tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74641495334406579122012-02-16T12:11:28.334-08:00musings from a life filled with cooking, artistry, and faithA mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.comBlogger551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-65285562422929375692009-08-17T10:45:00.001-07:002009-08-17T11:13:35.189-07:00

Here are the metalsmith projects I have been working on for the last 5 weeks....Fleur de lis in copper and brass. This is non-functional jewelry but this class left such an impression on me that I decided to take the next level so I may take time to make it a pendant. I may also texture the brass as it is very tarnished right now.Silver chain necklace with green stone set pendant in copper and

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-50596012143179546082009-08-10T09:29:00.000-07:002009-08-10T10:00:59.141-07:00

My latest food obsessions....veggie sushi with brown rice and Kashi's Mayan Harvest Bake...I just cannot help myself when it comes to these prepared food items, they rock my socks!I've also fallen in love with seaweed salad though want to learn how to make that from scratch soon because supermarket versions have green food coloring in them which makes me sad. :(My other obsession, pairing my food

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-35066695587625128792009-07-25T21:20:00.000-07:002009-07-25T22:46:09.871-07:00

This summer has been one of food and art. I'll talk about the art later, when I have pictures to share, but right now I want to talk about food. Recently I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen whether its doing a little bit of catering for friends or cooking a weeks worth of lunches and dinners because I have to pack food for class days. My favorite creations so far have been:

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-48968026062068270022009-07-25T20:57:00.001-07:002009-07-25T21:12:59.116-07:00

A scene from the Gettysburg Battlefields.Butterfly perched perfectly on a granite memorial, also at the battlefields.Friends at the beach...love Cape May!Purple toes in the sand...purple is the nail polish color of the season. :)A fresco in an unexpected place.The perfect little corner of the perfect little cake I made for my first catered bridal shower...it was beautiful!

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-85502081716991768732009-05-06T16:57:00.000-07:002009-05-06T17:00:00.507-07:00

God who comes to us in community,Come to us this day.Unite us with your Spirit.Welcome us to your banquet table,Include us in your eternal familyMake us one in you.Matthew 22: 35-4035 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-68910269460805475102009-05-06T08:21:00.000-07:002009-05-06T08:33:16.105-07:00

The following is a story written about a man I have great respect for. Gilberto Flores and his wife led a trip of 9 youth to their home country of Guatemala in the summer of 2007. I helped lead that small group of travelers by corralling the youth. Gilberto shared a bit of his story with us during that trip, and he shares a bit more in the following article...but I have a feeling we'll never

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-10343628061438083052009-04-28T08:48:00.000-07:002009-04-30T21:22:57.967-07:00

The following is a sermon I preached on April 19th. It was the most powerful preaching experience I have ever had and I said nothing new...God was there Sunday morning, plain and simple.The world breaks everyone...young women cut themselves with razors to control their pain or feel alive, young men manipulate their bodies, taking steroids, drinking genetically engineered protein shakes and

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-85909006881580238732009-03-23T11:09:00.000-07:002009-03-23T11:32:37.543-07:00

Recently I read an interview with and article about Rob Bell. The following quote in response to a question about how he deals with the "pressures and dangers of celebrity" really struck me."If you can't find God in the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the dinner with beloved friends from across the street, the I don't know if God will be found on the mountaintop. If I lose the sense of

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-85490043709501285572009-03-10T09:22:00.000-07:002009-03-10T09:24:01.103-07:00

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A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-69864255125733693032009-03-10T08:59:00.000-07:002009-03-10T09:09:49.464-07:00

This morning, as a drifted awake, I had a funny dream. In my dream, I lived in a small town and was attending a big event at the town hall. What was the big event you ask? Why a meet and greet with President Shane Claiborne and Vice President Barrack Obama. I'm laughing now just recalling it. Both Obama and Claiborne shared stories from their lives in my dream and I don't remember details,

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-31631256560171267392009-01-23T14:26:00.000-08:002009-01-23T14:33:21.075-08:00

The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating - in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.Anne Morriss, New York City

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-32178389096522932892008-12-04T11:26:00.000-08:002008-12-04T11:31:17.124-08:00

I found a blog post today from a friend of a friend who posted the following video by a group called Give Up Yer Aul Sins...they're an Irish cartoon series based around a 1960s recording of children telling Bible stories.Here is the birth of baby Jesus as told by "Nancy."

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-16385071238343383552008-11-11T08:42:00.000-08:002008-11-11T08:52:12.806-08:00

I created the following labyrinth liturgy from a meal liturgy written by Joe Baker of The Anabaptist Network UK. You can read a reflection on Joe's original meal liturgy here. This worship experience was created for Franconia Conference's 2008 Conference Assembly entitled, "Come to the Table: Embrace God in Us."Gathering Around the Table : A labyrinth liturgyWelcome…As you walk around the

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-7281670546257846152008-11-04T10:43:00.000-08:002008-11-04T11:11:47.164-08:00

Do you realize you've just politicized your faith? Jason's question struck me as it made profound sense. Of course I knew that taking communion from a Mexican brother through the border fence between California and Mexico was a customs violation and I was therefore breaking the law. I just hadn't connected the fact that my decision to commit an act of civil disobedience by taking part in a

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-19306409240309682632008-10-05T09:21:00.000-07:002008-10-05T09:23:09.985-07:00

Here's a lesson in fighting gentrification from London...inspiring!

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-21593257277411088572008-09-16T07:38:00.001-07:002008-09-16T07:39:30.190-07:00

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler spoof...love it!!

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-36838449579859385682008-09-15T19:01:00.000-07:002008-09-15T19:07:38.572-07:00

Sermon preached on September 14, 2008Last week, as I was driving to my office I noticed a sign advertising a car and truck show. Now normally something like this wouldn merely remind me of the folks I grew up with…my family business is an automotive service and I grew up around the kind of folks who love their cars and show them off at shows. But this particular sign caused a different reaction

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-58846371430681561902008-09-08T09:33:00.000-07:002008-09-08T09:40:16.217-07:00

My daughter has had it with Christian men-friends, pastors and youth ministry leaders- who have somehow reminded her the she has little to offer Jesus Christ and His kingdom.Chap Clark, Senior Editor of YouthWorker JournalA friend of mine just sent me that link to this issue of YouthWorker Journal for design reasons....I found far more value in then just a neatly designed online magazine.

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-29952617678286124072008-09-05T08:44:00.000-07:002008-09-05T09:14:21.509-07:00

Today, as I was passing the mega-church I do everyday I drive to the office I saw that they are hosting a truck and car show in a few weeks...and my ugly inner-cynicist cackled. As Coldplay's Viva la Vida played in the background I stopped my cynicism and thought, "when did I become so cynical?" These people are earnestly trying, aren't they?Suddenly, as I recalled the words to a song I used to

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-66817045308871452632008-07-14T11:56:00.000-07:002008-07-14T12:07:32.348-07:00

I just made my own version of West Philly's FuWa Market Tofu Hoagie and it rocked...here's the recipe:1 whole grain wrap (my pick: Trader Joe's Whole Grain Wrap with Oatmeal and Flaxseed)1 serving of extra firm tofu, pan-fried with a little olive oil1 tbps, Peanut Satay sauce (my pick: Trader Joe's Peanut Satay Sauce)a slice of limeabout 2 Tbsps of fresh cilantro, de-stemmed4-5 slices of

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-77057306992305280602008-07-13T17:33:00.000-07:002008-07-14T09:40:45.372-07:00

The following is an interactive reflection I put together for a Sunday School discussion based on post-modernity and the church...I used excerpts from The Missio Dei Breviary and Conrad Kanagy's summary of "Road Signs for the Journey", thoughts from Eliacín Rosario-Cruz, Brian McLaren, and Kwame Anthony Appiah, pictures by myself and my friend David Landis from across the United States, Spain,

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-59219815628780412442008-07-08T17:05:00.000-07:002008-07-08T17:07:24.807-07:00

In this life by Chantal Kreviazuk

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-61312374407789546212008-07-08T11:15:00.000-07:002008-07-08T17:04:05.389-07:00

Where to begin with all of these goals...I came into the class with what I would call an elementary understanding of Anabaptist theology and perspective. I knew about the martyrs, our current peace stance and our ethic of simple living but I had a hard time articulating what made an Anabaptist beyond those things. Throughout the class I have caught glimpses of our Anabaptist past through our

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-19252673085701212052008-07-08T11:08:00.000-07:002008-07-08T11:18:51.072-07:00

Editorial originally written April 2007When other Mennonites meet me they don't assume that I grew up Mennonite and most certainly don't ask where I'm from or who my parents are. In fact the only time I get people to engage in "The Mennonite Game" with me is either through happenstance; my resemblance to my mother and the front plate of my car have been random clues; or when I throw out the

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-64656135186345738722008-07-08T10:39:00.000-07:002008-07-08T10:48:19.897-07:00

Our Church is skillfully playing out the story of the Exodus. Having eagerly taken the mantle of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, we have left Egypt, bound for the Promised Land. Still, in order to get to that promise we must first experience God's teaching in the desert in a time of change, confusion, exhaustion, and longing. Like the Israelites, we don't easily recognize where we are

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-54797016118028591762008-07-07T10:57:00.000-07:002008-07-08T11:05:33.057-07:00

Editorial originally written October 2007...So we see that heeding God’s call can mean leaving home and all that is familiar. It can demand our accumulated wealth and security or dare us to place our blessings, even our lives, at risk. It can also mean simply living where we are but with an entirely new set of priorities. In every case, our particular vocation in God’s service arises from our

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-46433590209818692482008-07-07T10:49:00.000-07:002008-07-08T11:04:32.519-07:00

I recently participated in a conference at Eastern Mennonite Seminary entitled Beyond Shoulder-tapping: Developing Meaningful Experiences in Ministry for Emerging Leaders. As participants, we were called a “think tank” of congregations and individuals that stand out among their peers in cultivating and developing leaders. We came together to share our stories of leadership, swap ideas of

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-67429561077952529642008-04-27T21:21:00.000-07:002008-04-27T22:06:52.220-07:00

After class last week I had several responses...my first was to proclaim that two of my classmates had condemned me, one spoke about the evils of those rich folks in the "ivory towers" and the other talked about the piousness of those who choose to move into impoverished neighborhoods yet unlike their new neighbors often have a way out if things get too rough. According the them I could not

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-19565596626972909612008-04-21T20:17:00.000-07:002008-04-21T21:14:49.300-07:00

I can ride my bike with no handlebars...no handlebars...no handlebars Look at me...Look at me...Driving and I won't stop And it feels so good to be...Alive and on top My reach is global...My tower secure...My cause is noble...My power is pure I can hand out a million vaccinations...Or let'em all die from exasperation Have'em all healed from their lacerations...Have'em all killed by assassination

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-70041926029523504062008-04-14T20:28:00.000-07:002008-04-14T20:41:25.538-07:00

"In the current social context, we must rediscover the primacy of the church as a fellowship of the redeemed, a people of God, not building and institutional programs. We need to bring the church out from under the social and political orders and see it once again as God's highest order in the world. As God's redeemed people, the church is our first identification. We are called to be members

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-29073063519509939872008-04-14T09:00:00.000-07:002008-04-14T09:16:51.726-07:00

Recently a new role model of mine, Kathy Escobar, posted the following blog and boy was it what I need to read and hear right now.Last week in class I was faced with some truths I knew in my head but not in my heart and so I could easily push them aside...however for some reason the discussion led these thing to finally sink into meaning at a heart level for me. And I was shaken. I've been

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-55225282843773883332008-03-31T18:42:00.000-07:002008-03-31T20:02:05.703-07:00

I've just read Rudy Wiebe's "Peace Shall Destroy Many" for my class. There were several things that struck me so it was hard to figure out what I should focus on in my response. One of the biggest things that hit me was the similarity this story had to the story line of M. Knight Shyamalan's movie "The Village." I remember, while watching Shyamalan's story of a group of people who believed

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-42467973975455964172008-03-24T08:01:00.000-07:002008-03-24T09:09:16.261-07:00

"The Anabaptists were neither institutionalists, mystics, nor pietists, for they laid the weight of the emphasis upon following Christ in Life."Harlod S. Bender, The Anabaptist VisionIn "The Anabaptist Vision" Harold Bender informs us that 16th Century Anabaptists measured a Christian by the newly created life based on "divine principles" and saw the church as a "brotherhood of love in which the

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-63947508054954288592008-03-10T19:18:00.000-07:002008-03-10T19:25:00.483-07:00

"...he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."Luke 9:23As I read John Howard Yoder’s “Politics of Jesus” it is striking how much overlap can be found in the rhetoric of the New Monastic movement. I keep thinking, “I’ve heard this recently.” The idea that Jesus is a clear and relevant social-political-ethical example permeates the conversations and drives the expressions of

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-7628716063534416452008-03-06T12:57:00.000-08:002008-03-10T09:11:43.834-07:00

Cormac hears someone say, without irony, “Only the strong survive.” And turns his gaze on the Rubens drawing. A muscled man with a warrior’s shield, an imaging of a scene Rubens surely never saw. Cormac thinks: The truth is that the strong don’t always survive. Usually the weak survive and the cowardly and the mediocre. They gather their forces to destroy the strong, because the strong are at

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-19705429587368326072008-03-06T12:56:00.000-08:002008-03-06T12:57:48.687-08:00

A story recently featured in a Sunday morning service at a Mennonite church in Arizona:The Director of Human Resources of a Conference Center hotel was helping a new employee fill out a series of forms for a job he was applying for. The Director, Ana, was an African American woman and the new employee, Charles, was a middle-aged white man with moderate mental disabilities. The aide accompanying

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-41487357691118879342008-03-03T13:07:00.000-08:002008-03-03T17:58:28.991-08:00

"And he came on the back of a whale...a man to lead a new people. Our ancestor, Paikea. But now we were waiting for the firstborn of the new generation, for the descendant of the whale rider, for the boy who would be chief. There was no gladness when I was born, my twin brother died and took our mother with her. Everyone was waiting for the first born boy to lead us but he died...and I didn't."

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-46579622148525204552008-02-18T19:33:00.000-08:002008-02-18T21:09:30.454-08:00

"I am colorblind, coffee black and egg white, pull me out from inside, I am ready, I am fineI am covered in skin, no one gets to come in, pull me out from inside, I am folding and unfolding, I am colorblind"Counting CrowsI once heard Pastor Blaine Detweiler say that something completely different happens when people sit down at tables than when they sit down in pews. Blaine went on to say that

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-33925531049184483422008-02-11T20:00:00.000-08:002008-02-11T20:10:08.370-08:00

We are one, every daughter and son, with our forgotten names. We left home, on the open road to find the holy flame. We are the children of a sun king. Hold onto my hand this mysterious evening, it’ll meet us like a dreamCall all our names and we’ll be found walking where we heard the sound, on down. Tomorrow mountain we will climb. Tonight the stars and fire shine in our eyes. In the wood we’re

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-60864326022950658962008-02-11T13:00:00.001-08:002008-02-11T13:02:08.136-08:00

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-88192309698804397022008-02-11T10:11:00.000-08:002008-02-11T11:54:33.484-08:00

"just play this one out until it explodes into a thousand tiny pieces. what’s your story universe? you are melody in numbers, you have shapes you are rhythms. there are signs that we can learn, place over the heavens, to predict how long we’ll burn..." Sean HayesAfter reading Chapter 2 of J. Denny Weaver's Anabaptist Theology in the Face of Postmodernity I was left with this thought....How can

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-4345744875125389342008-01-15T08:30:00.000-08:002008-01-15T17:29:19.574-08:00

I’m currently listening to Elizabeth “Liz” Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love”. In it she recounts her journey to find love, faith, and balance through a yearlong trip to Italy, India, and Indonesia. There is so much I could reflect on and write about in this book that I resonate with. Liz Gilbert is in many ways a kindred spirit of mine. But this weekend as I wallowed in the depths of what is my

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-54643541583098675102008-01-15T08:22:00.000-08:002008-01-15T08:26:05.392-08:00

Sweaters by Beth WatersThis worn out sweater is slightly tornLike the mouth of that old woman waiting for the phoneAnd I hear a little laughter from my own‘Cause I see so many sweaters that refuse to be sownWell I finally threw my valentine awayIt was crumpled and fadedAnd as I kept it I had always thought that the world would be that wayUntil I opened up the drawer and it had changedAnd I called

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-84672248147002071712008-01-12T08:32:00.000-08:002008-01-15T17:33:13.787-08:00

Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound. Death Cab for CutieRecently I’ve started reading a book called, "Sensual Orthodoxy" by Debbie Blue. It is a collection of her sermons that seek to look deeply at the scriptures they are based on. The first sermon was on the oddity of the Wise Men, a.k.a. Magi, a.k.a. magicians who

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-51923999479778866022008-01-10T11:19:00.000-08:002008-01-15T17:50:18.712-08:00

On the mornings when I decide to not go into the office I often lounge in bed for a while reading my latest literary find, ignoring my growling stomach and pretending that I don’t have deadlines breathing down my neck. Eventually I give in to either my empty stomach or my sense of duty, grab a bite to eat and hit the shower. Afterwards I settle into my slightly scandalous ripped jeans and

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-27801342394498550752008-01-07T08:26:00.000-08:002008-01-15T17:35:46.466-08:00

To withhold love or blessings is to be completely delusional!Anne Lamott1 Timothy 1: 3-8“As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-55385714049776710322008-01-02T12:52:00.000-08:002008-01-15T17:37:37.882-08:00

“We know that living systems must be open to change and that static living systems die. We know that openness to the environment over time spawns a stronger system, which of course means that open systems must be in a state of nonequilibrium, so they can change and grow. Therefore, congregations that understand themselves to be open systems, capable of self-renewal through change, flourish. These

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-28724033842185663322007-11-15T10:16:00.000-08:002007-11-20T14:46:16.107-08:00

Love...has been an under-lying theme in a lot of my learnings and reflections lately. Especially learning to love as Christ loves...even when people annoy, discourage, and hate. It doesn't seem like it should be so hard to love but it really is. Real love really does take courage, vulnerability, and a sacrifice of self. As in 1st Corinthians 13....I can be one of the most generous people of

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-63127121316184065762007-11-07T15:55:00.000-08:002007-11-07T17:14:26.926-08:00

Today a friend of mine told me some of her classmates decided to create a group in which they created a safe place to talk about the condition of their souls and it got me reflecting on the condition of my own soul. I realized a few things...they add up to a soul that isn't doing too well.I've been binge eating since this weekend...drowning the boredom, confusion, angst, and anxiety of my soul

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-91500947428511119682007-11-06T12:48:00.001-08:002007-11-06T12:50:27.812-08:00

"Courage is almost a contradiction in terms; it means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die." G.K. Chesterson

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-71588328311249719502007-11-01T11:42:00.000-07:002007-11-01T12:24:39.376-07:00

Recently I was made aware of a blog by Greg Boyd, author of The Myth of a Christian Nation. The reason why the blog was brought to my attention was because Greg has recently been realizing his theology has quite an Anabaptist bent and he and his church are in conversation with some folks in Mennonite leadership to talk about his congregation becoming a part of the denomination. Specifically he

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-10793533201606133812007-10-25T10:40:00.000-07:002007-10-29T14:30:21.763-07:00

Today was the kind of rainy morning I should probably get used to...especially since I hope to be moving to Seattle in less than a year. I made a decision and though I still struggle with it, I will pursue a Masters of Divinity at Mars Hill Graduate School...if they'll have me.It was a good morning. I woke up around 8, got dressed in my "I'm staying home and don't need to look presentable" comfy

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-23540526055940135982007-10-22T09:19:00.001-07:002007-11-07T17:05:16.531-08:00

What is missional anyway? Is that really the right question? I mean let's break it down...the question implies that we don't know what missional is. I think that's more right than many would like to admit (myself included). But the inability to grasp missional is understandable. I spent half an hour today using Google's search engine to find an easily understandable definition of the word "

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-57498996189656672362007-10-19T11:23:00.001-07:002007-10-29T13:47:06.378-07:00

I like this new person who I'm allowing in my head for the next week. He's funny, dramatic, and at times completely bizarre. I mean come on, who remembers the exact time they began sinning or honestly believes that girls don't start sinning until they are 23????And yet, Don Miller, in his book "Blue Like Jazz" has already made me laugh and cry...all in the span of one hour as I drove to my

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464149533440657912.post-87014590216339990092007-09-05T10:39:00.000-07:002007-09-11T14:22:28.796-07:00

On July 17th I packed my bags and headed south to be an Orientation Leader for Eastern Mennonite Seminary’s LEAP program. LEAP, which stands for Learning, Exploring, and Participating, is a three week theological and cross-cultural exploration experience for high school students who have been recognized in their churches as rising leaders. The program guides students from urban, rural, and

A mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03012597768568458131noreply@blogger.com0