The Semester is Over!!!!

Last night as I sent my final exam that is worth 60% of my grade to my Professor I did a little happy dance and had a beer. It was a huge relief. Mostly because I was really stressed out out this exam. I've never taken a class where so much rides on one test. But it's over and now all i can do is wait for grades to come out. Which I am pretty excited about because for once I think I did fairly well. In my undergrad years I didn't really care to much about grades, this time around I have really put in the effort so I am hoping to do well.

I must say even with all the work and the complaining that I have done this semester it has been one of the best times of my life. I have meant some of the most amazing people. I have this immediate group of friends who are awesome. We have really intense discussions, we commiserate about why where are here, and we laugh A LOT! Then there are a lot of different people who I don't see as often but are fun, and supportive and just great.

The classes have been good too. I am one of the few people who liked my public practice of theology class. We had wonderful discussion in our precept. My old testament class was interesting. I realized that I really did learn a great deal. Research and writing I could have done with out but I did put together a bibliography of sources on postmodernism and somewhere done the line I think that will be helpful.

It has been an interesting time with the friends and family that came along prior to seminary. My parents I think have their ups and downs with what to d0 with this whole going to seminary and going into the ministry thing. Recently they have been great about it. I think they are starting ti get it. And most people who have been through this say they will never totally get that. Which is nothing new to me, my parents often don't fully get me. However, this time is very different. I think they are starting to understand more that this is more then just a job this is more then just a master's degree. My friends are having more of a struggle with it. Most of my friends are really religious so they aren't quite sure what this means. How they are supposed to act around me, etc. I in the beginning kept saying I'm still me. And I am, but I can feel the changes that are happening. I feel that the changes are really good. I just feel bad because I can the end of some of my friendships coming. Not that they will end completely just not be as strong or as present. I'm just not sure how mush of that has to do with seminary and how much of it has to do with just the passing of time. Don't get me wrong there have been some great times. And my church has been awesome with their support of me. I truly knows what it means to have a church family

My relationship with God just feels great. Sometimes to be honest I get caught up in school and strayed away, but getting back hasn't been a problem. I can feel God with me so much of the time. It's an amazing experience for me.

So far so good. This has just been an awesome semester!

Letter of the alphabet Meme

Melissa gave me the letter P so here are my 10 ferrite things begin with the Letter P. If you want to play drop me a comment and I'll give you a letter...

1. Paella.. best Spanish dish ever
2. Pillar candles
3. Peanut butter.. especially with chocolate
4. Pillows... trust me I use it as often as I can
5. Pizza... i can't wait for marino's pizza when I'm home
6. Pastors.. cause I have so many cool pastor types in my life
7. planes ... especially if I'm going someplace fun
8. phones.. my cell phone is great
9. presents.. both giving and receiving
10. pugs.. they are the only little dogs I like

Guatemala Trip

This is an e-mail I sent out to many of my friends and family if there are any out there in the cyber community who would like to contribute please leave me a message and I'll e-maill you the address where you can send contibutions.

Hi all,

Sorry for the mass e-mail but I wanted to tell you all about my mission trip to Guatemala and give you an opportunity to participate.

As part of my course requirements at Drew Theological school we have to have go on a cross cultural trip. I have chosen to go to Guatemala. I am excited to be able to use my Spanish skills and experience another culture.

This particular trip happens to be a United Methodist Volunteer in Mission trip (VIM). For those of you not familiar with the United Methodist Church VIM trips occur in many countries and in the Untied States. On these trips VIMs do work rebuilding or building in communities, working in schools, feeding/helping poverty stricken groups, etc. Often these trips take place in communities that are already Christian, and we do not go in with a goal of converting people and changing or destroying their culture, which is the vision some have of mission trips. We are just as willing to help non-Christians as we are Christians.

I have attached a list of items that we are brining with us to the orphanages and medical clinics that we will be visiting on the trip. The great thing is that we aren't just sending this stuff to some warehouse somewhere or to some organization where we hope it will get to the people that need it. I will be physically bringing the contributions to the facilities. If you can not donate the actual items and would like to send or give a monetary donation so that I may purchase items to contribute that would be great too.

I know it is the holidays and there are a lot of opportunities to give. If can not participate in this I fully understand.

Please feel free to pass this opportunity on to others who you think may wish to participate.

I will be leaving for the trip on Jan 6th. I will be willing to pick any items you may wish to contribute or you may send them to me.

Thank you so much in advance!

Happy Holidays

Peace and Blessing,

Kristen

Here is the wish list:

WISH LIST FOR GUATEMALA NOVEMBER 2006 TRIP:

Each time we visit the Guatemala National Methodist Church projects, we bring supplies and equipment for their use. Here are the items requested or useful for each project, which we would like to take with us when we leave in November:

I. Los Romeritos, Guatemala City (not a GMC project):

clown make-up, wigs, costumes etc

Children’s vitamins

Shampoo, tooth brushes, tooth paste.

Creme for scabies treatment

Tylenol for children

Digital thermometer

Cough medicine for children

Manual in Spanish for craft projects

II. Salud y Paz Medical Clinic in Camanchaj:

Visine or other over-the-counter for eyes

Anti-acids (tums etc)

Pepto Bismal

Monistat for vaginal yeast infections

Cough syrup for children and adults

Naproxine (Advil or Ibuprofen)

Metronidazol 500 mg. (flagel)

Pepsid

Antibiotic creme

Desitin

Diaper rash medication

underware small sizes for women

III. Juan Ixtan, Patalup Medical Clinic:

Diabetic test strips for Accu-Chek Advantage machine

Otoscope to examine ears

Bulk Vitamins, Kirkland from Costco: One-a-day, Vit. C.

IV. Hogar de Niños, San Sebastian de Lemoa

warm clothing for small children ages 0-17: underwear, socks, T-shirts and pants, jackets, sweaters, shoes (remember, 17-year-olds in Guatemala are the size of 13-year-olds in the US)

School supplies: pens, pencils, sharpeners, rulers, spiral notebooks, safety scissors, water colors, permanent markers, dry-erase markers, hole punches, folders, tape, tape holders, staple remover, stapler, staples, ruler, compass, protractor, tracing paper, Personal items: shampoo, tooth paste, soaps, tooth brushes, combs

Mixed emotions

So a couple of hours ago I finished my very last class of my first semester of Seminary. Now the only thing I have left to do school work wise for the rest of the semester is study and take my three hour old testament exam.

I really and truly have mixed emotion as this semester ends. I happy to get a break from all the reading and the paper writing. Yet it makes me realize just how fast this time really goes by. I keep thinking about how quickly I felt my four years of college when by ans seminary is only three years. I am already in that but I'm going to miss it stage. It's wired because sometimes we rush the semester along but honestly if I could go back and do it over again I think i would. I really am enjoying this. Not to say there aren't downs because there sure are. last wed I was talking about dropping out. But overall this experience has been everything i could have ever wished for.

blog thingy

Your Scholastic Strength Is Inspiring Others

You are great at developing a vision, and getting others to adopt your way of thinking. You are talented at leading, balancing tasks, and helping people work together. You should major in: Counseling Environmental studies Law Social work Political science Nursing

What Should You Major In?

2 Done

Ok so two papers done and two to go.. and yes I'm on here procrastinating....

So any ideas of summer Jobs for the sem kid? I thought about doing camp but I don't think my summer classes end in time... suggestions will be appreciated


ok Two papers left to write I should leave the library at about 2am :-(

Stress...

SO I knew it was coming... Four papers due this week.. I got a good start on them this weekend, but I probably should have done more.

And I broke up with the long distance bf.. It was for the best but it doesn't make it any easier.

OK well I need to get to work... Prayers will be appreciated!

Parents

I just realized that I love my parents and i know in their own strange way that they love me, but they just zap the life right out of me. A large part of that is because I spend my time trying to be the daughter they want me to be or the daughter that they think I am. They just have no idea of who I am or the changes that have occurred in my life. Partly because I don't let them in on it and partly because when I do let them in on it I feel like I'm being attacked.

My dad is trying to really supportive in this whole becoming a pastor process. But he just doesn't get it. And everyone keeps telling me he never will. But getting him to understand that is hard. The problem is he is really trying and I get frustrated because I'm explaining it as best I can and he just can't make the leap. Partly because I think he struggles with his own faith, and thinks I can be the one to guide him through and I just can't be.

My mom, I just don't know where she is. She doesn't react outwardly that often and when she doesn't I often see it as a negative. I;'m not sure that is fair to her. In fact i know it's not. There is just so much history there. For a long time ( and passably still) there was a lot of jealously there. Never said but completely understood. She too struggles in her faith journey. I think she wants to go there but something holds her back. I'm just not sure what it is. Nor do I think I can be the one to help her either.

I always tell people I'm a product of my parents they raised me to be different from them but they didn't really know what they were actually doing. I am really different from them. It's hard sometimes I really don't know what to do with that. I am happy I am the person I am, it's just hard that I can't fully explain / share that with my parents.

Friday five.. Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving... In particular order here is who and what I am thankful for in no particular order ....

1. School ( Drew Theological Seminary)

2. Michelle

3. The Walters

4. Andrea

5. My call

Organic Part II

Ok so I wanted to post more about this yesterday, but I didn't get to it, and truthfully right now I really should be cleaning my Apartment, but I had to post this. So yesterday Peter Rollins the author of How (Not) To Speak of God ( ihaven't read it yet but after listening to him speak i'm sure it's good) was at school. He spoke at chapel and the did a book talk afterward. And I saw what worship could be. He started this faith experience in Belfast Ireland, at a pub, where people come to worship and to experience God. It just looked and sounded amazing. It's consider to be part of the emergent church movement. I'm not quite ready to jump on to that label yet (partly due to my generational rejection of labels), but it sounds more and more exciting. I share the fear that Peter expressed to us in his talk that the Emergent church label runs the risk of being comercialized or exploited. But it seems to be more and more what church should be. How I want to be able to help people experience God.

I also checked out the website The Ooze. There is some really great discussions going on there. People talking from all different perspectives of faith.

Just the other day we were talking about constructive theology in class. A lot of my classmates wanted to talk about the dangers of people constructing their own theologies. Yes there are dangers, but what about the good stuff. The developing of one's faith. Developing a deep connection with God that come out of thought, questions and experience. What a wonderful feeling.

I see where Christianity should be , where it should go. We need to go back to our roots.

Organic

Hopefully I'll be able to post more on this soon... but that is what we need to get back to. Organic church experiences

Blogging

Sorry my blogging has been very lack luster lately.... I've just been busy with school and church stuff. It's a good busy though! Hopefully I'll have something fun and interesting to post about soon. The next two weeks I'm preaching so I'm excited for that. This Sunday I'm preaching a mini-sermon for Laity Sunday and next week I am preaching for Chirst the King Sunday
That's about all the is exciting right now!

Friday five

Those of us who are in the United States have just been through quite a topsy-turvy election. During the campaign we heard a fair amount about red states and blue states, when in fact most of us live in some shade of purple. And so... a lighter look at those confounding colors:

1. Favorite red food... strawberries and rasberries

2. Tell us about the bluest body of water you've ever seen in person.

3. It's movie rental time: Blue Planet, The Color Purple, or Crimson Tide? the color purple

4. What has you seeing red these days? close minded people

5. What or who picks you up when you're feeling blue? I have lots of lovely people in my life who pick me up

Good Things Happening at Seminary

I have to say we are more then half-way through the semester, and this experience has been such a blessing so far. It's seems funny to me that people have a fear of losing their faith in seminary. I guess I can understand where that could come from, but for me so far this has been nothing but a spiritually enriching experience. I have met amazing people, had the most amazing discussions, and even learned a think or two in class. Yes, there is a ton of reading and work to be done. And yes it can be overwhelming, and yes there have been a few times when I have said to myself why the heck am I here, but even in all that it has been a joy.

I simply can not get over the depth of the conversations we are having. Especially conversations on race. Race is almost becoming a four letter word around here these days. Particularly for the non-minority students. It sound as though they feel as if they are being blamed for actions that they had no control over. It is true they had no control over them. I agree we need to stop living in the past. But that is not to say that we should forget about it either. Being at Drew has allowed me to see so many side of this conversation. And has allowed and encouraged me to embrace my biracial heritage. To not have to hide or favor one side or the other.

I was struggling very heavily that identity for a very long time. The struggle is by no means over, but not I have realized it ok to feel uncomfortable. Along with that it is ok just to say this is ME, this is Who I AM, I can't change it and I don't want to change, and I don't need to fit into a constructed racial identity. I think that if we would stop trying to put people in boxes as a way to understand them we could make progress in our ( the world's) discussion on race.

Happy Birthday Shout Out

This is not normal for my blog, but it is something that I must do. I know she pops in occasionally so I have to wish my Pastor a very very very happy _0 Birthday!

I know you weren't looking forward to this birthday, but you have done amazing things in you time here so far, and I know there are many more things to come.

Thank you for your unending support. I hope you have a wonderful day!!!!!

Spiritual Disciplines

So this week for our Public Practice of theology class we had to write a paper about our spiritual lives and our spiritual disciplines. I realized what a drastic change I have made over the past year and a half. It's been a year and a half since I experienced my call to ministry. Right before that time my prayer life had picked up a bit, but I didn't have to much else going on spiritually. Then came this very unexpected, sometimes till scary, but for the most wonderful call to ministry, and I tired to instill other spiritual disciplines in my life. The growth of those disciplines have been very helpful in my life. I feel that I my stress level while it tends to be higher ( I am in seminary folks!) it doesn't get the best of me a easily. Journaling and prayer are the most helpful with that. My prayer life has been great lately. It funny because everyone tells you that is the first to go in seminary. My Bible study ( beyond what we have to go for class) has been ok, but definitely has room for improvement.

Last night was my first meeting with my spiritual direction group. What an awesome and helpful experience.

For the past few weeks I've struggled a little bit with my call because I'm disappointed/disillusioned with the organized Church. However, somewhere along the line I turned that into disappointment/disillusionment with God. When really that was not the case at all. It's with the Church. I have no doubt about God or the presence of God in my life.

The weekend

So I have to be honest I didn't know what to expect this weekend. I went back to my undergrad for homecoming weekend. I skipped out on homecoming last year to attend my aunt's 50th birthday party. I had no idea what to expect especially because I am a totally different person from the person I was in undergrad. The first thing everyone wanted to know was " is she going to go to the bar?" Yes, I was a party girl in undergrad. And yes I went to the bar with my friends and yes I had a drink. I think it put everyone at ease. A lot of my friends and acquaintances still aren't sure of what to make of me going into the ministry, but it lead to a lot of great conversations.

I not only saw my peers, but I also got to visit with my former professors and our campus ministers. We talked a lot about the direction of the church. How young people are reacting, what we can do change the perceptions of church. I got lots of advice to enjoy seminary and to learn as much as I can, and get as many experiences as I can.

Overall it was fun weekend. I saw almost everyone I wanted to. I did miss some key people (sorry sis). But I did realize the past is the past and there is no going back.

Personality test

Everyone else was doing and I thought it was fun:

Benevolent Designer

not sure why it is showing up twice

Reading week

So It's reading week, and I had this wonderful idea that while it was reading week I was going to spend all my time getting ahead. Not just getting my work done for next week but really and truly getting ahead..... well that didn't work. It's crazy how much better I am about getting my work done when I don't have time to do it. So needless to say next weeks assignments are mostly read and I at least looked at my assignments for the following week. Oh well I guess my brain just needed a little break. At least I don't have any mid-terms or big papers due.

The good thing is today I start my traveling. I am visiting my one of my College friends in Philly today and tomorrow thru Sunday I'll be in Ohio visiting another friend! So reading week was useful for something.

Dear Church:Letters From a Disillusioned Generation

I've decided that I needed to do some simple pleasure reading. I know it's sounds crazy to most with all the reading that we do in seminary that I would picked to do more reading for enjoyment, but reading has always been my relaxation method. So I picked up a book about church(cause I jsut can't get enough) and my generation's disillusionment with the institutional church. I have really enjoyed it. Simply because it doesn't just point out the problems that my generation has with the church, but it puts some feelings behind it. Not only that, the book let's us know we do not have to disillusioned forever. There's a website that goes along with it www.dearchurch.com

I struggle all the time with my frustration of being called to ordained ministry, but feeling that the church in its current state just isn't what it should/could be. I want so much to be part of the positive change but fear that I may be stopped in my tracks. What keeps me strong is knowing the God is with me on this. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that. Sometimes I question the heck out of God as to why I'm here and if I can really do what God is calling me to do, but I just have to remember I'm not in any of this alone.

Identity

So much for trying to post at least once a week.. oh the life of a seminarian.

Lately I have been pretty down and I could not figure out why. I kept saying I needed some type of social justice issue to sink myself into, yet I could not figure out what. However, I realized that I was searching for an outward struggle because I am facing an internal struggle. I am having a struggle with my identity. My father is black my mother is white. I am mixed. Yet my skin color is very light. Most people just assume that I am white. However, I am much closer to my dad;s side of the family, so that is where I would prefer to identify myself.

Here at Drew there is such diversity and a lot of cultural opportunities for all kinds of cultures. IT is wonderful, but my struggle is finding my place in the balls community. It is where my heart is, but I just do not feel like I fit there. And maybe that is just my stuff. It may be all in my head that I am not accepted. I feel that I kind of am but I always feel like I have to prove some something.

Matriculation

I realize that I didn't post about matriculation last wed. For those of you not familiar with the Drew Tradition, we have a Chapel service to celebrate our matriculation. We sign a book that has been signed for a 139 years. It was a great service. Len Sweet gave an inspiring sermon about weathering the perfect storm that the church is in now in. It was very memorable. My pastor who is a Drew alum came down. It was great to see her on her old stomping grounds. I feel like everyone here knows her. It's a little intimidating to know what a great student she was here and the impact that she made here. It does give me a little extra incentive to do better. Not that I needed any.... The other cool thing is that I'm starting exactly 10 years after she started. I love that I can share my experiences with her and she understands!

Anyway it is a day that I will never forget!

Work

Well now I don't have nearly as much time as I did before because I started working in the Undergraduate Dean's office. It's only been two days but it's been pretty good so far. A lot of it is similar to what I did in my years spent temping. I actually don't mind doing office work. I guess that will be a good thing when I'm a pastor, but I have feeling then I will not enjoy it nearly as much.

My time at Seminary keeps getting better and better even with a larger work load. The people that I have met and the friendships that are developing are great. Although I have noticed there are very few superficial conversations. Most conversations turn into deep theological discussions. It's pretty interesting.

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five: Brushes with Greatness

1. Tell us about a time you met someone famous.... I've met David Cassidy on several occasions. He comes into the little convenient store that I work at during the summer. He's pretty nice guy.

2. Tell us about a celebrity you'd like to meet.... This one is Easy.... BETTE MIDLER. She is a great performer and has done amazing things for NYC

3. Tell us about someone great who's *not* famous that you think everyone ought to have a chance to meet. ... My pastor. She is a great role model for strong females in Ministry. She is my strongest supporter.

4. Do you have any autographs of famous people? Mickey Mouse and the Disney crew but that's about it.

5. If you were to become famous, what would you want to become famous for? Being active in Social Justice

Bonus: Whose 15 minutes of fame was up long, long ago? Paris Hilton and Company

Title change

I am at Drew, but I had thought about this before, I needed to change my blog title. I need to be inclusive. It has always been about God. When I first realized that I had used exclusive language and I mentioned to my pastor she said I just figured you were talking about Jesus. And yes I'm trying desperately to follow his example, but for me right now it's really about God. Yes, I know for some they are one in the same, and that is a debate for another day.....

Anyway, new title, same blog, hopefully with some more interesting posts coming.

WOW

So it's been two weeks at Drew.. and all I can say is wow. I am home. After a week of orientation an and a week of classes and a two day retreat and I know Drew is home. I have met the most wonderful people and had the must stimulating and exhausting and funny conversations that I have ever had. One of my classmates put it best when he said you don't pass through the school it also passes through you, and I can feel that. The people and the culture are so rich. I just thank God for it everyday

Reason no 1 why the administrative side of drew stinks

In the tradition of Melissa over at Going on to perfection... I am going to complain about the administrative side of Drew... so when setting up our room my roommate and I set up the TV and telephone by the cable and telephone jack only to find out today that those are the new jacks and they aren't working yet. So either we have to rearrange furniture or go with out phone or TV!!! HOW Annoying! Oh and the old phone jack doesn't even exist in out room anymore!!!!

First day

Well I had my first day of Class. It went well. I am really excited about all the learning that is going to occur here, both in and out of the classroom. Especially at lunch or any time when I am with my classmates for that matter. I am definitely off to a great start at making friends. And so far I've been pretty good about working out and getting school work done. Huge steps for me compared to undergrad. I know it's week one but I'[m pretty optimistic about both things staying on track.

Dinner and A day with perfect stranger

So haven't done a book review yet and this one won't quite be one either, but Dinner with a Perfect Stranger an invitation Worth Considering and A Day with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory, are great books. For me they really speak to what my ministry is about right now; developing a relationship with God. And for me right now for as much as I want to be a pastor I don't care if that relationship takes place in the context of Church. It is more important for a person to develop a relationship with God then a relationship to a church. That is not to say that a Church, as it is commonly thought of can't foster that relationship, it is to say that we should not assume because one is not part of a church that they can not have a solid relationship with God.

I think that may be the downfall of current mainline religions. We have put emphasis on our membership numbers and our appearance as the Body of Christ and have not put our focus on building a relationship with God in order to become part of The Body. So often we struggle with the traditions , and rituals that lose sight of what those traditions and rituals are about. They are about having a greater connection with God.

We accept the difference and marriage styles, the different relationship parents have with their children, different styles of friends,etc. We accept that they are different but we still consider them acceptable. Why is that so often we do not feel the same way about a person's relationship with God. We do judge people if they don't meet their friends for coffee once a month as we do, but we are quick to judge them if they don't go to church on Sunday.

I am a church going person. In fact I truly enjoy going to church. I feel that is where I most often connect with deeply with God. But it is not the only place that I connect with God. If another person doesn't feel comfortable in a church setting I would never want them to see that as a barrier to their relationship with God. Because their are certainly other ways to meet God and to a foster a relationship with God.

greetings from Drew

I am sorry for the time lapse in blogging, but as you can imagine I was very busy geting ready for school. I feel like busy is the theme of this blog. However. I have arrived at DREW. I am HERE!!!! In case you cna't tell I am so very excited about it. Orientation was very long but informative. I hvae have no doubt that I am at the place God intented me to be at. I am so excited for this journey. Everyone keeps saying there will be ups and downs and I feel that there is no other place where I would like to expirence them.

The community here is so welcoming, open and honest. I have already met some amazing people. I know that this will be another place where I will make life long friends. I can't wiat for classes to start. I have such great anticpation for the discussions and the debates that willl occur.

The icing on the cake was meeting Ben and Melissa from the blogoshere world. They are truly great people and have very helpful to me.

Well I'm off to organixe my apartment some more and do a bit of fun readding before all the calss reading starts

Two weeks

Well orientation at Drew is less then two weeks away and I am super excited!!! I can't wait to start school. I've been buying new things, organizing and packing. I am really really excited.
I just can't wiat to get started and it's less then two weeks away!!! :-)

Practice what i preach....

So I preached a sermon on taking time for yourself to relax and refresh and most importantly to Pray. For about two weeks up until my sermon I as really good at doing that, but this week it just hasn't happened and I can really feel the difference. I know from what people have told me and what I have read that pastors are always told they need to spend time on self-care, and I am really really going to have to work on that and rememeber that both for now and in the future.

My time house sitting is almost over. I'm kind of sad to be leaving such a great space. However I'm very happy my pastor is coming home!

Sermon number 2

Well sermon number two has been preached. I had a Few family and friends there which was very nice. I did the whole service this time which was interesting, I made a few mistakes here and there about what was happening in the service. We moved the special music round and I forgot. More importantly I forgot to ask for other announcements... whoops. But over all it went very well. I didn't think this sermon was as good as the first one . It was ok and I received a few compliments on it. My congregation is very supportive of me, which is great.

The good thing is I'm looking forward to having more opportunities to preach. I'm learning more and more each time. The best advice I heard today was not to worry so much about how I sound or if I make a mistake, people are really listening from the message. Definitely something I need to remember.

Another learning experience with many more to come. Little over a month till school! :-)

House sitting

I was kind of excited about house sitting because it meant two weeks out of my parents house. However, as with most things I was a little nervous. I have never been one for spending time alone in a house. Even as a teen I didn't like it. I always use to leave all the lights on in the house.

Right now though I feel very at home and very relaxed. I'm House sitting for my pastor and I can really feel God in the house. My prayer time has been great. It's not as if there are a ton of crosses around or anything. There are a few and some beautiful ones, but nothing unusual. It just feels very homey and I feel good. I even felt better at work this morning and getting up early didn't even affect me.

I'm pretty sure it's the combination of the sense of freedom doesn't hurt.

But truly feeling God in your living space makes such a difference.

Hair cuts

I have decided if I could only have one extravagance in life it would be getting my hair cut. I'd give up going out to eat, shopping, destination vacations, etc... I went and got a great inexpensive hair cut at a relatively new place just out of town. I hadn't had my hair cut in a few months and it was really starting to show. So today on my day off I got it cut. There is nothing better then someone washing and then blow drying my hair.

Plus, I've decided to let my hair grow for the next three years and then chop it off and donate it to locks of love after I graduate from Seminary. I always get frustrated with my long hair and then chop it off but this time I'm sticking to the plan. In three years it will be long enough so that when I donate it my hair won't be to super short.

Just an Update

So apparently Blogger ate my Friday Five post :-(... Oh well hopefully next week. Last weekend was great to spend four days with my best friend from college. Again, this past week was spent working. Luckily, this week I have a whole day off where I don't have to work at either job which will be nice.

Sermon writing is coming along. It's still not polished ( or finished) but the ideas are coming along. It is definitely a case of needing to practice what I am preaching. I need to take more time for rest and spiritual renewal.

Orientation information came last week for Drew. I'm starting to get very excited, and nervous. I never had really though about going to grad school so soon after graduation and now it's really coming.

Starting Sat. I'm house sitting for two weeks. Hopefully I'll get lots of time to read and blog!

BevGalBlogPals Friday Five 4th of July

Finally I get to do one on a friday!!!
1) Do you celebrate 4th of July (or some other holiday representing independence?) Yes, my family always has it's my dad's birthday
2) When was the first time you felt independent, if ever? Wel.. Oh wait I still live at home... is the three years of grad school over yet!?!?!?!
3) If you're hosting a cookout, what's on the grill? I'm not host but we have a big family one and the grill items are a very small part of what's on the menu.. hambugers, chicken ( both grilled and fried, ribs, pork, clams, you name it it will probably at this pinic
4) Strawberry Shortcake -- biscuit or sponge cake? Discuss. Biscuits all the way with A Lot of whipped cream.. pound cake is acceptable as well, but never sponge cake
5) Fireworks -- best and worst experience worst: the empire state plaza when the ash came down on us Best: The international fireworks competition in Toronto

Family Friends and a Sermon

Well the past week has been crazy again. Last week was spent at work and then it was jazz fest weekend. Which is one of the greatest weekends in Saratoga. Three of my aunts and my parents and I go every year. This year my Dad is working as an Usher at SPAC where the event is held so it was just me and mom getting things ready. You really do miss an extra hand. You see this is an all day event. We bring losts of food and and tables and you have to run at 8am to get a prime spot on the lawn. It is a very interesting expirence. However, a whole lot of fun. I got Jamie Collum's autograph and got to see a great new artist. I had just heard her on the radio a few days before and she is amazing. He name is Sonya Kitchell and you must check her out. She is absolsutly amazaing!! This year Jazzfest also included some friends and their families so it was quite the event!

This week has jsut flown by. I did my Friday Five post and just relaized I headlined it the TuUes. edition but it is really the it is WED. wehere did the time go???? This week has been busy with work as ususal. Tuesday I met with my parents' pastor. I used to attned church there and that is where my grandparnts also attend. I left when she came on board. Not because she came on board but becasue I was in transistion as well. We had a nice "getting to know you" chat.

I'm trying to write Sermon number two, but I don't feel as though i'm having as mcuh sucsess as I did with the first one. I'm not quite sure what it is. Speaking of Sermon I'm meeting with my Pastor tomorrow to get some much need help, but I must do some work before I can get help so I'm off....

Revgalblogpals Friday five Tues edition

Well this is a few days late but things have been crazy again as I'll tell you in my next post, but Ice cream is one of my favorite topics so here it is:
1. Ice cream: for warm weather only or a year-round food? YEAR ROUND FOOD
2. Favorite flavor(s) Cafe Moca Chip , Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz, and M&M oh and how could I forget Cookies and Cream
3. Cake cone, sugar cone, waffle cone, cup? Sugar cone
4. Childhood ice-cream memory I have several, Ben Jerry's Ice Cream cakes on my birhtday, The first time I was allowed to get Bubble gum ice cream, and Driving to Greenwhich to Mann's ( now the Ice Cream Man) to get ice cream
5. Banana splits: I have to be in the mood but when I am YUMMY!

Lots going on

Sorry for no post last week. I'm really trying to make sure I post at least once a week, but that jsut didn't happen. Last week was a crazy week. I started job number two and I had to attend a funeral.

Job number two is at the Polo Club. I'm seating people in their boxes and making sure only those who have paid to get in as VIPs are there.I used to go to polo games with my mom when I was little and I always enjoyed it. I remeber though we were never allowed to go over onto the other side of the field, and I always wanted to. Well now I'm working on the other side of the field and let's just say it's interesting. I am enjoying so far and the crowds haven't been to big, so there haven't been too many problems.

The funeral I had to attend was in Williamsport,PA where I attended college. The younger brother of one of my really good friends from college died. HE was only 20 and died in a motorcycle accident. I was very close to the family when I was in college. Lyndy and I didn't like each other to much when I first arrived at school. HSe was two years older then me and the star of the our basketball team. However, by the end of the season we were close friends. My sophomore she and I were basicly inseperable. I used to go with her to her families house all the time and to her brother's soccer and basketball games.

This visit was obviously a sad visit. However, the family is handling it better then I could ahve ever imagined. It is amazing what community can do for you. All of Mitch's friends (which was almost probably about half of his graduating class of 150-200 kids) were up at the house the day after the accident sharing their memories of Mitch. They had to hold the memorial service at the high school because their were so many peopel there. All with funny stories to share about Mitch.

I don't know how to say this with out it sounding wierd, but it was the best funeral I have ever attended. Not in the way that I was happy that Mitch died. I defintely was not. It was the best in that it really honored Mitch and his Memory. THe music playing the begining was Rap/Hip Hop Music. The pastor was a clsoe family friend and we all knew Mitch wasn't relgious and the Pastor talked about Mitch and his relationship with other people and how he lived his life true to himself. He knew the Mitch would make the right choice when he came face to face with God. He spoke of how to comfort he family. IT was truly amazing and very comfoting. Then two of Mitch friends spoke and then Lyndy spoke. The all truly captured what Mitch's Life was about.

It made me realize that sometimes we get caught up in the traditons especaily funerals. It made realized that these events are about celebration. thee celbration of a life lived on earth and returned to God. It gave me a whole new out look on what a funeral should be.

I'm also preparing to to preach my second sermon in July. I'm still debating on the texts. Right now I'm inbetween preaching Mark 6 :30-34,53-56 or Ephesians 2 11-22. I might write sermons for both and then decide from there. I'm struggle a little with Mark text and I really like the Ephesians text but I'm afriad that sermon will sound to much like sermon number one. Sermon number one was about the inclusion of outsiders based on Acts 10:44-48. So that's goign to be my focus this week....

RevGalBlogPals Friday Five

This weeks friday five Rain:

1. Favorite way to spend a rainy day... Curled up on the Couch with a good book or an old movie
2. Favorite song about rain... Come Rain or Come Shine
3. Favorite movie featuring rain...Singing in the Rain
4. Favorite piece of raingear, past or present... I used to have this bright green rain coat tha had whales on the inside
5. Favorite word for rain...hmm this is hard i love spainsh so i'm going with Lluvia

Weather

Upstate NY has never been know for great weather. Normally we have weather in extremes, extremely cold mostly, but for a few short months in summer we normally get extremely hot. Well, so far we have not gotten extremely hot, and I want to know where is the nice weather? The past few weeks have been nothing but cloudy and rainy. I want some sun!

Struggle

Ever since I've decided to answer God's call to ministry there has been this internal struggle going on. It goes on for lots of reasons and I'm ok with that, but more recently it's centered around the issue that it seems everyone is always talking about: Homosexuality. I didn't want to blog about this issue and for a long time I just wanted to avoid it all together, but there is no avoiding it. Here's my thing WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL??? And yes I know I'm yelling. In no other way do I see us prying into someone's personal life except when that person is LGBT. Maybe I'm wrong there, but it seems like we focus on that more then anything else. I just can't understand why. Is there nothing else to focus on? Truly I know that there is. And I know that there are other issues and the LGBT issues are important as well, I just think we need to find a balance.

I mean the LGBT community has civil rights as well. Do we not remember the civil rights movement in the 50s 60s and 60s? There were people quoting the bible then saying Blacks were second class citizens and that races shouldn't mix. Now the majority of people look at those arguments and say wow they were crazy. Don't they see it's the same situation?

I have have very close friends who are part of the LGBT community who were very concerned about my entering the ministry. They see any just about all churches as places where they are excluded, they were afraid that I would exclude them. I refuse to do it.

I just don't understand how we got so tangled up in an argument over this issue. I pray we can resolve it.

sermon

So i decided not to post my sermon but if you would like to read it I will e-mail it to you

My first sermon

Sermon number one has be preached, and I will never have to preach my very first sermon ever again. There will be plenty more firsts that is for sure, but never will it be my very first sermon. It went really well. I would like to say that I wasn't nervous at all, but we all know that just isn't true. A large portion of my family was there so that was very helpful. I started off a little shaking but as it got going I felt more comfortable. It actually felt really really good. At the end I got a standing ovation, which I'm pretty sure was lead by one of my aunts, but it was certainly unexpected.

I think part of my nerves during the week were a concern that I wasn't going to like it. That I would feel awful about preaching. I know it was by no means perfect and that there won't be standing ovations at the end of every sermon. That not everyone will be so supportive, but it still feels good. I still feel like part of God's plan for me involves me preaching. :-) I have to say that I was worried that this was going to be a big wake up call from God saying you are hearing the wrong thing, but I'm pretty sure so far I'm hearing things correctly and I'm really excited about it!

In a few days I'll post my sermon here

Service preparation

This post is going to be short, but I just have to write. My sermon is finally done. It now just has to be practiced. I can't believe I'm preaching in 8 days.

Right now I'm working on the visual presentation (my church has a very cool projection system where we put up the hymns lyrics, prayers, etc with images to go along) and the search for imagines is ridiculous. I'm looking for pictures of people or hands united together and in every single one the "united" people are segregated. In the drawing races are intermixed put in the actual photographs the people are segregated. It's the oddest thing. There was even one web site that was about being inclusive and the white people where in the front and the minorities were in the back. How inclusive is that?

Anyway, back to searching....

Sermon Writing

Well sermon writing has been a very interesting experience. I didn't really know what to expect when I started. Luckily once I got started the ideas just kept coming. It is just a matter of getting into a format/language that the congregation will understand. I don't want to give away to much of my the sermon cause I'm still two weeks away from preaching, there is a big focus on being inviting. Something that I really want to focus my ministry on.

As for preparation for the rest of the service, I never realized how much goes into it. It makes the great church services I've been to even more impressive.

I GOT IN!!!!!!

I GOT INTO DREW!!!!! I am so relieved to finally have and answer. I am on the probation for the first semester,because my undergraduate grades were not shall we say stellar. But I got in. I am so happy!!!!

Thanks for all the support and prayers. Now off to work on my sermon :-)

My generation and the next

I absolutely love reading blogs. Blogs of all kinds, but in particular I like reading what other Methodist blogs have to say. I read the Wesleyblog daily. Honestly Shane is much more conservative in both his theology and his political views then I am, but he does write some really great stuff and he definitely sparks debate. Today he wrote about his frustration on Easter Sunday with the lack of excitement and lack of Christian commitment by youth to Christianity. To be honest, I agree with him. Not so much that I'm frustrated, I'm just really sadden by it.

Like I said before, Michelle, my pastor, gave a great sermon. However, up until that point the congregation was a little lack luster. We had no excitement in the call to worship, no umph in the hymns. Even me. I was so excited for this Easter. Easter has always been my favorite holiday, and this year I thought it would be even more special since I had decided to go into the ministry, but until Michelle preached it didn't really feel like Easter. Where has the excitement in Christianity gone? Where has the excitement in worshiping God gone?

Then we have my generation and seemingly the generations after me who either don't want anything to do with Christianity and/or don't want anything to do with the church. For whatever reason a lot of my friends lately have been saying if they did have a religion they'd be Buddhist. Now, I have nothing against Buddhist, but where is this coming from? Most of them were raised in Christians homes and even went to church as children. Where as a church have we turned so many people off? Left so many people behind? I was almost one of the ones who was turned off. I know it was God who didn't let it happen. God working through other people. My fear is that my generation and possibly the generation after me doesn't even want to see it if God is trying to get to them either personally or through another person.

As I go through this journey of entering the ministry I have to ask myself what are we doing wrong and how can we change it? I pray that God gives us an answer and we listen.

Easter Weekend

Well a weekend that started a little crazy on Friday turned out to be a great weekend. It was a weekend filled with time well spent with my friends and family. I have the most amazing friends and family anyone could ask for. It seems to me each time adds another person to either of those categories in my life, my life becomes even more rich.

Pastor Michelle's Easter message was great. Most of the time when she preaches I think to myself, I'm never going to be that good. I try to remember what everyone tells me: I just have to find my own style. My preaching date has been moved to th 14th. Which is Mother's day. It means reworking my sermon a little, but I still think I'm sticking to the basic premise. My parents still aren't going to be able to make it, but I think the rest of my family will be there.

I never realized how much work went into writing a sermon, and I never realized how much I would enjoy preparing one. Reading different interpretations and looking at how other people presented the same text is really interesting!

I still haven't heard from Drew yet. My feelings on this go up and down. Somedays I know that I just have to wait it out and I will get an answer one way or another, and other days I really want to know! I'm not so worried about not getting in. Not because I definitely think I am but, because I have to remember God is in this. And Michelle and I had a conversation about it last week and she reminded me there will be Nos along the way, but the those nos are really not nows. Plus, I have a couple of backup plans so it will be ok. I'm still hoping though that I won't have to use those backup plans.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my bolg. The goal of my blog is to give you insight to my journey into and through the ministry, and really about my life in general. I'm 23 years old and currently reside in Newtown, CT with my godparents, but next month I will be moving back to my hometown of Saratoga Springs, NY
:-). Right now I'm waiting to hear rather or not I have been accepted to Theology school at Drew University and I'm preparing to give my first ever sermon.

I wanted to keep this post short and sweet as I'm sure you will be getting to kmow me as I write ;-)