the Vacation Bible School week...

Whew- we've been on a cosmic adventure this week exploring all things spacey with our young cadets. I had little time to stop and write a blog (mostly I was too tired when I got home and needed my grown up sized nap!)

Despite three thunderstorms- we were never rained on during VBS this week. All children were accounted for and seemed to have a terrific, fun experience!

I told and re-told the stories of Creation, Elijah on Mount Horeb (or Sinai), Samaritan woman at the well, the blind beggar man Jesus healed, and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus on Easter evening- four times each this week! Along with my wonderfully talented youth helper- Rebecca (see the Samaritan woman).

We were amazed at the children's attention to the stories, interest in our silly dancing song- Bim Bom, and enjoyed their wonderfully hard hugs!

As I posted on Facebook yesterday- I may be tired, but would somebody, please, ask me again to be storyteller next year! I was so inspired by the growing faith of these 200 young people and all of the terrific youth, college age, young adult and adult helpers!

YOU made it wonderful to tell and re-tell our sacred stories together!

Passing the Time at Annual Conference

Day 2 of the Indiana Annual Conference began with a noisy neighbor down the hall...now, as we sit in the auditorium and ponder all things United Methodist I want to offer some hard-earned nuggets of wisdom about how to thrive while attending days of meetings with clergy and lay folk from all over Indiana.

1. bring your yoga mat- helps you work out the kinks from sitting all day on aqua colored auditorium seats constructed circa 1957.
2. laptop and other computer modem capability (iPhone or iPod) devices are a must in order to know that life does exist beyond the air conditioned auditorium.
3. be ready to answer, "How are you?" with a pithy quip for those who don't really want to know how you are, but ask politely because we are surrounded by religious leaders. save your real earthy answer for your real friends and share it over adult beverages later in the evening. Or shake things up by being brutally honest no matter who asks. take note of the responses.
4. pack snacks.
5. visit the Prayer Room at least twice.
6. find two people who need you to help them feel welcome. and offer them kindness and hospitality.
7. alert your staff that you will be chatting with them via Facebook to find out how things are going at 'home'.
8. pack extra business cards to share with friends or future friends or to remind the powers that be that yes you indeed are 'one of them'.
9. bring your VBS materials to read through yet again when the speaker becomes redundant.
10. water bottle is a must because you will be singing a lot with a group of people who not just know the songs, but LIKE to sing them! Robustly!

Race Tracks and Labyrinths

The plot of my "novel" life goes like this...

Girl calls boy for coffee.

Boy meets girl.

Girl and boy fall in love with each other.

Boy marries girl.

Boy likes race cars. Vrrrrrrrrmmmmmm!

Girl likes labyrinths. Calm, quiet. (crickets) Shh!

Race tracks and labyrinths seem to be similar (they both are circular and have one path to follow), but are not really alike at all (one is about speed, the other is about reflection).

Boy travels to race tracks all over the world.

Boy loves the excitement, the thrill, the testosterone.

Girl stays at home and walks labyrinths.

Girl loves the inner quiet, the deep stillness, the contemplation.

Boy likes what makes his girl happy.

Girl likes what makes her boy happy.

Girl likes race tracks a bit more than she used to.

Boy likes labyrinths a bit more than he used to.

Girl and boy find creative ways for race tracks and labyrinths to be a part of their family life! And everyone is happy.

The end.

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)