Dorm Life- again?

One would think that by the time you celebrate your thirty-ninth birthday for the first time that dorm life is an experience from the far off, distant past. Not so.

My rear end sunken into a less-than-fully-coiled-mattress on a bunk bed proves otherwise.

Dorms are a bit different now. Wi-fi travels everywhere on campus. Bathrooms are shared among 'suite mates'. And there is this new technology called air conditioning. Have you heard of it? Believe me, my hot days and sultry nights on University of Evansville's campus in Moore Hall were lived by a box fan and a bowl of ice chips.

Dormitories should be different these days since the cost of college education has inflated over 400% in the past several decades. Not sure if the paper my degree is printed on has increased in the same value. Maybe I can put it on eBay or Craigslist and see what happens?

I do want to give a shout out to all my former college roommates! God bless you for putting up with me. I beg your forgiveness for my pet peeves, crazy music schedule, addiction to all things Star Trek and geeky, and knack to collect a 'wide variety' of friends. Thanks for tolerating me and sometimes liking me. You deserve a room all your own! :)

Akemi, Joy, Maggie, and Tammy- you made me a better roommate for my graduate school apartment mates (Alicia and Jacqueline) and of course, my husband thanks you all for teaching me how to share! ;)

Gotta go, I think I have locked myself out of my bathroom...again. Where is a RA when you need one?

Dance, Dance, Dance

Last weekend our (formerly) shy, wee and premature daughter took the dance stage with her head reaching for the stars and her smile wide as the Grand Canyon! Her parents (that's me and Eric) were stunned!

Now that she's had a taste of the lights and 'the show' excitement, I do believe she is hooked. Fall classes cannot start soon enough for her.

Most of all Diana was completely swayed by technology new to her: glitter hairspray! "We must get some, Momma!" was her command.

My daughter has joined an ancient, beloved tradition of manipulating her body in time to music so as to join the heavens in celebration of all that is good in life. Especially celebrating the Giver of all Good- our God. Our tiny little dancer, unbeknown to her, is a Psalmist, a wisdom sayer, and a prophetess as much as she is a glitter wearing diva! Just look at the evidence in scripture!

Praise God with tambourines and dancing;

Praise God with stringed instruments and flutes. Psalm 150:4 NCV

There is a time to be sad and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:4b NCV

Then, Aaron's sister Miriam, a prophetess, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her, playing tambourines and dancing. Exodus 15:20 NCV

May you dance with happy feet unto the Giver of all Good Things!

Pilgrimages

Last week while I vacationed three of my favorite people from Calvary were on pilgrimages. I love being a pilgrim. How about you?

Two of these friends were traveling all around Israel. They were visiting sites of Jesus, the disciples, and the ancient Hebrews from the Old Testament. It was the fulfillment of a life long dream to go and be a pilgrim in the Holy Land.

My other dear friend (who is more in love with labyrinths than I am) traveled to Chartres, France to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral of Chartes and it's wonderful labryinth. She has been wishing and hoping for this pilgrimage for many years and I am thrilled for her that she's now been there and done that!

While these friends were going about their spiritual journeys, I finished reading an insightful book on the way, or the journey which uses the labyrinth as a metaphorical tool. Here are a couple of keen insights from my reading that helped me reflect on my journey and also aided me in my prayers for my pilgrim friends...

Both the labyrinth and traditional pilgrimages are tools for teaching us the skills of self- observation, letting go, getting centered- aligning with the Divine, and taking action. (Eve Eschner Hogan Way of the Winding Path page 15)

In the name of God, stop a moment, close your minds, look around you. Leo Tolstoy

If we really want to pray, we must learn to listen; for in the silence of the heart God speaks. Mother Theresa of Calcutta


See you on the path- fellow pilgrim!

May's Vacation

Last week was a wonderful time of rest, renewal and relaxation! Sometimes you just don't realize how much your mind and heart need a change of pace until you give them a different schedule. Or give yourself a different kind of To Do list.

Here is a brief version of my 'vacation' accomplishments! ha ha!

• Indianapolis Children's Musuem- did it.
• Indianapolis Zoo- did it.
• Friend's pool- did it.
• Nap- did it.
• Cleaned house- did it.
• Library- did it.
• Watched movies- did it.
• Cook out- did it.
• Time in the hammock- did it.

One of my Facebook friends told me that a vacation in which you do not travel but remain at home is called a "stay-cation". Well, this was one of the best!

Now, it is back to the real world! (sigh)

Graduation!

In and amongst Mother's Day and six birthdays within the family, May becomes full of graduation announcements... kindergarten, high school, college, and graduate school. The local card shop sees me coming and get out the BIG BAG for the plethora of cards, gift wrap, and trimmings I require to get through the month.

Yesterday at our Calvary Learning Academy graduation, my eyes puddled up with tears as the kindergarten students marched in to Pomp and Circumstance with their bright blue graduation gowns. Happens to me every year. Must be allergies. (Next year will be a very bad year of 'allergies' because my kiddo and two of my other favorite young people will graduate!)

Now that I am no longer graduating from anything I get really sentimental and emotional about these sorts of things. Cannot figure out why.

Is it about achievement? Young people reaching for their dreams? Reaching out to the next challenge? Or is it about all the debt young people incur for their higher education and the loans that I know can weigh them down?

Whatever the cause of my emotional response, graduations are indeed distinguishing marks in time and life circumstance. They are simply another marker on the path...

Favorite Re-Think Church Moments!

Last Sunday was an awesome day! It may have been overcast in the skies above, but our hearts and hands were not clouded at all! Below are some of my most precious ReThink Sunday moments.

My heart was reminded how BIG the LOVE of God is. My soul was reminded how joyous it is when people come together for a common purpose of compassion, service and love. And my song was reminded that harmony can only be achieved when we set our sights beyond ourselves!

Which begs the question, what was your favorite Rethink Sunday moment?

• receiving surprised, delighted emails and phone calls from Brownsburg and Hendricks County leaders who were truly touched by our intention around Rethink Sunday! They needed our prayers and were so grateful to receive them.
• riding on a charter bus for four hours of prayer with some of my favorite praying people!
• listening to our teens, adults and children pray out loud for firefighters, schools, women who experience violence, town leaders, the hungry, the poor, for families... wow- we have folks at Calvary who know how to pray! Awe-inspiring!
• meeting a man in his neighborhood who asked me as I jumped off the bus for a photo, "Lady, are you lost?" And hearing myself respond, "No, sir I have been found because I am from Calvary UM church and we are in your neighborhood this morning to pray for you."
• passing ourselves throughout Brownsburg! It was awesome to be on the bus all morning and seeing other Calvary folks on the other Rethink charter bus at two different nursing homes to make music, OR working at Elsie's house on Green Street, OR planting flowers at Arbuckle Acres, OR along Main street in town picking up trash! How cool was that to 'pass ourselves in mission, outreach, service and prayer!'

Thanks everyone- (staff, lay leaders etc) for a fantastic first glimpse of Rethink Church! See you next year, but let's not wait on that. Let's BE and DO church every day between now and then!

May Showers bring June ??

Rain. That is what we're seen, walked in, and felt for most of May already. I am going to wear out my lawn mower before it's time in just this one month alone. That is if the grass is dry long enough to mow it again... My neighbors apparently have stopped mowing their backyard all together. They are letting it go to seed it seems.

What do May showers bring? June floods? June flowers? Mold? or more grass to mow?

Maybe I can get lucky and get fired from mowing the lawn again.