A Reminder

Hello, friends! I haven't been blogging once a week recently, because I don't think you would find a list of the books I've read while sitting around the house particularly interesting. (If you would find that interesting, I can certainly oblige you. :P) I've decided to only write a blog post when I have something interesting to write about.

Today I want to write about the abortion debate.

This will not be a blog post detailing the pro-life position, because there are plenty of those. This will also not be a blog post blasting the pro-choice position, because there are plenty of those, too. And although this blog post was inspired by the recent anti-Planned Parenthood videos, it isn't really about the videos. Instead, it's my hope that this blog post will be a reminder to both sides that we are all human, and deserving of respect.

In college, I was an active member and leader of Students for Life. I held signs outside abortion clinics. I participated in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. three times. I attended numerous conferences. I was, and still am, adamantly pro-life. However, I do not see the usefulness in attacking pro-choicers in any way. Yes, honest and open debate is useful. No, rude and abusive insults are not. I bring this up because I've seen it too many times.

In the same way, it's not useful for pro-choicers to attack pro-lifers in any way. Again, yes, honest and open debate is useful. And again, no, rude and abusive insults are not. I bring this up for the same reason that I called out pro-lifers in the previous paragraph. I've seen this happen too many times.

If we all treat each other with respect, if we are willing to listen to each other with no agendas or ulterior motives, the world could change. But as long as we insist upon treating each other like we are less than human because we disagree, the world will stay the same. No one, regardless of their views on this debate, wants nothing to change.

Reflection on Rejection

Hello, friends! I know it's not a Thursday, but I've mostly lost track of the days of the week since coming home to Urbandale. I can only tell it's a Sunday because I went to church this morning and Vacation Bible School starts tonight.

Some of you know that I spent last weekend in Colorado for an interview. Normally, I don't talk about my interviews on the Internet. I keep any conversation about them off the web unless I get the job. I think this is partly because I have no control over the outcome of interviews, but the bigger reason is that I've been rejected often. I don't like to advertise that fact. I prefer to share good news. It's much easier for me to post a Facebook status that says "I got the job!" than one that says "Rejected again."

But this interview was different, and although my status would say "Rejected again," I want to talk about it. I want you to know what happened and how a weekend in Colorado changed me.

Let me set the scene. The church had interviewed several candidates over the phone. Once they had narrowed their list down to three, they invited us all out to visit their church and the surrounding community for a weekend. This is standard protocol, except for one thing: they invited all of us out at once. Never before had I met the other candidates for a position I was interviewing for.

At first, all of us were confused. We didn't know quite what to make of the situation. But as the weekend progressed, it became clear to us that we weren't competing with each other. The church recognized the different gifts in each of us. We didn't have the same gifts, and therefore, comparing us was like comparing apples and oranges. The church wasn't picking what kind of apple they wanted. They were deciding if they wanted an apple or an orange or a pear. They understood that we were different and they wanted to see which of us would be the best fit based on our personal gifts.

This changed the weekend from an uncomfortable one to a fun one. I enjoyed getting to know the people in the congregation, and after an initial phase of awkwardness, I enjoyed getting to know the other candidates, too. I learned from them, and they learned from me. We observed that we were different and that it was okay for us to be different. Not all church workers should be, or try to be, the same. Each of us has different strengths. Each of us has been gifted by God in different ways. We should act on those strengths and gifts rather than trying to be the cookie-cutter church worker we sometimes strive to be.

Knowing the other candidates also had another effect. On Tuesday night, I received a phone call from the pastor. He informed me that I was not going to receive the call to Colorado. Instead of bursting into tears, as I normally do after a rejection, I was calm. I thanked him for giving me the opportunity to come to Colorado.

When I hung up the phone, I thought to myself, "I'm happy for whichever of the other two candidates gets the call. They will do well." Ordinarily I would have been upset with myself and angry at the other candidates, convinced that I should have gotten the call and that I did something wrong. But this time, I was content in knowing that God was not calling me there and happy for the candidate whom God was calling there. And that's really what the call process is about, isn't it? Recognizing that it's not what we do or don't do, or about a decision made by people. It's about what God has in store for each one of us.

So although I have been rejected again, I am not embarrassed or frustrated. Certainly there's still a feeling of impatience, for I do have a call to ministry -- that much I know -- and I will be anxious until I am fulfilling it. But recognizing the gifts of the other two candidates changed me. Recognizing the gifts of the other two candidates brought God's master plan into perspective.

Iowa Girl Meets... Iowa

Hello, friends! I'm officially back in my home state. I've been playing with my dogs and bothering my cat nonstop ever since I arrived back in Urbandale, but the highlight of my time in Iowa so far was definitely meeting my two-week-old nephew on Friday. I did not die of excitement, but it was pretty close! In case you were wondering, Kylen is the cutest, ever. Hands down.

Last Thursday night was also a highlight: I got to see my friend Megan in St. Louis. We had some delicious deep-dish pizza and went out for drinks afterwards. Only the two of us would have a deep conversation about Lutheran worship over beers during karaoke.

I've pretty much been relaxing ever since I got here. The long drive wore me out. I went to Messiah on Sunday and greeted all of my friends, had lunch with my friend Melody on Tuesday and dinner with my friend Jessie on Wednesday, read a few books, and played a few video games. Interspersed in there has been unpacking and interview prep.

As you can see, now that my year in the great state of Florida is complete, I don't have too much to say in my blog. What do you guys think I should do with my blog? I originally started it to keep you informed of the goings-on in Tallahassee, but I don't have that reason anymore. If I continue writing, what would you suggest I write about? Please let me know what you think!

On the Road

Hello, friends! I'm writing to you from "out there on the highway, out there on the open road," to quote Holly Williams, one of the artists my mother and I heard last night at the Grand Ole Opry. How did I end up in Nashville, you might ask? I'll tell you if you'll "roll with me, roll with me."

I'll return to song lyrics later, no doubt, but before I get there, let me tell you about my last few days in Tallahassee. I spent most of my Saturday packing, except for the few minutes I spent helping Anna jump start her car. I also took my pastels upstairs and drew some University Lutheran art. My favorite was this one, which is a symbol on the stained glass windows.

Sunday was my last official day as a Lutheran Campus Initiative missionary. I led the Bible study and ushered during the worship service. I was glad to be able to witness the baptisms off Wyatt and Alexa Paul, and doubly glad that the baptismal font and Christ candle survived the day. Wyatt and Alexa's two older sisters were a little too excited. :P After eating lunch at Jim & Milt's, I spent my afternoon hanging out with PJ, Liz, and Cricket. Cricket and I played with blocks for awhile before they all went home.

On Monday, I said goodbye to a few people and a few places. I volunteered for the last time at the Children's Home Society and said goodbye to Veronica and Annalise. I also visited the top of the capitol building and got some frozen yogurt from Yogurt Mountain. I did quite a bit of writing on Monday; some very nice person roasted me last week and gave me a journal, and I figured I'd start it off by recording my last few Tallahassee thoughts.

I'm going to miss that capitol view.

On Tuesday, well... I packed and packed and cleaned and packed some more. I took frequent breaks to go upstairs and say to PJ or Matt, "Hey, I don't want to pack this. Do you want this?" Around 6 o'clock we had planned to start packing up my car, but some hurricane-force wind and rain came at just that time, so we waited it out in PJ's office. I didn't mind, as this gave me the opportunity to play with my best friend Bear-dog. When the weather cleared up, PJ, Sarah, Evan, Corey and I managed to fit my giant pile of stuff into my little car. (We're now considering starting a moving company called "Five Lutherans and a Focus.") We had dinner at Cantina's, and then we had to say goodbye.

Can you believe that all fit?

On Wednesday, I said a very sad goodbye to University Lutheran and set my sights toward the Midwest. I drove my very full car to Montgomery, switching into God's time (commonly known as Central time). I picked up my mom from the Montgomery airport and we continued on to Nashville, where we caught a show at the Grand Ole Opry. Our favorite artists were Holly Williams, the Willis Clan, and Thompson Square. 

This morning, we visited the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman Auditorium. Now we're out there on the highway, out there on the open road. Tonight we'll stop in St. Louis and visit my friend Megan, and tomorrow, I get to meet my nephew in person. If you don't hear from me after that, it probably means I've died from excitement. 

What a Week!

Hello, friends! Wow, I missed my Thursday deadline twice in a row. I feel like I'm tripping at the finish line here. But in my defense, it's been a very strange week. Let me tell you all about it.

Last Friday... my nephew was born! Since this will go on the Internet, I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed to post pictures. Suffice it to say, my nephew Kylen was born two weeks early and I was incredibly surprised when I got the phone call. I've proceeded to talk about nothing other than my adorable nephew since then. Just ask Sarah; she was with me all day on Saturday.

Speaking of Saturday, Sarah and I went to DISNEY! And I'm definitely allowed to post pictures of that, so here you go. Pictures say a thousand words!

 

  

Last Sunday -- wow, it really was a crazy weekend -- University Lutheran had a sending-off for me during the worship service. They said a prayer over me, and then after church there was a delicious cake and a card signed by a lot of UL people. I felt so special and loved. (Also, if you like cake... we have a lot left. Please eat my cake.)

This week, we did some tabling (joy) and handed out all of the magnets we possessed (non-sarcastic joy). We had quite the crowd yesterday, with Julie, Anna, Liz and Cricket all joining PJ and I. Wednesday I had my last-ever staff meeting with PJ and Matt, which made me sad. I've really enjoyed our meetings. At least we came out of it with one more inside joke. (Maybe you are the one person who really wants a squirrel sweater.)

On Wednesday evening, the inevitable happened... I got roasted. In the picture, you can see all of the random items I acquired. (There might no longer be room for my mom in my car.) My personal favorite moment was Pastor Jay describing my attempt at lizard herding and giving me an inflatable lizard to remember it by. Among all the funny memories was also a serious moment: Pastor Jay gave me a memory book with notes from several of my favorite Florida people (including Cricket and Bear). He also is having a plaque made with my personal meaning statement: "Helping others find their place in God's story."

Yesterday, I had to say a sad good-bye to some more of my favorite Florida people: the Damayan gardening crew. There were many sweaty hugs exchanged and I promised that I would have a garden of my own someday, which I do fully intend to do. I've learned so much from Mark and Burgen especially about gardening, and from Maddie about pretty much everything else! Thank you so much for an incredible year, guys.

Today I had lunch with Rina and she told me all about engagement rings and wedding dresses, which are the two things on her mind right now. So exciting! Other than that, this morning I finished up church calls and now I'm blogging to avoid packing, packing, and more packing. Tonight I'll be having a laundry party at Anna's, tomorrow I'll probably pack (and pack and pack) and Sunday will be my last worship service at University Lutheran. I'm excited to see the Paul twins get baptized, but I'm not excited to leave UL. It's such a wonderful place and I will miss it so much!

When I write in this blog next, I'll no longer be in the Sunshine State. Ahhhh!

Catching Up and Looking Ahead

Hello, friends! I apologize for not writing a blog last week. I'm not sure, but I think I forgot. So now I have two weeks to catch up on! However, they were very similar weeks in a lot of ways.

For example, I had the delightful opportunity to hand out football schedules to incoming freshmen during orientation. PJ wasn't around last week, so I bribed Matt to help me out on Tuesday and Julie joined us again on Thursday. This week, PJ has returned and we've gotten back into our regular, very exciting routine.

Last week, per the usual except for the lack of PJ, Matt and I had a staff meeting. We picked through this Sunday's readings to find the gift of God, how we can give ourselves as gifts, and how we can celebrate the gifts we've been given. What we came up with had the general theme of "growth." Then we saw the newsletter article Pastor Jay had written up, and we were very excited because our theme was right on target.

Perhaps one reason I didn't think about writing a blog last week was because Pastor Jay had given Matt and I some reflection questions to write about. My personal favorite was: "What is next for University Lutheran?" This question was tricky for me, because I, personally, will not be around for what's next for University Lutheran. (In fact, one thing that's next for University Lutheran is me leaving!) But Matt and I both enjoyed playing around with the possibilities, and it was interesting to learn that we came up with pretty similar ideas.

(One thing I wrote about was inspired by worship on June 7th, when Cricket, Eva, Becca, Ava, Wyatt, and Alexa all came up at communion one after another. I said, "I imagine that UL will have to become more child-friendly when all of these kids (so many girls!) become Sunday school age.")

Last Friday night, I went contra dancing for my friend Elm's birthday, which was great fun! We also went to a barbershop quartet performance over at Tallahassee Community College on Saturday. And I have more fun plans coming up this weekend -- Sarah and I are going to Disney!

That's all the news for today. It's strange to think that in two weeks, I'll be moved out and gone. Soon this Iowa Girl will be returning to Iowa. In case you're wondering about what comes next for me, the answer is that I don't know yet, but I have a few possibilities. However, if you ask me the question "What is next for Mary?" I'll answer it like this: "My niece or nephew is due in 15 days!!" :D

Happy June!

Hello, friends! Happy June! The time of year has been on my mind a lot lately, because now that it's June, I officially have less than a month left of my time in Florida. Gah! Where has the year gone? My fun stuff in Florida bucket list is still mostly un-checked-off, but work-wise I feel like I'm at a good place. This week in particular has been interesting.

Last Friday PJ gave me the daunting task of creating the curriculum for Vespers next year. In his words, this is a way I can "leave my legacy" on University Lutheran. I've been enjoying this far more than is probably healthy. First, I reviewed what we did this year. Then I set the major goal for next year's curriculum. Then I divided it into goals for first and second semester. Then I divided the semesters into units, and the units into weeks... And now I'm almost finished writing an outline for each week. It's fun! I like having the opportunity to do something as  overarching as this.

Last night, we played host to a bunch of 7th graders from Stuart, Florida. They were on their class trip to the Capitol and came to us to learn what college is like. We fed them spaghetti, meatballs, garlic bread, and Publix cookies, and then talked about their impressions of college and how Jesus can fit into their life during college. I enjoyed the conversations we were able to have (and I was reassured that a year of college students hasn't made me forget how to deal with middle schoolers). The highlight of the night for PJ was learning that someone who came to this night 5 years ago is coming to FSU because of it. Again, in his words, his "heart just swelled." You don't often get to see the results when you plant seeds, so this was incredibly special for him.

Per the usual for summer, we handed out magnets on Tuesday and Thursday. Tabling was... well, tabling. PJ is leaving me all alone next week, so I'm glad that some of the church members have decided to help us! Anesu came out on Tuesday, and Julie was there today.

This afternoon I went out to the Frenchtown garden. We weeded around the watermelon plants, picked tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans, and played limbo with the water hose. Elm came today, which was great! We had some really good conversations in the van on our way to and from the garden. One of the facilitators, Maddie, is a religion major. She's excellent at coming up with in-depth questions to get us talking.

Then, this evening, Sarah and I went out to Food Truck Thursday. I've never seen so many ducklings and goslings in my life. We would be in the middle of a serious conversation, and then a duck would waddle by and do something funny and we would just give up. To round out my blog for the day, here's a picture of some ducks.