Saturday, August 30, 2003

Take Me Out...


I just got back from my first baseball game at Wrigley Field! Now, as some of you may recall, I am not a baseball fan. I like football. But its true - going to a real game at a stadium is fun. I had a hot dog, and french fries and cotton candy, and I got to see Sammy Sosa hit a really good one, even though it didn't count for anything cuz they tagged the other guy out. Baseball is definitely much better in person. There were two big differences between this, and football games at the Big House in Ann Arbor. First, baseball is a much prettier game than football... the field is nice and green, and the players don't rip up all the grass in the process of playing the game. On the other hand, these fans weren't very nice - it takes an awful lot of Michigan fans to boo their own players. It seemed pretty common at Wrigley. So, is that a baseball/football thing? A college/pro thing? I dunno. Anyway, the game was a lot of fun. Now, time to figure out how to get tickets to Soldier Field...
PS - Michigan won its season opener today. Yay! College Football season is here!!

Thursday, August 28, 2003

Catch Me Fall


My mind and body are at odds at the moment. Part of me is incredibly aware that its summer, since its so dang hot in my apartment right now. Word to the wise - cinderblock apartments seriously resemble brick ovens. But this other part of me is settling into that fall mode. I grew up in a university town, and this time of year is when new students come to town, and recent grads go off to new schools and new places. Nothing makes that clearer than helping someone move. Today I helped Alex move. He is off to a new school and a new place. This place where we have studied, argued, played, cried, laughed and all that jazz will not be the same without him. He will be missed. During this big day of packing and moving, I got to spend time with a new kid on the block. He is here for just one term, doing the Chicago Collegiate Seminarians Program - sort of like study abroad at seminary. I think he will be great to get to know. He is amused that we all have blogs. HA! So much to learn. All in all, this coming and going makes for a long day. I will now lay me down to sleep.

Wednesday, August 27, 2003

Answers At Last


Well, I think waiting on these has made me even more verbose. Thanks Jane, for the questions! Da' Rules follow below as well. Heres my attempt at answers:

1. Being a newlywed (15 months and counting!), what's the biggest adjustment been for you?
Two things come to mind here. First of all, and I know this seems obvious and superficial, but the name change thing was really big. I’m still not quite used to it – I rented a car to go home a couple weeks ago, and accidentally initialed the rental papers “SH”. Oops. Seriously though, its weird to just have a different name all of a sudden. My maiden name – Hernandez, for those who don’t’ know – was also one of my only ties to my Hispanic background. I’ve said this in class before, that I’m not used to having to explain to people that I’m half & half, because the name did that for me. I definitely took that for granted. The other big adjustment has been simply figuring out how Luke and I are different as a married couple than as a dating couple. We’ve been together since we were 17, and we’ve worked through a lot of the stuff about always having to check in with someone before making plans, those sorts of couple-ness issues. But we agree that there is something very different about being married – when we figure out what that actually is, I’ll let you know!

2. You're the elected chair of the Worship Committee at Seabury. Why did you run, and what are your goals for your term?
As I’m stressing about the Committee retreat, I’ve been asking myself the same question! Just kidding. I came to Seabury because, to me, this place valued community life more than any other seminary I looked at. This is not saying we have community life mastered by any means, but I think we try hard. Christian community is about worship, for worship, and fed by worship. We come to Christ through worship, and by coming “with joy to meet out Lord” we meet one another in new ways, with new eyes, hearts and minds. Worship is the source and the end of our lives in, with and for Jesus. Simply put, this is where my passion lies. My skills – organizing, planning and preparing, listening (I hope – passion can easily get in the way on that one…) –meet the task, I believe. After much prayer and deliberation, it simply seemed to be the best place for me to serve. My goals? For now, to re-gather the committee, and hear why each one of them has agreed to serve. My dream? That worship at Seabury remains/becomes/is central to our community life. For everyone to attend, participate, and find God is the familiar and the new, and in that, to recognize the Spirit that is at work in each person and this place. Yup, that was all really cheesy – but like I said, I’m stressing over this retreat. Prayers welcome!

3. Music--- especially liturgical music-- is a big part of your faith. What is your favorite hymn, and why?
Sigh. Really, just one? Argh. I was raised in the choir at my church, and I used to be known for being able to name hymns with two notes, match hymn numbers to the hymn, all that jazz. Music is absolutely a big part of my faith – singing taught me what it means to pray. So, ask me this question another day, and you may get a completely different answer! This summer, Be Thou My Vision has run through my head quite a bit. I love the tune, I love the words, I love the way the song sort of lilts along in its simple way. I also love the descant I know from a choral arrangement, but that’s another story.

4. Who are your heroes? What do you look for in the people you look up to?
When I was a kid, I was really into Amelia Earhart and Betsy Ross. I don’t really even remember why. These days, my heroes are more personal. Julia, my choir director back home. She taught me to sing and to pray, that children matter in the church, and that serving God is a gift that deserves all our efforts and talents. I used to want her job, until I realized it meant learning to play piano, and I hated practicing! In general, I look up to people who change the lives of the people around them simply by being themselves. People like that tend to be secure in their identity, gifts and talents, but are humble at the same time. They give out of a desire to serve, rather than a sense of superiority. I also appreciate people who can – and have- weathered storms with grace.

5. Your home parish shares worship space with a Jewish congregation. How does that work? Where are the joys and struggles in that arrangement?
The church (St. Clare of Assisi) and the temple created a joint organization in 1974 called Genesis. Genesis owns the building, and basically administrates the building and such. The architecture is very cool – we built a new building about ten years ago. Our sanctuary is semi-circle… the altar is still in front, but the people on the sides pretty much face each other. The altar is granite, and is up on a bimah (circular, raised platform.) Behind it are big wooden panels – when the fold all the way closed, there is a cross, and side places that serve as credence tables. Folded all the way the other way is the Torah. Its beautiful. The joys are many – living in this relationship is, we hope, a real testament to what interfaith peace can look like. We have a Thanksgiving service together, we used to do a pulpit switch, and we have a Genesis seder meal, did a Habitat House a couple years ago, staff a homeless shelter together. We are not there to convert each other, or try and blend our faith traditions. In fact, I think that is part of why it works so well. The struggles tend to be day-to-day things… building the new building was a big strain on the relationship. For the 25th anniversary, a rabbinical student who grew up at TBE (the Jewish congregation) preached. She was born in 1974, same as Genesis, and this was right after the shootings at the LA daycare. She talked about “tolerance”, and said that “tolerance” isn’t good enough. What she learned growing up with Genesis was respect, and that was what she intended to work for. I can’t say much more than that.

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Official Rules
1. If you want to participate, leave a comment saying "interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions - each person's will be different.
3. You will update your journal with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions
6. And, sure, I will answer reasonable follow up questions if you leave them in my comments.

Monday, August 25, 2003

So Many Questions


So, I decided to join in on the five questions game that Tripp introduced us to. Jane has sent me the following questions:

1. Being a newlywed (15 months and counting!), what's the biggest adjustment been for you?

2. You're the elected chair of the Worship Committee at Seabury. Why did you run, and what are your goals for your term?

3. Music--- especially liturgical music-- is a big part of your faith. What is your favorite hymn, and why?

4. Who are your heroes? What do you look for in the people you look up to?

5. Your home parish shares worship space with a Jewish congregation. How does that work? Where are the joys and struggles in that arrangement?

Answers coming soon...

Time Is Our Side


So, what am I doing with my free time now the CPE is over? The much-needed organizing of my fianances? Working on my scrapbook from my wedding (which was 15 months ago)? Nope. I'm doing nothing useful, I'm afraid. I ran errands with Luke this morning, then he went on a day trip to Wisconsin in our new Honda Civic, so i am carless and playing on the computer. So, out of my un-productivity, I found a fun quiz on Stephanie's livejournal. Yay. I'm not totally convinced of the results, but oh well...

folknik
You are a Folkie. Good for you.


What kind of Sixties Person are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Thursday, August 21, 2003

Blessed


How are you? Well, I'm blessed. Thats what I hear over and over again at this hospital. And that is about all I can say today. I just returned from saying good-bye to the staff on my floor, and thanking them for the incredible hospitality they have shown me. With all our difficulties in CPE this summer - which were real and serious - I have been touched and moved by these people I have spent my time with. Being surounded by fellow Christians is truly a blessing. Saying goodbye to fellow Christians - friends, associates - is incredibly difficult, even when you know that it is time for the change. I'm not sure I will ever learn to do this well. But I have been and will continue to be blessed by each encounter, and each friend that I must say good-bye to.
Hey Now, I will be praying for you
Hey now, you're gonna pray for me
'Cause what we have been through together
Is changing us now, can change us forever
Hey Now, I'm gonna pray for you
Hey now, you're gonna pray for me
And its gonna be different, yeah
Its gonna be better yeah
Its gonna be Jesus, and all of us, in this together
Hey Now
-Amy Grant, Songs From the Loft

Wednesday, August 13, 2003

Hours and Hours


I'm up past my bedtime, but it is for time well spent. I have a quote for my day:
You cannot find peace by running away from life.
Its from The Hours, which I still haven't seen. I'll have to get around to that. I just liked the quote, and wanted to share it. Thats all. Good night!

Monday, August 11, 2003

With or Without You


WAHOOO!! I'm posting from my apartment, and if I could, I would do flips cuz I'm so happy to have my internet back. We'll see how long it lasts (you never can tell) but for now, Mark, my new next door neighbor, is my hero. There goes my good excuse for not posting very often. Regarding that, I realize that I have been utterly silent on the election of Gene Robinson to the episcopate. Those of you who know me probably know that I am happy with the decision, and in support of this move. However, I have simply not had the energy to articulate my opinions in "real life" and online, so online lost. My current thought, though, is this: I am tired of hearing the general statement that "the other side" (whichever side that may be) is obviously motivated by something other than their understanding of God in Christ. Clearly, my understanding of the message of Scripture is not the same as some other folks - but my beliefs that openly gay people should continue in ministry is not motivated by being "PC" or a desire to somehow radically overthrow the entire church. Similarly, I'm fairly sure that those who are currently opposed to the decision to elect Gene Robinson aren't opposed simply because are afraid of change. I'm also sure that there are people on both sides who are motivated by those things. But if you don't want your side labeled that way, then stop making assumptions about the "other side". hopefully, then and only then can we actually have discussion.
On the way home from work today, Andrew and I saw a bumper sticker. It had a picture of a church on it, and said "A Gift from God. Assembly Required." I liked it.

Monday, August 04, 2003

Happy Song


There is a praise song called the Happy Song. I was introduced to it last week. This is completely irrelevant, except that I'm very happy tonight for two reasons. First, Luke is back from his conference in DC, and that is a good thing. Five days apart is the longest we've been apart since we got married. Second reason - Monday Night Football is on tonight!! Yay pre-season. I'm just so very excited about the whole thing... although I'm not particularly excited about the Packers or the Chiefs. I'm a Raiders/Broncos/Bears/Patriots/Lions fan. What do these teams have in common? Well, I'll let you all figure that out. You're smart people. Yay football!!

Friday, August 01, 2003

Inspired by a Patient


Dear God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself...and the fact that I think that I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe this:
I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.
I hope I have that desire in everything I do.
I hope I never persist in anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it at the time.
Therefore I will trust You always, for though I may be lost - and in the shadow of death - I will not be afraid, because I know You will never leave me to face my troubles all alone.

Thomas Merton