne. The students were all remarkable and very talented. But the real delight came in listening as Ms. Horne drew more out of them. She spoke of support and breath and more support. She was funny and encouraging. And we could hear a difference in their performances spinning out right in front of us. She is a true teacher who clearly loves hat she does. She encourages and pushes to help her students use what is in them to the best of their ability.

One of the comments I found especially intriguing was that her legs were the most tired at the end of a performance. Because one must use her whole body and be grounded and supported, the legs and the buns are just as important as the vocal chords. Interesting how all of the sudden it's all about the whole integrated body, working to produce more than the individual parts.

Hmmm...sounds familiar, doesn't it? "Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it." We learn from each other and support and supplement each other. One person shares his gifts and another receives. No one person can do it alone, not does God intend for us to go through life alone. The result of the sharing becomes a beautiful patch work, multifaceted and many colored and intensely beautiful.

February 23

At the risk of sounding like a huge nerd, I translated some Hebrew today. And it was good. I'm working on a reflection on Psalm 25 for Sunday. I started reading a commentary that spoke of the psalm as an alphabetized acrostic. And then I just had to check it out for myself. Sure enough, the lines begin in alphabetical order. And there are a number of themes and words hat repeat themselves throughout. I read slower and more carefully when I translate from the original. There is a sense of wonder that often comes with putting together the puzzle and ever-so-slowly sounding out the words.

Other than that, it was a pretty normal day. We sat down for all three meals and laughed a lot today. We took the dog for a quick walk between rain showers and listened to the steady rain fall on the roof. At least you don't have to shovel rain. Maybe in Oberlin February showers bring March flowers.

February 22

It's Ash Wednesday. I had ashes on my forehead and heard the words "you are dust and to dust you shall return.". We confessed our sins--the ways we have turned away from God and all of creation. We were welcomed at Christ's table and began a journey through this Lenten season.

There is something about Ash Wednesday that I have always loved. There's a grittiness to it, but also a feeling of calm, of slowing down, of being more intentional. That is a gift in and of itself.

The service we went to tonight was lovely. But I miss the tangible parts of full time ministry. I miss having blackened fingers and tracing the cross on foreheads. I miss mixing oil and ash and trying to get the consistency right. Sometimes it's the little things that get to you. And sometimes it's in missing those little things that I realize just how tied to the incarnation my faith and my call to ministry are. Ashes, water, bread, wine. Candle lit faces on Christmas Eve. The smell of incense and Easter lilies. All tied very much to the very stuff of creation.

February 21

I think this pretty much says it all:

The Soweto Gospel Choir made a stop in Oberlin tonight. They brought joy beyond words! It was an amazing concert that the audience on our feet long before the encore. The singing and dancing were incredible. They danced--hard--throughout the entire concert, hardly stopping between pieces. The first half was called "African Grace" and they sang about God's grace and the many forms of grace. It was astounding and inspiring. There is no question we were blessed tonight with a gift!

February 20

I woke up this morning thinking about the day, 18 years ago today, when my sister was baptized. Welcome to the wonder! What a wonderful and amazing young woman she has turned out to be.  I wrote about her for her birthday here.

The sun today was absolutely gorgeous.  It probably had something to do with the fact that the forecast includes rain for the foreseeable future.  But today, the sky was blue and so beautiful.  It was kind of cold, but not terribly, and made for perfect walking weather late this afternoon.  The white squirrels were particularly taunting today in the Square.  One let Tenney get within about 15 feet and just went about its business while she very intently pointed it.  I didn't think our dog had pointer in her, but perhaps, when it comes to small furry creatures, she does!

A quote for today: "The broken-open heart is not a rarity to be found only among saints but a common feature in the lives of ordinary people, including ourselves."  --Parker Palmer in Healing the Heart of Democracy

February 19

We visited a small church about 30 minutes away today--Christ in Lorain. The people were friendly, the sermon was wonderful, and it was good for us to be there. What touched me the most about the service, though, was watching the kids. At the beginning of the service, I watched as a boy, probably 8 or 9, recited the confession from memory. He participated in the entire service and knew exactly what to do. Three little girls in front of us helped each other sing the hymns, taking turns pointing to the words. The acolyte couldn't have been more than 8 and did a spectacular job. It was particularly precious to notice that the alb had a big paper clip holding it up in back. They showed me the way to joy and delight this morning. And I was reminded that in this mean time, in which we are, God is with us. It was a great service. Truth was spoken, proclaimed, witnessed, and ingested.

After worship, we drove up to the lakeshore so Flat Stanley could 'see' Lake Erie. It was cold and windy, but I'm always amazed by the ice formations on the great lakes. The rocky shore was covered in rough, white ice. It was actually quite beautiful.

I was reflecting today on how we tell the story of our faith, after a conversation about the Holy Week with a Jewish friend. Incarnation is important for me as I seek to express my beliefs and faith. I see God's work play out in many ways and this has been a good exercise for being more intentional about keeping an eye out for those embodied moments of love, grace, wonder, and awe.

February 18

We had a few friends over for dinner tonight. Justin made lamb rogan josh (which apparently translates to angry oil)--a spicy Indian dish. It was his first attempt and turned out so well. He also made okra and dal. Our friends pitched in homemade samosa and a delicious cucumber salad. And to top it off, lemon bars from the Zion cookbook. It was a delicious meal, but the bigger delight is the wonderful conversation that comes as we laugh, vent, and celebrate together. I treasure these friendships--a hodge podge group of visiting professors, in different fields, from different parts of the country and world. I always learn something and come away feeling like I am a more well rounded person because of the gifts they share. Thank you God for friendship!

February 17

Great visits at Kendal today. I love hearing the stories people have to tell. Of travels, interests, and hobbies.

Tonight, the Blind Boys of Alabama played at Finney Chapel. They were amazing. Highlights included a rendition of Amazing Grace to the tune of House of the Rising Sun, a little girl who danced in the aisle the whole time, and a dance party that broke out in the audience for the last song. They filled me with joy, that's for sure!

February 16

It was a gray, rainy day here.  And yet, I managed to get out and get a little walk in with the dog.  Good to get fresh air after a day of sitting in front of a computer screen.  We timed it perfectly to meet Justin just as he was leaving his office and had a fun family walk home (including a stop at Gibson's, the local bakery/candy store to pick up paczkis for Polish paczki day).  When we got home, I sat down in the chair to chat with my sister on the phone and the dog climbed up on my lap and insisted on a belly rub.  It was pretty hilarious and made us both (Justin and me, not Tenney and me) laugh a lot.  That dog is spoiled, but, boy, does she know how to make us feel loved.  She greeted Justin with excited yips and three-quarter turns in the air when we met him near his office.  Unconditional love.

I just have to share this picture because I think it is absolutely gorgeous.  Sunday is Transfiguration Day and this is the Transfiguration image from Mark 9:2-9 in the St. John's Bible.  Isn't it amazing?

I love this entry on "Transfiguration" in Frederick Buechner's Beyond Words:

"His face shone like the sun," Matthew says, "and his garments became white as light."  Moses and Elijah were talking to him.  There was a bright cloud overshadowing him and out of it a voice saying, "This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."  The three disciples who witnessed the scene "fell on their faces, and were filled with awe" (Matthew 17:1-6).


It is as strange a scene as there is in the Gospels.  Even without the voice from the cloud to explain it, they had no doubt what they were witnessing.  It was Jesus of Nazareth all right, the man they'd tramped many miles with, whose mother and brothers they knew, the one they'd seen hungry, tired, and footsore as the rest of them.  But it was also the Messiah, the Christ, in his glory.  It was the holiness of the man shining through his humanness, his face so afire with it they were almost blinded.


Even with us something like that happens once in a while.  The face of a man walking with his child in the park, of a woman baking bread, of sometimes even the unlikeliest person listening to a concert, say, or standing barefoot in the sand watching the waves roll in, or just having a beer at a Saturday baseball game in July.  Every once and so often, something so touching, so incandescent, so alive transfigures the human face that it's almost beyond bearing.




It is those moments that I treasure.  Those moments when the image of God becomes so clear right there in front of me.  I watch for them.  I wait for them.  I'm doing my best to notice them.

February 15

I spent the afternoon working at the public library. I like going there because a) it gets me out of the house and b) it's a great place to people watch. To see so many images of God. There was an older couple near me catching up on their magazine reading and at one point I heard quick footsteps and a little kid ran out from the stacks, giggling, with black curls bouncing. I heard a little baby crying and watched as students came in to work on homework after school. "In God's image God created them..."

Tonight was the first of three concerts in a week. The Tallis Scholars perform Renaissance music, mostly sacred, and, tonight at least, all in Latin. It was a small group, just 12 singers, but they were incredible. The blend of voices was amazing and the tuning perfect. One movement of a mass for Holy Saturday spoke of the descent into "the pit," sung only by the low voices. It was lovely. I love listening to this old sacred music. I think it is fascinating to think of the ways it continues to be performed, though in totally different contexts than for which it was originally written. I think it is amazing the ways the stories of Scripture have been told over the centuries, and to think of the ways we still get something new from them. God continues to speak to us, in many and various ways.

February 14

I don't love Valentine's Day. That said, I can't complain about the early morning "I love you" text from my mother-in-law or the delicious shrimp and angel hair Justin made for dinner. And since he doesn't teach on Tuesdays, we were able to go grocery shopping together. Highly romantic, I know. We also took the Flat Stanley we currently have around campus for a
Valentine's day photo shoot. Sometimes love is in the simple things.

A particular highlight of the day was catching up via Facebook chat with
my freshman year roommate. Delightful as always.

Today and everyday, trying to live out "we love because God first loved us" and "they shall know you are my disciples that you have love for one another."

February 13

I had lunch today with a pastor colleague from the area. It was nice to talk shop and share some of my excitement for what I'm doing with the Wild Word Project.

It was a bit warmer today and the squirrels were out in force. It is so funny to watch T try to catch them. Makes me giggle every time. And we timed our walk to meet Justin after office hours. I love the way she greets him when she sees him. Pure joy and love. It is so funny and adorable!

And it never hurts to end the day with a Skype date with a dear friend. Lots to catch up on and actually being able to see each other is so nice!

February 12

I preached and presided today at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Elyria. It was a gift to be among God's people there and to witness the many ways the Spirit is working. The first service began with two young women from the 7th & 8th grade confirmation class sharing an announcement about a project they are working on through ELCA Good Gifts. The events and fair are happening through their hard work and they have been doing research about the places the money raised will likely go. They've learned about local customs, including food and music, and plan to share at the upcoming events. Between services they passed out the barn banks. When asked when folks should bring them back, without skipping a beat, one replied "When they're full." It was a delight to see their passion and excitement about this project.

I also shared in wonderful conversation during the adult Bible study on today's Gospel. We shared stories of healing, touch, and compassion. We thought about the images we have for God and how we talk about our faith. It was heartfelt and heartwarming.

One couple I met today recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Watching them and visiting them was certainly a God moment. I saw love and grace in them that was absolutely beautiful. And that was just spending a little time with them. I imagine that they have shared God's love with a lot of people over their years. Amazing.

It was good for this pastor to preside at the Lord's table. To proclaim the promise and speak the words "for you." It was an honor to serve, if just for today while their pastor was on vacation, and a good reminder of the power and witness of the body of Christ at work in the world.

While I was at Emmanuel, the Faith and Care group at Peace held their annual blood pressure clinic. I look forward to seeing pictures and hearing stories from their experiences today as well.

God is at work in many and marvelous ways. We are witness to some and trust that our brothers and sisters around the globe glimpse others. That is the beauty of the body of Christ. Together, we are witness to the grace and wonder of God.

February 11

Gorgeous snow today and nowhere to go. The freshly fallen snow was so beautiful and it was fun to hear the neighbor girls enjoying it. It was a pretty lazy day, but sometimes that is a gift in and of itself.

February 10

I started volunteering at the local retirement community. The stories I heard today were absolutely amazing. People who have traveled around the world, have taught and sung, and survived so much. They inspire me and move me and teach me so much and help me to see God's image in incredible ways.

As if that wasn't enough of a great day, we had dinner tonight with friends from the college. Laughter and dreaming and more laughter. And all of the sudden it was way later than I realized. It is in those moments when I experience God's time. When our time stands still and all of the sudden it's several hours later and the conversation has been wonderful and deep and silly.

In the image of God we are created. What a beautiful image that is.

February 9

I fought with technology all day today.  Seriously.  I tried to merge a company page with a place page on Facebook for the church.  It was a disaster.  I lost a bunch of posts from the place page and still don't think I have accomplished what I set out to do.  The internet went out at home.  So I went to the library.  I worked for 2.5 hours at the library until the internet went out there.  Right before I hit send on the Weekly Reader I had worked on for 2.5 hours.  Luckily it was saved and I was able to mail it from home.  Oh yeah, once it sent, the formatting, which showed up fine in the preview, was all crazy.  It was that kind of day.  Ugh.

But, in an attempt to look on the bright side and to watch for God in the midst of the craziness, I got to work at the public library for 2.5 hours.  Which meant that I saw a whole lot of people, heard kids' laughter, and had to bite my lip not to giggle at the middle schoolers being silly after school.  I guess that's some good out of an otherwise very frustrating situation.

We also had a great walk and enjoyed a delicious dinner at the local burger joint.  And I successfully Face-timed with my mom and sister.  And got an e-mail from my sister-in-law that everything is "perfect" with the baby.  Maybe God even works through technology...

February 8

Funny, funny day. It was snowing when I woke up and for most of the morning. But by 4:00 when I walked the dog, it was sunny with a perfectly blue sky and most of the snow was gone. It was really cool to see it hanging on in the shadows though. I also saw crocuses, snowdrops, and a little yellow flower that I don't know the name of. It's still a bit unnerving to see spring flowers on February 8. Signs of hope and reminders to do my part to care for creation.

I Skyped into confirmation tonight. They have such energy. Wow. In the midst of their silliness, I see God working in and through and around them and they give me hope for the world and for the church.

Today's quote: "All of us have times in our lives where despite our best efforts, our good intentions, and our fear for those we love, they will make their choices and we are left with no other tasks but to let them go, and to 'pray them home.'"-- Maria Evans

February 7

Fun conversation with a stranger at the pet food store. Dogs are great ice breakers.

Quote of the day: "But if our identity is based upon love, on the fact that God loves us for who we are, apart from what we do, then we can explore the things we love and find a deeper enjoyment from them." -Amy Julia Becker

I did some shopping for the niece or nephew today. It's hard to believe how much love I have already for her/him. I can't wait to meet him/her in a little over two more months!

February 6

First day of class!  At least for second semester.  It was fun to walk through campus and see the first day jitters working themselves out--big groups of students walking together toward class, people seeing each other for the first time since getting back after the break.  Not being a teacher or student, I see the first day from the perspective of someone who loves a professor.  I see his first day jitters and excitement and I love hearing him talk about the first day when he gets home.  I see him living out an understanding of vocation in a very clear way and that's one of the many things I love about him!

We tried a new recipe for dinner tonight--Pumpkin Chili with Chocolate.  It's a keeper!  Particularly delicious and spicy for two people with nasty colds!

February 5

We visited Hope Lutheran in Cleveland Heights this morning. What an amazingly hospitable congregation! We were greeted warmly by so many people and were certainly made to feel welcome! The hospitality in and of itself was a God moment...or, probably more appropriately, God moments.

I had a particularly strong feeling of being surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses. As we sang during communion, I watched as God's wonderfully diverse people were fed and was overwhelmed by a sense of awe and wonder. Maybe it was the song that made me think of my grandpa and some of the witnesses who died during my time at Peace, maybe it was watching as young and old, black and white were served. I don't know. But I do know that God was certainly present in that moment.

After church, we visited the Cleveland Museum of Art. We were delighted to discover that it is always free! And the collection is incredible. After almost 3 hours, the sinus headache I've been fighting for the past few days got the best of me and I needed to be done, but we have lots more to see. Good thing it's free. As is often the case when I visit art museums, I was amazed by the ingenuity of humans. And artists in particular. The Greek pottery collection alone is astounding , not to mention the Egyptian gallery and the beautiful Christian art they have. I was particularly moved today by "The Holy Family" by El Greco. He captured a look in Mary's eye that is haunting. I love to see the ways so many different artists depict the Biblical stories, as well as the stories of the Greek and Roman myths that I also love so dearly. I love looking at the ways humans are portrayed throughout history and am amazed by the different trends in jewelry and pottery and decoration. It truly fills me with awe and wonder!

February 4

We had a surprise snow overnight. I woke up this morning to see the ground covered. It was still coming down. With no wind, it fell perpendicular to the ground--softly and slowly. I felt like we were living inside a snow globe. By noon, it was gone, but lovely while it lasted!

The students are coming back to campus, as second semester starts on Monday. It is so good to see them around town. Today, we must have been walking right around the time an airport shuttle arrived. We saw a whole bunch of students walking throughout campus, pulling suitcases, many of them carrying some kind of musical instrument. Possibility & excitement, mixed with a dose of uncertainty--the joys of living in a college town.

Quiet Saturday. Yoga this morning. Dog curled at my feet most of the day. Good reading. Delicious dinner. Content. God must be found in the midst of that somehow...

February 3

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood.  I heard laughter and shouting as I walked past the middle school and saw a group of boys playing football after school.  I heard amazing music as a student group practiced on the porch of their house, taking advantage of an almost 50 degree day.  In February.  In Ohio.  A good conversation with a friend and a long walk with the dog.  Sunshine and blue sky.

February 2

I'm not sure what to make of this.  I've been seeing shoots for the last couple of days, but I actually saw flowers blooming today.  Is it a sign of hope or a reminder that the earth is precious? Probably a little of both.  Little reminders from God to take care of creation, to honor it, and to keep it.


I finally watched the National Geographic documentary, "In God's Name" today.  I had it on in the background while I was working on some other things so I definitely need to go back and really pay attention.  I did catch this beautiful quote from Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams: "The meaning [of life] comes as you look around and see all these varied human faces. And you think each of these is capable of reflecting God’s glory.  And that changes how you relate to everybody."  Isn't that beautiful?  It makes me stop and think about how I treat people and relate to them.  What would the world be like if we lived into that promise that we are each capable of reflecting God's glory?

February 1

Blue sky and warm temperatures.  The neighbor kids are outside laughing.  Wonderfully simple God moments.

Watching for God

I've been trying to watch more intentionally lately for God moments.  Moments when I recognize God working around me--in other people, in creation, in friends, and in strangers.  My goal is to keep an e-journal of those moments as a reminder that we are indeed covered in God's grace, surrounded by love, and nourished by the Spirit.