gotta love church folks

So blogging for me this summer hasn't really happened as you can. It largely it is because I have been super busy working two jobs. The fun Job has taken up way more time then it was supposed to!

So Here has what i have been up to:
I went to Northeast Jurisdictional Conference. Yes, I am a conference junkie. But was really cool to sit in on the candidates interviews and watch Peggy Johnson be elected and then go to the consecration service. Of course I left another conference with more question than answer about what ministry is for me.

I spend the weekend before NEJ exploring the DC metro area while visiting a friend. I am still considering moving there but not for a little while. I really did like it but we still have to weight the pros and cons

I did my first committal service follow a few days later by my first funeral. I guess I am lucky that I have been in ministry almost a year before I had to do them. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

I celebrated my roommate taking the bar.

I have been spending lots of bonding time with the other young adult clergy in town. Let's just there are always lots of laughs and liquid encouragement.

In two weeks I leave for Israel! I can't wait!!!!

Oh and a bonus conversation that happened today:
Parishioner: Pastor, Can I tell you something?
Me: Sure, what would like to tell me?
Parishioner: I think we have the prettiest pastor in the conference
Me: ( not know quite what to say to that) Well thanks ( I walk away knowing that he probably hasn't listened to a word I said since i have been here!)

Do women say that to male pastors??!?!?!?!


Ok now you are caught up on my life.. as you were

Clensed

So maybe my last post should have really been in my personal journal and not out on the internet for the world to see. However, last night I went to bed still rather pissed off and annoyed with the world of men , but more myself. This morning I woke up feeling refreshed and like a whole new person! It really does help to get this stuff out of my system. Plus, I have great freinds who are wonderfully supportive, and remind me that I am great even with out a significant other. Thank you to all of those who have put up with me these last few months you are the best!

Social Norms

So for those of you who know me (and really I think it is only my few friends who know about this blog who actually read it) and for those of you who don't no that typically i like to throw social norms right out the window. But lately I have been focusing a lot on one social norm in particular... that a girl in her mind twenties should be looking for "the one" and for whatever reason I have been really caught up in this lately. I have been aware of it for about the past year, but the last few weeks I have been dwelling on it. I know a large part of that lies in the fact that very few men especially mid-20 to early-30 men want to date pastors [ yes i did research ;-)]. The second problem is that the majority of my friends are either married, engaged, or in a very serious relationship. Fourth I am fully aware that i am a lot like my Aunts and 4 out of the seven aren't married. So I am just feeling like the odds are against me.

That has led me to make some bad relationship decisions over the last two years. First was commitment phobe boy who really like that we had a long distance relationship. Who also, wasn't so into God let alone the whole Church thing, but at least said he was supportive of me. And truthfully of the bunch he was the best at truly listening to me. And he was one heck of a kisser!

Followed by soon to be lawyer summer fling who was all wrong for me and a total jerk

Then there was really nice, really sweet, good head on his shoulders engineer. Who wasn't into the whole church thing but was raised Methodist and wasn't anti-church. He even came to hear me preach a few times, and went to the ballet with me. However, broke up with me over the phone because, " you are a wonderful person, but I just thought I would be more into at this point ( we had been dating a little more the 6months) and before i get married I think i need more dating experience." Yes he said this to me over the phone. Yes i was upset, but honestly there was no real spark there as much as I tried to convince myself that there was!

Followed, by best friend who I had a crush on, who I spilled my guts to, who I now now i will never date, because we have totally different views on how relationships work. I have come to realize I am way more mature than he is even though he would never admit that, nor do I think will he ever see it.

And my last ( hopefully) bad choice, musician who used to play in the band of above mentioned, who is going through a divorce and has a child. Need i say more? But just in case let's just say i listened to him pour out his heart and soul recently and haven't heard from him since.....

So i am making a pact with myself and all of you. i am not allowed to dwell on this. Yes, I can talk about it here or there but i am not allowed to dwell. All good things take time right?....

Annual Confernce

So it is a day after Annual Conference ended. It was a great conference. I am becoming one of those people who loves conferences. This year's was exciting because one of the few under 35s among us was ordained. It was so great to be there knowing that someday that will be me!

Of course the best thing about conference is getting to see everyone. I have been adopted into a great circle of cleregywomen. Who simply amaze me in their commitment to ministry. Plus they have introduced me to some of the most wonderful people in and around the conference who I probably would not have ordinarily met. They are wonderful group of women and I am indebted to them for their guidance and support.

Along those same lines the young clergy ( they are also apart of the above mentioned group) getting to spend time together is always lots of fun. We can come up with some pretty random and fun things sometimes!

There was really only one really really important legislation that happened. We voted for the VT portion of Troy AC to go to the New England AC. It was really hard because not all are in agreement about this happening and it will be sad to not be able to gather with our peers each year, and also to lose the richness that Vt offers. Plus one of us youngins will more that likely be leaving us and that is really hard. We were part of a handful that voted against the action. Most people supported it at the suggestion of the boundaries committee. We keep saying that the relationships will be maintained despite of boundary lines and I know that some of them will, but it will be hard, seeing how we barely maintain the relationships we have within the conference.

Overall, though it was great conference. Bryan stone taught me more in two speeches than I learned in a whole semester. Opening worship was great, and the fellowship after sessions was lots of fun. I have one word Kola...

Finally we are talking

Finally we are talking about race in this country. And we aren't just talking about black and white or brown. We are talking about what it is to be multiracial in America. MSN/ MSNBC has a great piece on their website.

This is something that I have been talking about for a long time, because it is my life. It took a multiracial ( who identifies as Black as is his choice) presidential candidate to get us having these conversations. We are starting to have really conversation, to ask honest questions, to ask hard questions, some that may even be offensive, we are finally doing it. It has been a long time coming. I think growing up in America in this day in age is a hard thing for a child of any race or any combination of races. We are a culture that has very strong stereo types and expectations of how you should act based on race and gender. I appear to be white upper middle class so I should act a certain way, my cousins appear to be black upper middle class so they need to act a certain way. I can't tell you the number of looks I get when I with my cousins. If I am with my younger cousins some people assume I am a single mother, because obviously if they were my children no blackman plays a father role ( i am being very sarcastic there!) If I am with my older cousin I get stares from both white and blacks because they assume we are dating. It insane.

The situation is worsened by the fact that we make assumptions about who people are and what they should be. We need to stop. Schools, churches, businesses, etc need to stop asking their employees to do demographics. Please do not ask me or a school teacher, or a manager, etc to do demographics of race. I can not stand in front of my church assume the race of the members. I would bet my life that 8 out of 10 people maybe even 9.5 out 10 people would assume I am white .... WRONG... I do not want to deny part of myself because of the way I look.

I hope these discussion continue and maybe we really will make some lasting progress when it comes to race in this country.


ETA: There is also a great article on religion and race here

A step in the right direction

I am happily surprised my lovely home state has said that it will recognize the marriage of couples, who happen to be of the same sex, who get married in a state where same sex marriages are legal. It doesn't legalize gay marriage but it is at least a step in the right direction. ( see article )
It seems as though many of my Gay friends are happy about the decision, so that makes me happy. It gives me hope. It would be wonderful if the church was leading the charge for equality, but I guess I need to be happy with the little victories that we get for the cause!

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N Friday Five

Friday Five- vacation thoughts....

It is a holiday weekend here in the UK, and the weather forecast for much of the country is not good!!! But we can still dream and so with that in mind I bring you this Friday Five.

1. Getting ready for summer, do you use the gradual tanning moisturisers ( yes gentlemen you too can answer this!!!), or are you happy to show your winter skin to the world? I tried the gradual tanners but I forget to put it on daily so it doesn't always works so well

2.Beach, mountains or chilling by the pool, what/ where is your favourite getaway? Beach by far, but i will take a pool. even better a pool by the beach.

3.Are you a summer lover or does the long break become wearing? I could do summer all year round

4.Active holidays; hiking swimming sailing, or lazy days? A little bit of both

5.Now to the important subject of food, if you are abroad do you try the local cuisine, or do you prefer to play it safe? Local food all the way!

In a new space

So I am finally in a new space AKA NOT LIVING WITH MY PARENTS!!!! Do you get the excitement in that statement. It is not that i do not love my parents I do. I am also grateful to them for letting me live in their house until age 25 rent free and paying a numerous number of my bills. I am extremely grateful for that. However, there comes a time in a young adult's life where living with her parents is just does work anymore. I have been ready to move since I think about the age of 13 so the fact that I made it to 25 and everyone survived I think is a miracle in itself.

I really do like my new apartment. However my roommate hasn't fully moved in yet and i am a little lonely. I am definitely an extrovert. I need to be around people. The little community i am living in is just that a little community. It does have great paces to walk and run, but I only know one other person there so it will be nice when my roomie is finally in the apt as well. Also, we are still lacking Internet at the apt (I'm at panera now) and it is driving me crazy!!! I never knew just how dependent on the internet I am. I am hoping that we get it working by the end of the weekend.

ANyway more about my little space later.... off to do some work!

Still processing

I am still processing general conference. Still figuring out what exactly it all means to me. I can say that i will be a regularly attendee of conference. i think it is important to see the connection at work. I really appreciated being there. I appreciated seeing delegates and observers all over the world. It was great to be part of the witness against the injustices that the church participates in. It was even more wonderful that the general conference raised close to $450,000 by bidding on a basketball ( I always knew my basketball connection would turn into a church connection). So right now I am still a bag of mixed emotions.

However, my sermon while short went over well. I had a question and answer session after the sermon and of course they asked what the hot button issues are. Of course I was honest. I spoke about the issues of central/regional conferences, and about the sacramental rights of deacons, budgets, bishops, and of course homosexuality. Then i was asked my emotional state and I was honest. That I'm both hurt and hopeful. Which lead to some interesting conversations after church. Surprisingly my church was really upset about the polices of the church. I say surprisingly because i thought they would be much more conservative. However, there was talk of us taking down our open hearts, open minds, open doors banners and even taking pictures to be sent to the bishop. So I remain hopeful that my little country church who I assumed was Conservative has just surprised me!

Yesterday/last night

Well All the wind about the my excitment to be at general OCnfernce is gone. I think part of that excitment was that I thought there was going to be change . I thought at least one of the pieces of the human sexuality legislation would go through. At least the the piece about human worth and sacredness would no longer be marred but this is what we got:
"We affirm that sexuality is Gods good gift to all persons. We call everyone to responsible stewardship of this sacred gift.

Although all persons are sexual beings whether or not they are married, sexual relationships are affirmed only within the covenant of monogamous, heterosexual marriage.

We deplore all forms of commercialization, abuse, and exploitation of sex. We call for strict global enforcement of laws prohibiting the sexual exploitation of children and for adequate protection, guidance, and counseling for abused children. All persons, regardless of age, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation, are entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured and to be protected against violence. The Church should support the family in providing age-appropriate education regarding sexuality to children, youth and adults.

We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God. All persons need the ministry of the church in our struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationship with God, with others, and with self. The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching. We affirm that gods grace is available to all. We will live together in Christian community, welcoming, forgiving, and long one another, as Christ has loved and accepted us. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.”


Sadly this came out of a minority report that replaced the majority report. So we at least thought the piece about clergy being able to deny membership would go down. It passed by one or two percentage points. Talk about feeling defeated. There was a lot of hurt. I simply can not understand how we as a denomination can continue to openly discriminate and continue to call ourselves followers of Christ. I just don't get it.

I am not sure what this does for my ordination. I am not sure what this does for my status as a United Methodist. I just don't know....


One other thing that really irked me was RMN and others stood to sing Jesus Loves Me (us) in solidarity and in protest and the presiding Bishop had everyone stand and do calisthenics.... If everyone stands then no one notices us. Again not sure how long I can take this!

Breakthrough!!!

Ok Wow I just had a really really big break through moment. I just read a friend/colleague's blog and I also listened to the first ever young people's address and when I got up to do some of the chores that I need to do I just had a breakthrough. I know why conference encourages me more than it drains me. It shows me how passionate we are about our denomination. Rather I agree with where the passions are placed is not it important but there are a lot of us there who are desperately passionate about our church.

And I can stay a part of this church and become an ordained member of its clergy because I to am passionate about this church. I am passionate about the church but I am NOT the church. I am me I represent my spirituality and my faith, I represent Christianity, i represent the United Methodist church, but the I am not the United Methodist church. I am simply a valuable piece of the body. I can still represent my visions and dreams wholly and with integrity even when i am in direct disgorgement with the church. In the same way that i feel that I can pastor/lead a church of varying views and opinions.

I envision an church that will never be unified in the way that we would like to be, but unified in the idea that we are all God's children. We all need to walk with Christ. We need to love wholly and fully.

First heart warming moment

So I have had my first hear warming moment at conference and I'm not even there yet! I am watching the live stream from TX and they just had a little girl on who fund raises with her church for the Nothing but nets campaign and yes it is those moments that give me hope for our denomination!!!!

General Conference

This week started the General Conference of the methodist Church. It is an exciting and sad time. I am excited that I will get to spend the last four days at the conference. I am sure that I will do plenty of blogging as news comes out of the conference as well. I ask that you keep us all in your prayers trust me we need them!

PS- They are streaming the conference live!

Friday Five

Friday Five: For Just 24 Hours...

Yesterday I had the 24 hour flu. I had been told by the people who had it first that it really was a twenty-four hour bug. And so while I dealt with all the blech of the flu, I kept reminding myself that morning would come and I would feel a lot better.

This is certainly a strange way to start out a Friday Five but it made me think about what I might like to do if I knew it would only last for 24 hours. There are no reality boundaries to these imaginings. So here are the five things for you to consider...

1. If you could dramatically change your physical appearance for 24 hours, what would you do? Dye my Hair Blonde.. if I did anything else I'd want it to stay more than 24 hours


2. If you could live in another place for 24 hours where would you go? SPAIN hands down no questions asked
   


3. You get to do somebody else's job for a day... Pat Summit ( coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols)
   


4. Spend the day with another person from anywhere in time and space... My Uncle Clarence
   


5. A magical power is yours. Which one would you pick? so if i wasn't in school it would be Mind Reading but since I am in school it is would be to be like Samantha in Bewtiched I could twitch my nose and get all of my papers done!
   

Big Family

For the majority of my life I have loved having 7 aunts. They have spoiled me rotten and have treated me somewhere in between sister and niece my entire life. In fact most of my cousins grew up very confused as to rather I was aunt or cousin. I love and respect them all.

However, right now with the care of my grandfather it has become very difficult. We all have opinions of what should happen and how it should happen. Unfortunately we are not communicating any of that amongst the group. There are all of these alliances. I don't really think that are alliances as much as it is a pain to have to call 6 people to let them know what is going on. Pius we are dealing with very emotional information. I get it.

What I don't get is how we are letting this tear our family apart. I truly believed we would be one of those family who would talk about things and work together to care for my grandparents AND care for one another. I seriously don't know what saddens me more the declining health of my grandfather or the declining state of my family.

What is worse is I don't know what to do. Part of me says voice your opinions. Tell them from your perspective as both a granddaughter and pastor that tearing each other apart isn't helping the situation. Part me wants to say just be a granddaughter live in oblivion, drive grandpa to a doctor's appointment, take my grandparents on errands, etc. But other than that just stay out of it. I just want what is best for the family but I don't know what that is....

Israel and updates

I am so excited in four months I will be going to Israel. It will be my first time and it seems as though I am traveling with a great group of people. I am really excited. It will be so awesome to see the holy sights with thousands of others and to be in the land that Jesus walked. I am just in awe of the fact that it is really going to happen.

In other news everything else is going well. School is going pretty well. I am not really enjoying my classes, but I am at least getting the work done. My class on loss and grief is actually in my favorite class it is the most informative class. The second half of my supervised ministry class is ok too. The work for that class is ridiculous, but when we get together for class we have great discussions and the precept leader is great she knows how to get us talking and is very supportive. My other two classes are requirements and I am just plugging through them. Music and world religion was very interesting last week as we learned about Jewish music, but it is the first time that I was really engaged in class.

Church is going well. I feel as though i am really starting to build relationships. they seem excited to have me and I getting more excited about being there. I can do that partly though because I know i won't be there forever.

Personally there is lots swirling around me which hopefully I'll be able to blog about soon but over all I'm feel pretty good. I'm totally enjoying the nice weather. I think 25 is going to be a great year!

fun stuff

1. A body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks.
Stream or a Creek but never a crick
2. What the thing you push around the grocery store is called.
shopping cart
3. A metal container to carry a meal in.
lunch box
4. The thing that you cook bacon and eggs in.
frying pan or a griddle
5. The piece of furniture that seats three people.
couch
6. The device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof.
gutters
7. The covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening.
porch

8. Carbonated, sweetened, non-alcoholic beverages.
Soda

9. A flat, round breakfast food served with syrup.
pancakes

10. A long sandwich designed to be a whole meal in itself.
Sub

11. The piece of clothing worn by men at the beach.
bathing suit

12. Shoes worn for sports.
sneakers

13. Putting a room in order.
picking up

14. A flying insect that glows in the dark.
fire fly

15. The little insect that curls up into a ball.
little insect that curls up in a ball

16. The children's playground equipment where one kid sits on one side and goes up while the other sits on the other side and goes down.
see-saw

17. How do you eat your pizza?
folded
18. What's it called when private citizens put up signs and sell their used stuff?
garage sale or yard sale

19. What's the evening meal?
Dinner ... supper is what you have Sunday night when you had a bid dinner at lunch time

20. The thing under a house where the furnace and perhaps a rec room are?
Basement
21. What do you call the thing that you can get water out of to drink in public places?
Water fountain

My second favorite Soapbox

So yesterday I posted from my favorite soapbox, race. Today I am posting from my second favorite soapbox sexism. I have experienced sexism my entire life. In first grade I decided that I wanted to play basketball. Well there wasn't a place for first grade girls to play basketball. So my dad convinced the varsity coach who was having a clinic for 3-7 grade girls to let me participate. He agreed to help run a clinic for younger girls the following year if they let me participate. So that is what happened. There was no league for girls just a clinic. SO when I entered third grade i played boys biddy basketball. The coach was not happy to have a girl on the team and boys tried to beat me up as often as they could. Trust me I held my own.

Well we have come a long way in 15 years. Now women's college basketball is televised regularly, there is a professional league that is also televised. Not that either get equal coverage but it is at least better. There also many more sports opportunities for young women that not I did not have.

Well unfortunately my local paper hasn't caught the bug. They have posted the brackets for the men's tournament four days in a row, the women's bracket ZERO. Today they did run an article about the women's NCAA tournament. The problem with the article is was about how several women playing in the tournament have connections to male professional athletes. No I am not kidding! Sadly I feel as though every year I write a letter to the paper so that it isn't going to do to much I just think it is sad with as much progress has been made we still have to fight for media coverage.

Obama '08

For a very ling time I have been leaning toward Obama over Clinton. I like them both and if Mrs. Clinton is nominated I'm 90% sure she will get my vote. Yet after reading Obama's speech on race and on his pastor he has my vote. As has been the case over the course of this blog I written about race and my struggle with my own racial identity. I think racism and the concept of race are two issues that I feel most passionate about in my life. I also feel the connection to this particular scenario, because I stand in a pulpit every week and I am working toward my ordination. So this case could not hit any loser to home.

Obama has true vision and hope for this country. Without vision and hope we have nothing. We are a country that is spiraling downward, economically, socially, educationally, etc. I think Barack Obama can be the leader who turns us around, who bring some sense of unity to congress and to our nation.

I applaud his honesty in what it is to live the black experience, what it is to come from a multiracial/ multicultural family. He didn't let anyone off the hook, not his pastor, not even his own grandmother. What he did was name real experience. For all those who question his political experience, I say to them you may be right, he may not have as many votes in the senate, he may not have deep connections through out the world, he may not already be connected to the inner workings of Washington and then I say but all of that has not worked for us so far. All of those connections and types of world experience is great but if you lack hope and vision what good are they?

ETA: I hope no one sitting in my congregation runs for office and is held accountable for my statements!

Oh how I love March

I know I am one of the few people who feel this way but I think March is one of the best months of the year! First and foremost there is March Madness. Between conference tourney and then the NCAA tourney both men's and women's who could ask for anything else but there is more Especially this year. There is spring break ( which I spent most of in San Diego) then there is Holy week which yes is busy but has always been one of my favorite times of the year! AND there is my BIRTHDAY and this year I am 25! Only five more years til thirty and yes I am excited about that. And then there is the minor holiday of St Patty's day which is typically a good time with my friends. And Of course when you get to march spring is right around the corner THANK GOD!!! Yes it is finally march and things are starting to look up again :-)

Exciting things

I have lots of fun stuff coming up

San Diego with one of my closest HS friends
Palm Sunday
Easter
March Madness
My 25th Birthday!
End of the semester is in sight!

I am

Some times I feel like all I do on this blog is complain. So i wanted to post something positive here. I have been going through a lot of angst in my life lately and I have realized that quite a bit of it is self created. A lot of it come out of trying to live my life through someone else's lens. I know that there will be more angst to come, but I I think some of it will settle because a huge monkey came off m back today. As a result of some conversation with a few important people in my life I have come to claim a few things about myself and I think they need to be posted here.
I am a child of God
I am a friend
I am a sister
I am a daughter
I am called to ministry
I am biracial
I am ready for a struggle
I am me

General Conference

Ok so General conference is coming up in the Methodist church and there has already been a lot of blogging going on already. And of course the hot button issues of human sexuality keeps rearing it's head. Here's my question why is that the one issue both sides dig in their feet for and are ready to fight till possibly the death? Now I am of course one of those people I do feel that it is a very important issue of inclusively, love and civil rights. I am not throwing any stones in glass houses here or I am at least not trying too.

However, I don't feel like there are any other really burning issues that people are really passionate about. Maybe I just don't know enough yet. Maybe, there are other issues that we feel passionate about. I know that we need to start getting passionate about saving the Church. Not just the Methodist church but the church in general. We are losing a whole generation and I am afraid we are simply going to continue losing generations. I think we need to look at how far we have gone away from Wesley's vision ( at least in my opinion).

So what do you think is important? What issues should we as a church be discussing


***** Beth Quick has a similar conversation going on over at her blog

Lots of questions no answers

So I haven't really had much inspiration to blog recently. Or at least when I have an idea I typically have at least 101 other things to do. However yesterday I had lunch with one of my classmates Melissa who along with her husband and two of our other classmates want to do a church plant in New England.

Melissa and I of course had a conversation about church and how frustrating it can be yet how much we love it . Especially the United Methodist Church. Melissa is debating about what to do next year as to rather or not to take a part-time appointment or to take a job as more of a program/ small groups director at another church. When talking to the pastor at the church of her second option she was asked a simple question... "Why aren't doing what you already know want (called?) to do?" And that got us talking at lunch. Why aren't we living out the ministry we called to do. Yes I know many of your are thinking you are seminary is part of the process you are living out your call. And yes in many way I agree with you. But there is also this part me that wonders about why is ordination so important ( yes it still is very important to me I'll discuss that in another post) and why are we so drawn to the Methodist Church even when sometimes it becomes and optical to what we feel called to do.

We didn't come up with a whole lot of answers during this conversation. (To be honest at seminary we never really do come up with answers, but we sure do know how to complain!) However, it did really get me thinking. Truly thinking about how to at least start to come up with plausible solutions (if we ever do come up with solutions they typically are to idealistic/unrealistic).

Right now I am at the point where for me personally, I need to truly get down to what I want vs what I am called to do. I need to set aside some of the want pieces and be authentic in my call. I need to accept that there are obstacles that at this point are very navigable. I need to stop living in both the fear of failure and the strange feel of success. In some ways feel as though I am my own biggest obstacle.

As if i didn't know this already

I knew this already so I don't know it is coming as a shock... but the church still doesn't get it. I keeping hoping and I keep seeing glimpses that the church wants to change. At least they are talking about wanting to change. And even occasionally thinking about just skipping the 20th century since we already missed that, and moving into the 21st. However, today we sat an in all day meeting with our bishop talking about change and visioning, and again I saw these glimpses of hey we are getting this, even the leadership is moving in the right direction. especially when she talked about her vision for merging conferences which is going to happen very soon. i was actually inspired by that.

However are are so not ready ready for a post modern church. It is even still hard for us to think on the post modern perspective, before we throw it out the window. I must say though I did have a really good conversation with a pastor who I have meta few times, but I would have never this type of conversation with. She has been really changed by the church she is serving and is seeing ministry in a whole new light in a very positive way. so that made the day a little more worth while.

Political matchin quiz

I found this interesting... i am happy though that John Edwards is at the top of my viable candidates. i have like him from the beginning. We just need a Dem in the white house!

79% John Edwards
78% Mike Gravel
78% Dennis Kucinich
73% Barack Obama
71% Hillary Clinton
67% Joe Biden
65% Chris Dodd
64% Bill Richardson
43% Rudy Giuliani
33% John McCain
28% Mitt Romney
27% Mike Huckabee
25% Tom Tancredo
16% Fred Thompson
15% Ron Paul

2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz

Watching the debates

I'm watching the facebook/ABC/NH debates.. and can i just say right now the Republicans are really pissing me off! They seem to be some of the most unamerican unchristian people I have ever heard. so I wasn't going to vote republican and i am certainly not going to now.



Democrats
Phil Richardson:
How do ask another government step aside?
good of of turning it positive!

Hillary Clinton: way to take it down the negative path

Barack Obama: I wish you would explain why you have changed your mind. So they can stop attacking you for it.

John Edwards:
so how about we just start nuclear world war three greeeeaaattt

Ok i got tired and stopped bloging my comments




Everyone: THE UNTIED STATES OF AMERICA DOES NOT GET TO DECIDE THE GOVERNMENT OF EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IF THEY ARE NOT A DIRECT THREAT TO US LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!!

I am also very sick of them talking about people who have changed their minds. yes i understand that we have to look at voting record, but if a person has a valid reason for changing their mind, and can defend the change of mind then that should be good enough! people are allowed to change!


Overall Thoughts:
In the very beginning i was torn between Hillary and Barack. I really really wanted to support Hillary, but I really don't think that she makes good points., she chooses words poorly, she opened the door up attacks against herself. I just don't know if i can go there. I think that I would rather see Barack or Edwards. if Hillary gets nominated she will most likely get my vote but I am really struggling to support her right now. I love that Hillary and Barack dodged the last question. Phil Richardson may have been the best on that question.

Friday five

New year resolutions Friday 5

Well it had to be didn't it, love them or hate them I bet you've been asked about New Year resolutions. So with no more fuss here is this weeks Friday Five;

1. Do you make New Year resolutions? yes

2. Is this something you take seriously, or is it a bit of fun? I try to take them seriously

3. Share one goal for 2008. Always be honest with myself

4. Money is no barrier, share one wild/ impossible dream for 2008 Spend three months in Colombia, three months in Argentina, three months in Uganda, and three months in Spain

5. Someone wants to publish a story of your year in 2008, what will the title of that book be? Faith: It's a Good Struggle.

Couldn't resist

The Recipe For Pastor to be

3 parts Dignity 2 parts Aspiration 1 part Humor Splash of Cleverness Finish off with an olive

What's the Recipe for Your Personality?