+Lent2010: Sh#%+

So in high school, I quit swearing cold turkey... mostly because I was hanging out with someone who didn't and so I felt awful saying things around her. AND because I knew that if I said any kind of swear word in front of my parents, I would be toast. So I quit.

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And I'm thinking of doing it again.

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Here are reasons why:

1. It just sounds bad.

2. I have to watch how I talk in front of others.

3. You get to make up more awesome words to replace all the 4 lettered ones.

4. When I'm a pastor, it really won't be appropriate.

5. It will make conversation more colorful when I come up with those other words.

6. I always feel bad when I say it anyway.

7. This even includes "Oh my God..." because when I say that, I don't really know what I mean... so I might as well say "Golly-gee-willikers" or "oh my gosh"... i mean, honestly.

8. I don't necessarily like it when other people say it so I figure I better not be someone I don't like.

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I think that's all. I'm going to slowly work on it.

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In other news, here's a seminary update...

Eden- No

Andover Newton-No

Pittsburgh- No

Chicago- No

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Iliff (denver)

Pacific (Berkeley)

United (Twin Cities)

Lancaster (Pennsylvania)

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Iliff and Lancaster I still need to visit

United makes me nervous because to get scholarship I would have to take the GRE... and thats a no go.

PSR was just added to my list... I have no reason not to, and after looking at their website, I got excited.

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I will probably visit Lancaster in June, Iliff on my way to L.A., and PSR during this fall while I'm in CA. United will probably be visited this spring... sometime... SOON... holy cow! It's already April. wow. Well, we'll see.

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Lots to think about and discern.

+Lent2010: Power and other things+

Tonight I experienced the power of young adults in ministry.

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So often youth/young adults are pushed to the side because if they aren't going into ministry, they don't have much to offer. Well, those people are wrong. It is refreshing. As I am caught up in the ministry crowd at school, it is good to see young adults willing to make worship happen, even when they aren't planning on going into ministry. Tonight we saw two of our college/post college students drumline-it-up between scripture and reflections. There were several others who spoke at some point and at some length. Most of these young adults have rarely participated in services before. Most likely it is in part happening because we have an awesome new associate pastor whose goal is to draw the 20-40 crowd to church. But besides that, they are still willing.

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And they weren't just willing, they were amazing. They didn't have to participate just because our new pastor wanted them to... they did it because they found it intriguing and they came up with awesome ideas for songs and the ritual action and the message... It was incredible.

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It was particularly refreshing after the bland service I went to at Andover-Newton (it was a UU service, but I'm not blaming anyone... it just wasn't up my alley...). I love Awestruck... I wish we could make Illuminae that moving... Illuminae needs something else and I can't figure out what it is.

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Maybe we need to empower... empower students who have various gifts and encourage them to use them. Perhaps they just need some motivation. Maybe they just need someone to believe in them, to push them, to trust them.

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I think we have so many issues because youth are raised in environments in which they are told they can never succeed and they are scum of the earth... but I am, and we all should be, here to tell them that they too are sons and daughters of God and deserve every bit of support and help as every other child of God.

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So this has turned into more than I was planning... but anyway... Young adults have power beyond their imagination... I wish they, and especially others, would realize it, embrace it, and encourage it. We all have different gifts for a reason.

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USE THEM!

+Lent2010: Fuzzy Feelings 1+

So here I am in Boston, Massachusetts. Tomorrow I will be exploring Andover-Newton Theological School (ANTS) in Newton Center, MA. It's where the senior pastor at my home church, Tom Ott, went to seminary. It's a great school and I am really drawn by their interfaith work, their classes, their chapel, and their location.

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Tomorrow will be a test. It will be the first seminary at which I am doing an official visit and is one to which I have never been before. It will be interesting to see how it goes. I'm not trying to expect anything because as I have learned in the past, it is better to be expectant, not expecting something. I'm expecting it to be a good, learning experience.

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After all, I may be spending 3 years of my life here, down the road. We'll see. The song entitled "Boston" by Augustana says:

She said I think I'll go to Boston...

I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,
I'll get out of California

Well, that's about right... get out of California.. I will be in LA for the next year and then go onto seminary. Weird. We'll see if I get the fuzzy feelings tomorrow.

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After all, the fuzzy feelings is really what it's all about.

+Lent2010: wanting...+

I want to be one of those people that is spiritually disciplined... I want to know that I have prayer time every day... that I see everything as a product of God... that I know the Holy Spirit is moving in every part of my life...

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I don't know how to be that...

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And i know it isn't just going to change overnight, I know I have to work at it... but...

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I just don't know...

+Lent2010: Meditation+

Meditating is HARD!

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It's nice to give your mind a break, but I feel like even when I'm sitting in the dark... and in silence... my head just keeps spinning...

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and spinning...

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and spinning...

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I continue to think about everything and anything I need to do, want to do, forgot to do...

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I need to continue it after Lent, though, that's for sure... I like it. Maybe I'll even... (gasp!) make it 10 minutes instead of 5.

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ah, peace.