6 weeks , 45 days, 1008 hours, 60480 minutes until…

March Madness? Spring?

Perhaps those things and much more but now we weary travelers gather in front of the hearth awaiting the passing of this storm within and throughout Creation; a tsunami of classes, papers, reading and sleepless nights. We are released from the endless pasted smiles on our faces flowing down neatly cobbled hallways exchanging stories and baring our souls for strangers.  We huddle in darkened corners at stout carved wooden tables, mumbling and rearranging our futures with “So what are my top three choices again?” and “Do I really want to spend a year here?”

Meanwhile, the waterfalls have begun to open and push life forth as the Seniors are finding out now what Synod will be welcoming them and where they will be calling home. It is a shift in the atmosphere for many of us-we as Middlers/Interriddlers struggling over endless bridges of classes, trying to keep focused all the while realizing that in six weeks those doors will burst forth, opening us a new journey-and the Holy Spirit leading the way with a smile, in Her pink sandals cheering us along, calling out "You are a child of God!"

For now, we are hopeful for days that fill the skies with warmth and our afternoons playing volleyball, stretching out in the sun; in this Lenten season, we await that Sunday morning where the Sun will appear a bit different to our gaze but our souls will dances as fragile flames rejoicing at the coming of something phenomenal, something counter-cultural.

Lape Bondye, God's Peace.

Life As We Know It....

"Are you ready for the Workshop?"

...is complicated.

There seems to be a common thread which has continually blossomed in conversations throughout these past couple of weeks-the elusive imp of self care and the laughing sprite of balance. Especially those of us who are parents leap into the morning blindly, not knowing what awaits in the crazy crayola colored waves below. 

But I digress.

In a sci-fi/fantasy novel by Anne McCaffrey entitled "Killashandra", the series surrounds the eclectic and surreal journey of our heroine who after being denied her field of study, travels to a mysterious and dangerous planet hoping to become a member of the exclusive Heptite Guild. This transformation only happens when a symboint fuses within the DNA of the host, thereby rendering said host with enhanced sensory capabilities and extended longevity. Killa's surroundings go from the dull gray that she and others in her class are used to into the true brilliance of colors and the intensity of textures that have been hiding until that explosive moment. 

The Holy Spirit can sometimes be that sneaky symboint: soaking our very beings and attaching Herself to our hearts, revealing the complexity and yet the beauty of the Creator's mission and ministry that He cradles and follows besides us, understanding when we can not see the grace and peace awaiting over the horizon.

For myself and 35 other energized and nervous souls, the unveiling of the dawn rained down upon us of a new awakening-the reality that our journey towards first call has caught pace with the winds, and lifts our souls to soar onward and outward. Laughter and wonder mirrored each of our faces this morning while in the company of the valiant Field Education office. Internship interviews are scheduled, life as we know it now no longer simmers with the same song.

It's finally getting real, folks.

Lape Bondye, God's Peace.

What I Did on my J-Term Vacation?

Rugged Camp Fun...right....

There is a new buzz word: solo parenting.

J-Term or January Term around here means a variety of things: For many people once the end of the semester approaches, there is a mass exodus. Facebook updates joyfully proclaim traveling homeward, traveling to conferences or stocking up and preparing for classes for J-Term. This is when all the neat, interesting and awesome travel seminar courses commence. 

In this interim time where the community slowly murmurs to a serene afternoon river, caressing smooth rocks embedded in earth instead of cascading over this is also usually the time when I am either serving at a Church or camp as well as finishing up time with my two children before they returning begrudgingly back to classes and school. This is also a time, in this blessed quiet for my own spirit to reflect as Creation erupts in fields of crystal and white, of downy snow covered fields and sidewalks delighting us to yet another beauty that the Creator bestows upon us.

Except this year, I found myself on vacation from the church I serve as Youth leader (No Confirmation) and several weeks before me which I would have nothing to do! I happily attempted to empty the library of books that I needed for future research, planned my topic and scheduled when I would read and so forth. My only mini vacation? Hanging out at a LOMC Summer Staff camp reunion: silly Santa gifts, good grubby food and night hikes galore!

And then the supply preaching requests came up (You try preaching three services on Epiphany!). And then the conference circuit happened: Lutheran Ethicists?  Wow, I did not know these folks existed (well not saying that but I did not realize there was an official group). The topics, the conversation, the fact that I was the only M.Div'er there! The Conference of Lutheran Ethicists are a part of a larger conference: the Society of Christian, Muslim and Jewish ethicists which brings a good size membership out for a three day fest each year (Ph.D students they have a student membership-for you). Emotional Intelligence Assessment Workshop? Although this was also promoted as a class through the Seminary, I was humbled that my Synod office asked me to attend. Great concept, awesome stats..just three days too long. The Youth Conference? Something close to my heart and close to home! But by the end of these conferences, I was completely exhausted.

Who is this international man of mystery?

But alas, I digress.

These past couple of weeks I have also been doing this solo since my globe trotting husband decided to take the J-Term course with Dr. Mark Swanson and Dr. Peter V...in INDIA.

My own mother was a single parent and educator for quite many years. She scheduled and served both at her schools and at her church home. I watched, learned and retained how she was able to balance everything as the only way she knew how. We lived in a community where people who were not connected by anything other than where we came from and who our ancestors are, looked out for myself and those other children who lived and played. As I have dived briefly into these waters of solo parenting I am thankful for God placing me here in this community, where my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, in faith who remained here during this quiet time shared fellowship and friendship with one another. 

The Spring Semester will soon be upon us, and our friends who are traveling in Seattle, Nebraska and India will be home soon. For many this is just another continuing in the journey down the sometimes racy, rocky waters of Seminary. For myself and other middlers the horizons of Internship and  for our seniors, Assignment are coming into view. 

It's beginning to look a lot like April...

Lape Bondye, God's Peace.

Life Continues. Can we now get back to Advent?

We now return you to your regularly scheduled life...Original Painting by R. Pitts

It is interesting how humanity tends to throw all of their energy and faith into a civilization long removed from this side of eternity or a weathered elder who remains in blessed (and infamous) memory, that they can neither touch nor see but scoff at a people who celebrate the Creator who breathed ruach into our very beings who we can not see but reverberates throughout all, walking and struggling with us.

Advent is one of my favorite times of the year; "Unexpected and Mysterious" repeatedly loops in the background of my days as "O Come O Come Emmanuel". Each morning even as the sky flutters closer in brilliant hues of blue, center stage and the earthen goddesses pull fragile shawls of crystal even closer, my vision still reveres in awe. Even as snowstorms race across the horizons, I await this with great joy each and every year.

This Advent season has dawned upon us and yet my spirit was irritated. Another Friday has come upon us, but thanks to all this fatality freak out that has poison a multitude of people  our senses have been jarred with all of this end of the world language.

It's Friday. We're still here. Enough already.

Instead of lamenting that this is the end of the world, perhaps we should greet the horizon that slowly curls into our existence with new understanding. "As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience." This should be a new beginning for all of us; for a small town in Newton, Connecticut the world did indeed end an entire week ago. We should strive and struggle as this year bows from the stage and one awaits in the wings, that as people of Faith, that as children of the Creator we love our neighbor and the stranger just as we love ourselves. Let this be a end to pain, suffering, negativity and a beginning to who God has called us to be.

Besides, the world couldn't end today. I'm preaching on Epiphany. Woot!

Lape Bondye, God's Peace. 

Black Friday, Say Whaaaat?

Really Walmart? Really?

Recently an article in the Chicago Tribune's Business section stated that "families are looking to do things after the turkey is done and are eager to shop so its a great time to have the stores open."

Thanksgiving scoops up many different brushes and paints a variety of portraits and landscapes for many of us who travel toward this time of year with anticipation, of what lies over the beautiful horizons that captures the changing seasons. For those who boast a heritage that traces back to the troubled time of religious persecution and yearning for that freedom, this is a time of celebration and delving into traditions. Yet, for those ancient peoples who rightfully claim this land as their ancestral home this is a day of mourning and of sadness. For that matter, any people whose ancestors suffered and perished whether having their lands, their ways, their language and their spirituality and religion ripped from them, deemed incorrect or taboo as well as those who were dragged from the comfort of their own Motherland, this is not a day of rejoicing; this is a day of remembrance as well as of celebration that the Creator God has continued to journey with us, teaching and reminding us that He still cradles us close, teaching us who we are and what He has given to our spirits.

Several years prior, Thanksgiving eve was the mad rush enveloping long lines at grocery stores gathering what one needed for a healthy, filling Thanksgiving meal because on Thanksgiving proper, every store was closed so that the employees too, could rest and relax with those they loved.  Nowadays, it seems that we have tossed tradition, respect and sacredness to the winds instead, having those employees sacrifice sanity for the sin of greed. 

Every waking moment as dawn beats our hearts anew, as children of the Most High, we should shout joyful noises or lift our hands in lamentation and prayerfulness of how God continues to breathe life into our souls. This time of the year as we welcome in the season of Advent; for those around us who have lost their way or sheltering themselves as best they can from the battering life sometimes descends and surrounds us, we should reach out, taking hands and holding our fellow brothers and sisters in faith, In Christ, in love so close. This time of year we should be reminded that we should strive to do for others, as the Holy Spirit continues to inspire us and Christ continually teaches us.

Lape Bondye, God's Peace.

Community

The word community has had many different meanings for how we as humanity view the places we reside, work or celebrate. Last Sunday, the LSTC community as a whole came to Rockefeller Chapel to celebrate another brother in Christ welcomed into our community. 

Yet as we have heard through conversations whether it be in small groups or sharing through social media, that the sacred community that enfolds and embraces Seminary Life is rapidly diminishing. Perhaps those who are discerning their call to ordination, lay or academic teaching have not had the opportunity to experience how enriching Seminary community can be for us, especially as students. 

I thought I would share some snapshots over the years that I have resided here now as my mood turns reflective in the midst of preparing for Internship. 

Seminary is something that you must experience, and if possible immersed in the playful  and thoughtful daily life among other children of God.

Lape Bondye, God's Peace. 

A Dip Worth Taking

For everything there is a season,
but every once and a while we can get away with things...  

Chicago's infamous windy chill has yet to snap me into the reality of the impending winter.  In fact, the temperature reached a high of 79 within the past few days.  Yeah, I know!  I couldn't believe it either!

During this brief jaunt back to summertime, I walked around campus clad in sandals and short-sleeves.  While I did tote around a light sweater*, I was eager to take advantage of this odd warm snap any way I could, and my friends pitched an idea worthy of some consideration:  an afternoon at Lake Michigan.

Earlier in the school year, a few of us enjoyed walks down to the lake** where we would throw a frisbee around and jump into the water for a swim.  Late August through early September this was not only a reasonable activity, but actually a quite popular pastime for a number of Hyde Park residents.  Whether or not those other swimmers were caught in traffic yesterday as the President's motorcade made its way around the neighborhood, one thing was certain: they sure weren't in the lake when four of my LSTC friends and I ran screaming into what we would later refer to as an ice-bath.  That's right, my friends--the five of us conquered a late-October Lake Michigan, and it felt great.  

Chaaaaaarge!

As we walked back to LSTC renewed, refreshed, and wiiiiide-awake, a light rain kicked up and so began Chicago's return to a weather pattern indicative of autumn: within a few hours the temperature had dropped 30 degrees and it was pouring.  Still, for everything there is a season, and in this season we got away with a short swim celebrating new friendships, warm-weather, and living within a mile of a vast, beautiful, and bone-chilling Great Lake.  

"And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Genesis 1:2b

*Felt too strange not to at least have the option of layering, it being the end of October and all!

**I'm still not convinced that the title "lake" does this enormous body of water justice.