Remembering How We Became - A Toast to two Katies

I pulled this picture out to be my facebook profile pic today and it got me in a super reflective mood.

First of all, you should understand that hardly anyone in college called me anything but my last name.
There were at least 11 different girls named Katie (this doesn't even count girls who went by "Kate") in our InterVarsity group, and so it just didn't make sense, (Flavin, Buker, Odeegard/Moore, Whipple, Matson, Seth's Katie, Platner, Potter, Higgins, Lo, Frantes, I'm sure there are more and if I left you out I'm really sorry).

This is a picture of three of us (Peterson[Flavin], Matson, and Buker)

Tonight my friend Katie Lynn Buker is getting married. Katie Peterson and I and many others will be there to celebrate.

These women had a huge role in shaping the trajectory of my life. So I thank them and I raise a toast to them.

A toast

To Katie Flavin Peterson: Katie and her husband Aaron organized a trip to Jackson, Mississippi my Sophomore year of school. That trip changed my life. Each morning we would sit in Bible Study with John Perkins or Lowell Noble. We learned about the muti-ethnicity of the Kingdom of God. We learned about justice, mercy, shalom. We raked yards, tore out drywall, played with kids, and painted. I came alive on that trip, I will always always always be grateful for Katie and Aaron's leadership.

Katie was the dorm ministry coordinator when I lived in the dorms as a sophomore. She was a Jr. and a great person to talk to and process stuff with. Her enthusiasm and servant leadership style rocks. This woman will blow your mind.

Katie is a fellow blogger and we keep up by reading each other's blogs, and facebook, but I can't wait to see her tonight. She lives in Duluth with her daughter Matea and husband, which isn't that far away, but weddings are really the only time we get to connect.

Now to Katie Lynn Buker (soon to be Moore): My Jr. Year of College, I spent the summer interning with InterVarsity and New City Fellowship a Presbyterrian Multi-Ethnic Church, doing community development/urban ministry in St. Louis, Missouri. While I was in St. Louis, Buker was in Chicago doing the same thing with Lawndale Community Church.

We were both changed forever and needless to say, coming back to campus at UMD was a bit of a shock for us both. Buker and I learned to rely on each other that year, we hadn't had the same experience, but we had had similar experiences and it would have felt very lonely that year with out her.

Buker is the queen of asking hard questions. You can't hide from her. Katie Buker is a person who helps us live the Christian life we are claiming to live. Katie lives far away on the East Coast, but I'm blessed every time that I get to see her again.

SO - Here's a toast to two of the women who shaped who I am today.

Congratulations Buker!!!