recovery

I spent the whole weekend away from the Stevens house, but I'm heading home in a few minutes. The surgery went well, I'll meet with the surgeon on Thursday, but he's convinced it's the benign fibroadenoma. YAY!

I'm a little sore yet, but expect to be back to full health soon.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. We'll have an interesting post soon.

Love,
Katie

Stevens House blog. . . starring the Governator!

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up (Proverbs 12:25)

I've been playing with the idea of writing this post for awhile, unsure if it's too much to share with you all, but I've been reminded that burdens are lighter when shared and that God is the spirit of truth and that truth sets us free. This blog is the story of our house and this is part of my story this week.

4 years ago, I didn't have health insurance. I found a lump. . . freaked out and went to the doctor. The doctor looked at it quickly, knew that I was uninsured and 23 years old and said, "it's a cyst, you're fine." So ten minutes after showing up I was done and very relieved.

This summer I went to the doctor for a physical (Park Avenue gives me great health insurance THANKS METHODISTS!!!!). My new doctor wasn't convinced that it was a cyst, so I was sent to the breast health center for an ultrasound. So, after a couple of appointments the radiologist and the surgeon have decided that it's definitely not a cyst, but probably fibroadenoma (that means not cancer or benign). A week from now I'll be having the lump removed for surgical biopsy, I'm almost certain that it will be ok, but my anxiety has been a little intense this week as I get ready to start school, get school year ministry going at Park Avenue and prep for this surgery.

So I'm asking for prayer, for me and my anxiety, for my surgery and my recovery. But I'm also asking for prayer for the many many many people in our country who still don't have health care. I'm not a policy expert (our temporary roommate Aaron is but he's at class at the Humphrey right now) so I don't know what the best thing is for the nation's health care crisis. But I do know that it's scary that I was dismissed after 10 minutes with something as scary as a lump, and I had a lot going for me, middle class, white, educated etc.

New Monasticism and Race

We try to live in "intentional community" here at the Stevens House. We pray together, share meals and life together and try to be a part of the Whittier Community.

One movement of "intentional community" within the Christian Tradition is the New Monastics. New Monastics are characterized by these "12 Marks"

1) Relocation to the abandoned places of Empire.
2) Sharing economic resources with fellow community members and the needy among us.
3) Hospitality to the stranger
4) Lament for racial divisions within the church and our communitiescombined with the active pursuit of a just reconciliation.
5) Humble submission to Christ’s body, the church.
6) Intentional formation in the way of Christ and the rule of the community along the lines of the old novitiate.
7) Nurturing common life among members of intentional community.
8) Support for celibate singles alongside monogamous married couples and their children.
9) Geographical proximity to community members who share a common rule of life.
10) Care for the plot of God’s earth given to us along with support of our local economies.
11) Peacemaking in the midst of violence and conflict resolution within communities along the lines of Matthew 18.
12) Commitment to a disciplined contemplative life.



I don't think that anyone at the Stevens House would consider ourselves part of the New Monastic movement, but there are elements of what the New Monastics are about that intersect with what we're about here. There have been a series of posts by various "Intentional Community" types regarding race and privilege on the God's Politics Blog this week. Here's a link with some good food for thought. The discussion started with an article critiquing the leadership of the New Monastic movement being predominantly white and male.

Back to School --> More like back to cool!

We had our first small group meeting this Tuesday, which was also the first day of school in MN. Since our small group is mostly teachers (followed by students) we decided to take Back to School pictures after our prayer time. I think that we're pretty cute.

If you're looking for a small group, I've got to say, we've got a pretty good group. We meet at the house 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesdays at 7:00.

Oh, I went to a a garden party. . .

We
LOVE
OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD!!!


Bethany has been gardening at the Community Garden for the past 4 summers, on Sunday she invited me to come to a potluck with the gardeners.

Oh, it was so good for my soul to meet our neighbors eat some good food, sit in the shade surrounded by the almost jungle like lushness of a well cared for garden in late August.

If life started in the garden of Eden, and Heaven is like a banquet, and if heaven will be a gathering of people from every tongue tribe nation and people, I've got to say, this Garden party was a lot like life how God intends it to be. It was the most restful and peaceful activity of my week.

This summer I ended up with 20 small bottles of Famous Dave's "Rich and Sassy" BBQ sauce, and while I love BBQ I haven't been able to use it all up yet (shocking right?). While we were sitting around eating we got to talking about the ribs Mike had grilled and how we all enjoy Famous Dave's sauce. Linda ended up walking home with me and going back to the garden with BBQ sauce to bless 4 families with.

It's been really nice being able to greet neighbors that I met this weekend by name. I'm considering sharing Bethany's plot with her next year and learning how to garden. I think that it would be good for my soul.


The picture on top is of Louann, the garden coordinator with two neighbors, Mike and Ben. The first photo here is of Len and Linda who have lived in the neighborhood forever and remember our house before the Pat and Kendra era. The second is of me, Donna, and Bethany enjoying the feast. Donna was so kind and remembered my name throughout the afternoon.


PS If you didn't recognize the title, here's a great video link.

I've Had a Gnarly Good Time at the Fair

Last Wednesday Tessa, Noel, Theresa, Josh, Paul and I went to the MN state fair for the Gnarls Barkley Concert.

Here's a "Crop Art" copy of the Vita.mn featuring Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse.

I tried taking photos during the concert but didn't think to use my camera, just the cell phone, so they didn't turn out to well.

I love the state fair. I love seeing people, I love the food, I love the distinctive Minnesotaness of it all.

It turns out though, Noel is super freaked out by large vegetables and fruits. Here's his reaction to the 800 lb pumpkin.