Anyone see The Simpson's episode, "Coming to Homerica?"
A flood of Norwegian immigrants come into Springfield.
Between the Norwegian/Minnesota Vikings jokes, and the commentary on immigration policy, it is worth watching, I know it's old school, but I still love the Simpsons. Find it on Hulu.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
wordle
I've seen these before, but never made one. Here's a wordle word cloud using the text of my final paper on Deuteronomy 6, the Shema.
It's good to know that I used the words, "Love" "Lord" and "God" a lot in the paper.
It's good to know that I used the words, "Love" "Lord" and "God" a lot in the paper.
Genesis to Ruth
Today I finished my first year of seminary. My brain is F-R-I-E-D. But, vacation is now 3 work days away.
I took the final exam for my "Genesis to Ruth" class this morning. Judges and Ruth were my two favorite books. Judges because it's super dramatic and twisty (think telenovella's for the Ancient Near East). Left handed judges, killing kings with copious amounts of belly fat, sex-addicted nazarites, sweets out of lion carcasses, a woman who pretends to be taking care of a guest to her tent only to stab him in his sleep. So much drama! Ruth because it's really compassionate, brave and tender. The book of Ruth is a short four chapters, but the story is beautiful, and this immigrant widow becomes a matriarch to both King David and Christ.
Speaking of Ruth, today starts the festival of Shavuot in the Jewish community. It's a time when the Ruth narrative is read. Rabbi Arthur Waskow asks the question, "What if Ruth came to America?" It's worth a read.
I took the final exam for my "Genesis to Ruth" class this morning. Judges and Ruth were my two favorite books. Judges because it's super dramatic and twisty (think telenovella's for the Ancient Near East). Left handed judges, killing kings with copious amounts of belly fat, sex-addicted nazarites, sweets out of lion carcasses, a woman who pretends to be taking care of a guest to her tent only to stab him in his sleep. So much drama! Ruth because it's really compassionate, brave and tender. The book of Ruth is a short four chapters, but the story is beautiful, and this immigrant widow becomes a matriarch to both King David and Christ.
Speaking of Ruth, today starts the festival of Shavuot in the Jewish community. It's a time when the Ruth narrative is read. Rabbi Arthur Waskow asks the question, "What if Ruth came to America?" It's worth a read.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Two very different, yet equally holy meals.
Memorial day was fantastic! Noel cooked 3 kinds of meat (four if you you count saucy ribs and not-saucy-ribs as separate meats) on the grill. A family of five, that we've been friends with for a long time came over. It was fun to have kids in the house again, eat lots of meat and talk honestly about our experiences in the neighborhood. It was sunny, we played croquet, we ate a lot of meat and chips and watermelon. We even got drumstick ice cream cones and scooby-doo pushups for desert. I wish that we had pictures, our faces were pretty awesome covered in sauce. It was Holy, it was community, it fed my soul. Thanks LeMays for coming over, you made our days!
This afternoon, I went to lunch with my friend Leah. Leah has a gift of being able to balance the deep conversations with the funny ones. It was cloudy, I was moving slowly and we went to St. Martin's Table, by Riverside and Augsburg. The servers at St. Martin's table are volunteers. The food is simple, there are seven options on the menu, it's vegetarian. Things take awhile to get to your table, and you pay for your meal in a Christian bookstore, filled with resources about Justice, prayer, worship, environmental activism and multiculturalism. Our meals were delicious and simple. The tips from our meal went to support an East African woman's organization. The waitress was a gentle volunteer in her seventies. It was Holy, it was community, it fed my soul. Thanks Leah for going to lunch, you made my day.
Meals are one of the most spiritual things we can do with one another. With three whole years of public ministry to report on, the gospel writers spend a lot of that paper writing about meals. Jesus feeds huge crowds (twice), He changes water in to wine at a wedding feast, there's the last supper and the breaking of bread after the resurrection on the road to Emmaus, He makes Peter and the disciples a fish breakfast on the beach, Zaccheus invites Him over for lunch. You'd think that with just three years to save the world the Messiah might have eaten on the road. But he chose to take the time to eat and to build community.
I remember being at a meeting at church on a Tuesday night. A longtime member of the church said something that offended me deeply. I was mad. I confess, my attitude towards him was not exactly Christlike when I went home that night.
The next night, I was late to our church meal. There really was only one obvious open chair left in the room when I got downstairs. I piled my plate with fried chicken and salad and sat down next to him. Something happens when you share a meal with someone. Rather than seeing them as an adversary in a debate, they become your brother, your uncle, your mom, your niece. Rather than seeing this man as an offensive "other" I was able to see him as a father, a husband, someone who deeply loved his family, whose faith was real. I don't remember what the issue was we were debating at that Tuesday night meeting. It clearly doesn't matter too much anymore. I do remember him talking about how much he loved his kids that night. Which is probably more important anyway.
This afternoon, I went to lunch with my friend Leah. Leah has a gift of being able to balance the deep conversations with the funny ones. It was cloudy, I was moving slowly and we went to St. Martin's Table, by Riverside and Augsburg. The servers at St. Martin's table are volunteers. The food is simple, there are seven options on the menu, it's vegetarian. Things take awhile to get to your table, and you pay for your meal in a Christian bookstore, filled with resources about Justice, prayer, worship, environmental activism and multiculturalism. Our meals were delicious and simple. The tips from our meal went to support an East African woman's organization. The waitress was a gentle volunteer in her seventies. It was Holy, it was community, it fed my soul. Thanks Leah for going to lunch, you made my day.
Meals are one of the most spiritual things we can do with one another. With three whole years of public ministry to report on, the gospel writers spend a lot of that paper writing about meals. Jesus feeds huge crowds (twice), He changes water in to wine at a wedding feast, there's the last supper and the breaking of bread after the resurrection on the road to Emmaus, He makes Peter and the disciples a fish breakfast on the beach, Zaccheus invites Him over for lunch. You'd think that with just three years to save the world the Messiah might have eaten on the road. But he chose to take the time to eat and to build community.
I remember being at a meeting at church on a Tuesday night. A longtime member of the church said something that offended me deeply. I was mad. I confess, my attitude towards him was not exactly Christlike when I went home that night.
The next night, I was late to our church meal. There really was only one obvious open chair left in the room when I got downstairs. I piled my plate with fried chicken and salad and sat down next to him. Something happens when you share a meal with someone. Rather than seeing them as an adversary in a debate, they become your brother, your uncle, your mom, your niece. Rather than seeing this man as an offensive "other" I was able to see him as a father, a husband, someone who deeply loved his family, whose faith was real. I don't remember what the issue was we were debating at that Tuesday night meeting. It clearly doesn't matter too much anymore. I do remember him talking about how much he loved his kids that night. Which is probably more important anyway.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Congrats Valerie
Thursday Valerie graduated from St. Kate's with a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership.
So, if you're looking for an HR professional with expertise in diversity initiative tracking and accountability. . .
How much do you love this photo?
Thanks Wanda.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Happy Birthday Bethany
Today is Bethany's birthday. Happy Birthday to the most courageous, committed, caring and compassionate person we know!
We're already starting to miss Bethany, who will be moving on to big things across the globe at the end of the summer. (More on that later).
This is a picture of Bethany taking a minute to stop and watch some Bald Eagles soar above the Twin Cities on hike this spring.
Here's a Psalm of Praise for Bethany's birthday!
Psalm 103
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
Pastor-in-Chief
Last night Tessa and I scored free tickets to see Krista Tippett from American Public Media's "Speaking of Faith" interview Joshua DuBois, the director of President Obama's religious outreach in the campaign and now director of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
I was excited about the night, and almost purchased tickets for the night. I've got to say, that I'm glad that I got the tix for free, it was interesting, but not $18.00(MPR member rate) interesting.
This Joshua DuBois is an impressive guy, 26, Associate Pentecostal Pastor, Masters Degree in Public Policy, Cabinet level position in the Executive Branch. I mean, I kind of feel like a slacker compared to him. I mean, c'mon, I'm 28, and what have I accomplished? ;)
I admire President Obama and Mr. DuBois', ability to broaden the religious/political conversation in America. I think that one thing that the campaign did really well was listening to people's stories, and then making sure that language was inclusive to people of all faiths and non-faith.
The convesation last night had some interesting points, but in general it was so "Washington" it was so, "these are my talking points and what I'm allowed to say." So I was kind of disappointed. Even the brilliant probing questions and über tranquil and wise voice of Krista Tippett couldn't get him away from a series of formulated answers.
The most shocking point of the night came at the end though - Larry Jacobs, the moderator of the audience questions asked Mr. DuBois about his basketball game.
I can only assume this is because he is a young black man, and I'm a little shocked that someone who teaches political science at the University of MN would ask such a stupid question. I mean, Mr. DuBois is already an Associate Pastor, has a Master's in Public Policy and has worked on a super successful presidential campaign. Do you think he's had a lot of time to work on his game lately?
Why in 2009 are we still assuming that every black man plays basketball, AND even if they do play basketball, why do we make it a part of our discussion about RELIGION and POLITICS. He would not have asked a white person this question, nor would he have asked this question to an African American woman.
Geez!
Here's a link to the Newscut blog, which live blogged the conversation.
I was excited about the night, and almost purchased tickets for the night. I've got to say, that I'm glad that I got the tix for free, it was interesting, but not $18.00(MPR member rate) interesting.
This Joshua DuBois is an impressive guy, 26, Associate Pentecostal Pastor, Masters Degree in Public Policy, Cabinet level position in the Executive Branch. I mean, I kind of feel like a slacker compared to him. I mean, c'mon, I'm 28, and what have I accomplished? ;)
I admire President Obama and Mr. DuBois', ability to broaden the religious/political conversation in America. I think that one thing that the campaign did really well was listening to people's stories, and then making sure that language was inclusive to people of all faiths and non-faith.
The convesation last night had some interesting points, but in general it was so "Washington" it was so, "these are my talking points and what I'm allowed to say." So I was kind of disappointed. Even the brilliant probing questions and über tranquil and wise voice of Krista Tippett couldn't get him away from a series of formulated answers.
The most shocking point of the night came at the end though - Larry Jacobs, the moderator of the audience questions asked Mr. DuBois about his basketball game.
I can only assume this is because he is a young black man, and I'm a little shocked that someone who teaches political science at the University of MN would ask such a stupid question. I mean, Mr. DuBois is already an Associate Pastor, has a Master's in Public Policy and has worked on a super successful presidential campaign. Do you think he's had a lot of time to work on his game lately?
Why in 2009 are we still assuming that every black man plays basketball, AND even if they do play basketball, why do we make it a part of our discussion about RELIGION and POLITICS. He would not have asked a white person this question, nor would he have asked this question to an African American woman.
Geez!
Here's a link to the Newscut blog, which live blogged the conversation.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Stop littering!
Our house is on the corner. 
People often sit in our front yard as they wait for the bus.
People often eat snacks and partake in *ahem* beverages as they wait for their busses.
People often leave the wrappers and bottles from these snacks and beverages in our front yard.
We have a lot of trash in our yard.
Wanda may have found a way to help the problem.
Through the city of Minneapolis she signed us up for an adopt a trash can program. The city provides a trash can and bags, we commit to emptying it regularly. They commit to taking care of any damage to it.
Another great reason to love Minneapolis! Go city of lakes!!!!
People often sit in our front yard as they wait for the bus.
People often eat snacks and partake in *ahem* beverages as they wait for their busses.
People often leave the wrappers and bottles from these snacks and beverages in our front yard.
We have a lot of trash in our yard.
Wanda may have found a way to help the problem.
Through the city of Minneapolis she signed us up for an adopt a trash can program. The city provides a trash can and bags, we commit to emptying it regularly. They commit to taking care of any damage to it.
Another great reason to love Minneapolis! Go city of lakes!!!!
Tending chives (a somewhat posed photo of Bethany)
We've got a lot of our plants and seeds in the dirt now. It's been a fun process, though with the spring pollens allergies have slowed me down a bit. Here's B at the garden last night. We put in two woodchip paths to help us get around the garden a little bit, tomatoes, peppers and zucchini are in the ground. I've met a few new neighbors and even learned that there's a tool shed (who knew?)
It's a week of transitions and changes:
B and Noel are on their way to Allison's (one of the first generation Steven's House girls) wedding in Florida. My sister graduated with a civil engineering degree last week. Noel is working on his last paper of the quarter on the plane. I've got 7 papers to write still :( but the school year is almost over. School year programming is almost done at Park Avenue and the summer staff is almost hired.
Happy Friday!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Empathy / Enabling
We've been reading about "empathy" for my Personal and Spiritual Formation class.
One idea that has challenged me is the idea of empathy sometimes being the worst thing that we can do for someone. That in our desire to be merciful repeatedly we end up enabling destructive behaviors by constantly coming to the rescue.
As Christians we are called to show mercy to the hurting, and we believe that it is not our job to judge but God's.
Yet we need boundaries in our life. Being taken advantage of stinks. Plus, coming to the rescue can teach patterns of irresponsibility and does not create long term transformation, but rather short term satisfaction.
But aren't we supposed to love our neighbor as we love ourselves and give to everyone who asks?
Why aren't answers easier?
Bart Campolo* told a story on the God's Politics blog today - he describes the struggle of loving a neighbor who knows how to manipulate him:
Lately I find myself wondering about that bargain, about whether the ‘grace’ my friends and I give our neighbors here is anything like the real thing. I mean, on one level offering our love without condition to broken people in a hard place sounds like a righteous thing to do. Moving into this neighborhood to establish genuine friendships across seemingly insurmountable barriers of race, class, and culture sounds more authentic than just dropping in to establish food, clothing, medical care, education, or housing programs. . .
. . . Giving grace? Maybe. But if it is grace at all, it certainly isn’t the same kind that God gives. God, after all, is no sucker. He may make all the goodness in the world available to anyone who wants it, but as far as I can tell, you have to actually want that goodness in order to actualize it. God makes the first move, over and over until you respond, but it takes two to tango. The gift is being shown the way, and being allowed to learn how to dance in good company, so you show up in shape for the party.
I don't know how to resolve this tension, maybe you do.
I think though, that it's like the Donald Miller book Blue Like Jazz says, "I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve."
Sometimes we are invited to live in the place of the unresolved.
*Bart gets a star because:
1- He used to work at Park Avenue;
2 - He wrote a chapter in one of his books about a friend of mine;
3- I hear that when he led 6th Grade Traveling Camp he lit his chest hair on fire on the beach on Madeline Island (This is something that I never did when I was leading the trip.) ;o)
**if you google image search "empathy" you get really weird things, try it
One idea that has challenged me is the idea of empathy sometimes being the worst thing that we can do for someone. That in our desire to be merciful repeatedly we end up enabling destructive behaviors by constantly coming to the rescue.
As Christians we are called to show mercy to the hurting, and we believe that it is not our job to judge but God's.
Yet we need boundaries in our life. Being taken advantage of stinks. Plus, coming to the rescue can teach patterns of irresponsibility and does not create long term transformation, but rather short term satisfaction.
But aren't we supposed to love our neighbor as we love ourselves and give to everyone who asks?
Why aren't answers easier?
Bart Campolo* told a story on the God's Politics blog today - he describes the struggle of loving a neighbor who knows how to manipulate him:
Lately I find myself wondering about that bargain, about whether the ‘grace’ my friends and I give our neighbors here is anything like the real thing. I mean, on one level offering our love without condition to broken people in a hard place sounds like a righteous thing to do. Moving into this neighborhood to establish genuine friendships across seemingly insurmountable barriers of race, class, and culture sounds more authentic than just dropping in to establish food, clothing, medical care, education, or housing programs. . .
. . . Giving grace? Maybe. But if it is grace at all, it certainly isn’t the same kind that God gives. God, after all, is no sucker. He may make all the goodness in the world available to anyone who wants it, but as far as I can tell, you have to actually want that goodness in order to actualize it. God makes the first move, over and over until you respond, but it takes two to tango. The gift is being shown the way, and being allowed to learn how to dance in good company, so you show up in shape for the party.
I don't know how to resolve this tension, maybe you do.
I think though, that it's like the Donald Miller book Blue Like Jazz says, "I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve."
Sometimes we are invited to live in the place of the unresolved.
*Bart gets a star because:
1- He used to work at Park Avenue;
2 - He wrote a chapter in one of his books about a friend of mine;
3- I hear that when he led 6th Grade Traveling Camp he lit his chest hair on fire on the beach on Madeline Island (This is something that I never did when I was leading the trip.) ;o)
**if you google image search "empathy" you get really weird things, try it
Saturday, May 9, 2009
some seed
Cool! We got a shout out on Emily's blog, welcome to anyone who found us from there. Our neighbor Jorge tilled our garden plot at the community garden this afternoon. We'll start planting tomorrow I think. It was great to be over there this afternoon for a few minutes to meet neighbors and see the plot again.
Our porch right now is an awesome place. In little peat pots and plastic containers all over our front porch filled with seeds and plants in various stages of growth.
I planted broccoli and cauliflower seeds most recently and they sprouted so quickly. I was so happy to see them come up.
I planted banana peppers a couple weeks ago. I have 3 of the 12 plants up, but mostly they're just barely coming out of the dirt. I'm not sure if I'll get anything from these seeds or not.
Jesus told a story about seeds:
"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times." (Mark 4 TnIV)
This week some friends of mine discovered that some young people we have been spending a lot of time with, praying for and speaking truth into their lives had seriously wronged people in our community. It certainly felt and looked like we were planting seeds. It felt like we were seeing growth. The day that the incident took place I had just spent time bragging about one of the kids involved. I had seen change in the life of this youth and I had seen hope. Yet. . . who knows? The God who has a plan with a future and a hope for these young people is not done doing this work.
I cannot control the outcome, yet I long for good things for these three young people who I care deeply for.
I don't know how many of the vegetables that Noel and Bethany and I plant we'll be able to eat. I don't know how long it will take for my banana peppers to bear fruit. I don't know, part of being a gardener, especially, I suspect a new gardener is that you just have to try what you know, ask questions, long for the best and see what happens.
May you bear a lot of fruit.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
we're internet sensations
This is silly:
Kinda Fonda Wanda?
Why doncha come on over Valerie?
What is so maybe about Katie?
Kinda Fonda Wanda?
Why doncha come on over Valerie?
What is so maybe about Katie?
Monday, May 4, 2009
cinco de mayo
Maria (former roommate) and Roel came to visit this weekend. We celebrated Maria's birthday at Pancho Villa on Saturday night (Parilla Combo a.k.a $40 meat pot, and 2 kinds of shrimp and octopus coctels, YUM!!!)
Sunday night we hit Cinco de Mayo on Lake and 27th for some Elote. Elote is perhaps the most delicious food you will ever eat. Grilled corn on the cob, lime juice, mayonaise, parmesean cheese and chile pepper.
I love this, we all look so happy, well, Roel either looks like he's got the "don't mess with me face" on or he is in a lot of pain, (he was actually in a lot of pain and left almost as soon as this photo was taken in order to go to the hospital).
I want to write more about how the Latino community in our neighborhood has blessed and shaped me, but I've got three papers to write before I go to class tonight so that will be a later post. Happy cinco de celebracion.
Thanks Theresa for taking the picture, and Wanda for the use of the camera.
Shalom,
Katie
Emily
Emily, our former roommate, professor and author has launched a blog full of book reviews, reflections on human rights and teaching. I've included some of Emily's poetry here before.
Emily is one of the most talented writers you will ever meet. I am looking forward to reading her thoughts.
Emily is one of the most talented writers you will ever meet. I am looking forward to reading her thoughts.
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