Out Like a Lion

So, it's March 31 and the weather anchors in Minnesota are calling this years March send off "Out like a Lion" - becuase we have just been dumped with yet another blizzard. I was really in a bad mood this morning, I am just really ready for spring and to see the little bit of grass we has completely covered in snow again made me so sad. So, I worked in the office all day and because of the weather no one was in and the phone didn't ring much, so I accomplished some sermon writing, which felt good. I was able to go home about 3pm and my 7pm event is cancelled due to weather, so, I put my pajamas on and I am just doing whatever I feel like doing - so I must say, my mad mood is now pretty relaxed. It's interesting how time to yourself can often lift otherwise drained spirits. I have spent some time on the computer catching up with some facebook and email and doing a lot of laughing (but I'm perplexed as to why my cousin is not answering his facebook messages), and even some praying for caring bridge people I am praying for. What do we do in our fee time and how much do we enjoy unexpected "spare" time?

Fatigue

Well, Friday was a doctors appointment and a chance to check-in on my dairy allergy, etc. I am doing okay, but feeling some fatigue and the doc says its showing. Seriously, I am somewhat frustrated because I truly felt I was taking care of myself through my high-stress busy life right now - I am very intentional about taking care of myself, so I can take care of others - but still, my health suffers. I don't get it!? We are going to try some new allergy meds, hoping my allergies are the cause for the fatigue. But I do need to do more "taking care of me" things. Any suggestions? (I am already good about massage, excercise, leaving work at work (for the most part) and taking my day off (for the most part) but I'm really not sure what else to do). Hmm.. maybe my (for the most part)comments answered my question!?

Thursday Nights

I have decided that I love, and often times crave, Thursday nights! I sometimes have meetings but always I have the assurance that the next day is Friday and I can sleep in and do things on my agenda (Friday is my day off). Of course, often times, like tomorrow, I have a sermon to write and a trip to the nursing home I really need to make - but it just being Friday, totally relaxes me. I have learned that sleep is a necessity and I need more of it.
I heard/received/? an interesting comment today. A friend was leaving my office and he said, "Thanks, Kim." And I said something down the lines of "Oh, no problem, have a good day." And my friend stopped. Looked me in the eyes and said, "No. Really. I mean that. Thanks for everything you do. I need you to know that I am thankful." Now we all have moments of receiving thanks but there is something about sincere thanks (something different than the standard polite comment we make as we walk out of a room or leave a store). I guess I don't really know why - it just made me think: Do the people we appreciate, really know we appreciate them? Truly and sincerly, do they know we mean it? Now, I of course, will go into a sermon here about how actions speak louder than words.. but really, even our words - do we get too customary, too standard. Or do we really take the time to express our appreciation and ensure the person understands it? Hmm.. food for thought?

Catch-Up

It never fails. I go away for a week of Continuing Ed & Relaxation and I come back to millions of things to do, sermons and bulletins to catch up on, and a funeral. It never fails! So, I'm struggling right now to get it all done - and to keep up with my excersice program - and get enough sleep. It almost feels impossible this week, but all I can do is keep trucking along. I got really sick yesterday, a bad headache and a fever but I kept working through it because I had to. Today I feel better but in the back of my mind is sleep and the need to slow down because I know myself well enough to know that I get sick when I don't get enough rest. So, in these days before Easter, when there is so much to do and not enough time to do it, I wonder what life would be life if I had family at home? When my cat only sees me as I crawl in and out of bed at night and in the morning, what would it be like if I had a child or a husband? It just all makes me wonder and its funny the timing of it all as I have been thinking a lot about that (a family) lately.

Racism in 2009

Well, as you can tell - I fell off the band wagon... but I have a good excuse. I was away for a week of Continuing ed/vacation and intentially stayed away from computers (except a quick sermon write). I have been really tired all weekend and fighting a headache, so I just couldn't bring myself to blog. But there is something seriously bothering me...
While in Louisville, I was riding in my friends car as she drove through downtown. We came to a stop light and I was just gazing out the window watching people.. there was a couple crossing the street and holding hands, a child waiting to go the other way, some men sitting on some steps, and people waiting at a bus stop. Pretty soon, my friend says, "that's an awfully pretty girl to be with a black man." I had to pull myself out of my gaze and look really hard before I realized she was talking about the couple crossing the street holding hands - he was black and she was white - something I didn't notice until my friend pointed it out. I was sort of speechless, "what do you mean?" I finally asked. "Well, he's so scrubby looking, that's all."
I cannot get that out of my mind and I am so shocked and saddened by such idiotic thinking int he year 2009. And what gets me even more... my friend is in her 40's, she was born and raised in Southern Indiana. Is this a generational thing or a geographic thing? And why? Why would a geography (the south) that is equally black and white be racist - when a geography (the north) that is dominately white have no real racist issues? It doesn't make any sense to me? First of all the stupidity of racism in the first place and then the horrific attitude of making such a comment. I guess I'm mad! Darn mad that in the year 2009 we make our own differences as a human race.
Are we not God's people? Where does it say white, black, asian, latino in the description of God's people? It doesn't! Because it doesn't make an difference - it's the human race - God's people. And its 2009 for crying out loud! When will we ever learn to stop looking at each other with prejudice and simply look at the equality? Seriously, I don't believe I see skin color... because it doesn't ever come into my mind when seeing a human being.

Temple

Yesterday after school I picked up our confirmation students and we drove to Duluth to visit Temple Israel for our Religions of the World unit. It was a really great expereince. I have gone several times before but yesterday Rabbi Amy's message was about love and she did an outstanding job - even the youth were talking about it on the way home! Her main point was that love in biblical terms is an action, not an emotion or feeling - so we as a people need to act in love. She even brought in several examples of Jesus, which I thought was amazingly effective as she had a large crowd of Christians present and here her point was how we act as one group of people living for the same purpose, to love God. I was very impressed.
Then our group went to the Olive Garden and the waiter and I were having a great time and doing quite a bit of flirting, which of course, the kids thoughts was great. We all laughed so hard and really enjoyed our time together. We got back to Grand Rapids at midnight and I must say, it was a really great trip and I'm excited that all of them are looking foward to their Statement of Faith writing retreat at Presbyterian Clearwater Forest in May.

Adoption Day

Wow! Well, the drive to the courthouse and the climb to the third floor was surreal -Tamara was excited and nervous all at the same time and we had a really good talk about blessings from God, her birth mothers choices as nobody but her own choices and mistakes, and the disbelief of where things were just two years earlier. Then we get outside the courtroom and things didn't feel so great - it was just cold and felt very odd. But then inside court when the judge entered.. I was amazed. Both adoptive parents were sworn in and asked a series of questions and then Tamara as well. What most struck me were the questions asked of the parents. "Do you understand the priveledges that come with being her parent?" "Do you accept those priveledges?" "Do you understand the responsibilities that come with being her parent?" Do you accept those responsibilities?" It was awesome! I thought, "they need to ask these questions of every BIRTH parent! Seriously, it made me see parenthood in a whole new way and I was honored to see it so sacred.
It was also cool because it was the same judge that has dealt with Tamara's birth mother in court many other times - and the same judge who started the process of removing Tamara from her home and eventually from her birth mothers rights. I wanted to ask the judge if this was a great day for her? If it was rewarding to see all the bad suddenly turn good for good.
What a rewarding day. What a blessing to be a part of this young girls journey to a loving, guided life. Amen.