Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Mozying around
Monday, February 6, 2012
A Packet to Celebrate
THIS is a photo to celebrate, if ever I saw one!
Today, I mailed these items in that large envelope to the Dakotas Conference Office of Leadership Development, where it will be passed on to my Board of Ordained Ministry. I have prayed, written, preached, prayed, lost sleep, smiled for pictures, and prayed some more over this packet and all it means to and for my life. Mailing this packet means I have indeed taken the next step on my journey: provided my interview goes well next month and my Bishop and her cabinet find an appointment for me, I will begin my service as an elder in The United Methodist Church this coming fall.
As intimidating as that sounds, I also can't help but to feel one thing: excitement! Excitement that assures me that this is indeed the right next step for me. God has called, and so I do my best to answer.
Here I am, Lord: Send me!
Going Home
As much as I love seeing new places, though, there's nothing like visiting an old place I know and love
While in Tampa for a conference two weeks ago, I overheard the conversation of a couple other staff members. I didn't hear much, but the one word that stuck out to me was an important one: Harare. I immediately chimed in to a conversation that was not my own, "I want to go to Harare!" I was kidding, of course, and they smiled at me and carried on their conversation as I carried on with whatever else I was doing.
2 minutes later my boss comes over and says to me, "so: do you really want to go to Harare?"
Long story short: it has been decided that my own travel and life experiences would be a great asset to the trip being planned to Harare. Fortunately, our Board of Directors also agreed, and so in 2 days, I leave for Harare, Zimbabwe.
After a few more days in Mutare, Zimbabwe and a visit I've always wanted to make to Africa University, we will board our flights home. Only: our flights back to the US stop over in Johannesburg, and I can't say no to that kind of temptation. As excited as I am for the opportunity to go to Zimbabwe, I am even more excited about my upcoming vacation in South Africa!!
I'll be spending only one night in Johannesburg and 9 days in Cape Town. Which means it will feel like a very quick trip, but I'll take an unexpected quick trip any day compared to the alternative of no trip at all!!
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| A photo of Table Mountain I took on a camping trip in January 2010 |
I hope to update here a time or two while I'm on my journey... but don't get hopes up too much: visits home tend to be very busy with all the socializing and such... so I'm just not sure I'll be able to manage it all. Oh, the conundrum... :)
Friday, February 3, 2012
Dear 16-year-old me
I came across a video on Facebook tonight that made me stop and reflect on life a bit.
To be honest, its something I don't think about often. I don't even think of myself as a cancer survivor. Yet in 2010, the month of December felt like it could have been 3 years long.
That was the month I went in to have a mole that was bothering me checked out. The time the doctor told me it was fine and nothing to worry about. The time I knew my body well enough to say that's fine, but can you remove it anyway: at least then I'll stop fretting over it. That was the time the doctor called me back and asked to see me right away; it was the time I saw the doctor in an hour though last time I had to wait over a week to see him. This is what led to the time I had surgery to have the rest of the malignant melanoma removed from my face.
December 2010 was other things too: the time I realized how lucky I was to have great family to support me while I lived in another country and went through one of the scariest and most unexpected things of my life. The time I laid awake, alone and claustrophobic for two hours during a surgical procedure because I did not have the money for the procedure that should have been done in a proper OR under general anesthesia.
December 2010 ended with the time the lab results came back and lifted a burden that took a while to set in:
This was the time I was fortunate enough to catch it early so that once my surgery was done, I did not have to go back for chemo or radiation. The time I knew I was going to be okay, and I got to walk away once my wounds healed.
I don't think about this often, but this is who I am. I would not be where I am today, who I am today, or alive as I am today if my doctor had not been able to say to me, "we caught it early."
Watch this video. Check your skin. and for heaven's sake: use sunscreen.
To be honest, its something I don't think about often. I don't even think of myself as a cancer survivor. Yet in 2010, the month of December felt like it could have been 3 years long.
That was the month I went in to have a mole that was bothering me checked out. The time the doctor told me it was fine and nothing to worry about. The time I knew my body well enough to say that's fine, but can you remove it anyway: at least then I'll stop fretting over it. That was the time the doctor called me back and asked to see me right away; it was the time I saw the doctor in an hour though last time I had to wait over a week to see him. This is what led to the time I had surgery to have the rest of the malignant melanoma removed from my face.
December 2010 ended with the time the lab results came back and lifted a burden that took a while to set in:
This was the time I was fortunate enough to catch it early so that once my surgery was done, I did not have to go back for chemo or radiation. The time I knew I was going to be okay, and I got to walk away once my wounds healed.
I don't think about this often, but this is who I am. I would not be where I am today, who I am today, or alive as I am today if my doctor had not been able to say to me, "we caught it early."
Watch this video. Check your skin. and for heaven's sake: use sunscreen.
Dear 16-year-old me: you'll be 26...
Spark12
9 months ago, I was asked to take part in a vision-casting “Design Team” put together per request of the Leadership Table. I spent my first full day living in DC at this gathering of strangers with no idea what to expect. It wasn't long before these strangers became friends, though, and our energy was contagious as we shared visions and dreams of what a new, exciting, and innovative opportunity for young adults might look like.
Lots of long, difficult days and a couple of meetings later, we had an outline of something new. A few months later and it was suddenly 2012 as I found myself flying into Nashville to meet with the team that will carry forward this project. I am really excited about how this project has taken shape. Somehow, this end project simultaneously looks nothing like what we expected, and yet it is full of everything we hoped for. This end project is what is now being called “Spark 12.”
I couldn’t be more excited about Spark12. It feels like the church could finally be doing something right here! How so? For starters: it is young adult led. Not just led, but it is actually being implemented by young adults on staff at multiple general boards and agencies. Who knew: Methodists can play nice AND trust young people to carry it through! (jokes, jokes)
So what exactly is Spark 12? In short, it is being described as a social justice “incubator.” It is a short (12-week) opportunity for young adults to take their own innovative ideas and receive funding to run with them. These ideas are lived out and given a running start with the support of community and the feedback of mentors and experts in a related field. My favorite part of all of it? That we are finally building something new that is, by design, intended to not be US-centric. We are a global church, and its time we start acting like it. That was one of the many clear, non-negotiable themes we had throughout all of our discussions. I for one can’t wait to see what that looks like when the applications start rolling in and the current Design team gets to help the fellows implement it. Watch out, world: Spark12 is about to catch onfire. (sorry, I couldn’t resist)
One last thing: it is never too early to start thinking about being a part of something new. Applications open up on April 1, so I invite you to spend time thinking about how your idea could be launched with Spark 12!
For more information on Spark12, be sure to check out their website, follow them on Twitter, and “like” their Facebook page. You can also check out other articles such as this one by UMNS.
---
I have cross-posted this blog with the UMOnFire site. I invite you to check out all the great work and excellent blogging going on there! (plus: they're better at updating than I am. Let's be honest: this update comes courtesy of their request for this blog for that site.)
Lots of long, difficult days and a couple of meetings later, we had an outline of something new. A few months later and it was suddenly 2012 as I found myself flying into Nashville to meet with the team that will carry forward this project. I am really excited about how this project has taken shape. Somehow, this end project simultaneously looks nothing like what we expected, and yet it is full of everything we hoped for. This end project is what is now being called “Spark 12.”I couldn’t be more excited about Spark12. It feels like the church could finally be doing something right here! How so? For starters: it is young adult led. Not just led, but it is actually being implemented by young adults on staff at multiple general boards and agencies. Who knew: Methodists can play nice AND trust young people to carry it through! (jokes, jokes)
So what exactly is Spark 12? In short, it is being described as a social justice “incubator.” It is a short (12-week) opportunity for young adults to take their own innovative ideas and receive funding to run with them. These ideas are lived out and given a running start with the support of community and the feedback of mentors and experts in a related field. My favorite part of all of it? That we are finally building something new that is, by design, intended to not be US-centric. We are a global church, and its time we start acting like it. That was one of the many clear, non-negotiable themes we had throughout all of our discussions. I for one can’t wait to see what that looks like when the applications start rolling in and the current Design team gets to help the fellows implement it. Watch out, world: Spark12 is about to catch onfire. (sorry, I couldn’t resist)
One last thing: it is never too early to start thinking about being a part of something new. Applications open up on April 1, so I invite you to spend time thinking about how your idea could be launched with Spark 12!
For more information on Spark12, be sure to check out their website, follow them on Twitter, and “like” their Facebook page. You can also check out other articles such as this one by UMNS.
---
I have cross-posted this blog with the UMOnFire site. I invite you to check out all the great work and excellent blogging going on there! (plus: they're better at updating than I am. Let's be honest: this update comes courtesy of their request for this blog for that site.)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Good to be back
Merry Christmas.
Happy New Year.
Blessed Epiphany.
I think that's about everything since I've been away, yes?
I could write an obligatory post about how I've been away a long time and I will soon update you, but the truth is: life is good and blogging has not been a priority. I suppose I could say I've just not been in the space for it as of late. A large part of that is that I run social media for work, so the last thing I want to do when I come home is more social media.
So what I will offer you, my faithful but few followers, is this:
peace.
It is good to have peace. Life is good. I am grateful to be in a good space, to be enjoying my work - no, more than that: to be proud of my work. The Methodist Federation for Social Action has a lot of momentum right now and is living into that last part: Social Action. It is a good time to be in the movement.
Perhaps more exciting is that when I finish my placement with MFSA in 6 months, I will hopefully have a job. Not just a job: a vocation. I have taken the necessary steps (and my paperwork will be turned in on Monday!) to be commissioned as an elder in the Dakotas Conference. The time has come to take my first appointment in a church full time, and I couldn't be more excited about it!
I'm tired tonight so you may not hear it in my words, be encouraged: my silence is from a place of great peace, contentment, and joy in my work. and because I am often on the road for that work and it is difficult to keep up with things like blogs from the road. Alas, thank you for being on this journey with me: it is far from over, and I can't wait to see what is yet to come.
Happy New Year.
Blessed Epiphany.
I think that's about everything since I've been away, yes?
I could write an obligatory post about how I've been away a long time and I will soon update you, but the truth is: life is good and blogging has not been a priority. I suppose I could say I've just not been in the space for it as of late. A large part of that is that I run social media for work, so the last thing I want to do when I come home is more social media.
So what I will offer you, my faithful but few followers, is this:
peace.
It is good to have peace. Life is good. I am grateful to be in a good space, to be enjoying my work - no, more than that: to be proud of my work. The Methodist Federation for Social Action has a lot of momentum right now and is living into that last part: Social Action. It is a good time to be in the movement.
Perhaps more exciting is that when I finish my placement with MFSA in 6 months, I will hopefully have a job. Not just a job: a vocation. I have taken the necessary steps (and my paperwork will be turned in on Monday!) to be commissioned as an elder in the Dakotas Conference. The time has come to take my first appointment in a church full time, and I couldn't be more excited about it!
I'm tired tonight so you may not hear it in my words, be encouraged: my silence is from a place of great peace, contentment, and joy in my work. and because I am often on the road for that work and it is difficult to keep up with things like blogs from the road. Alas, thank you for being on this journey with me: it is far from over, and I can't wait to see what is yet to come.
Reminiscing
(...I just found this in my drafts folder, dated 12/12/11 and thought I may as well post it, whether I intended to at the time or not. So old or not: enjoy!)
I have a friend who keeps posting one-word status updates and it reminds me of a colleague I had in South Africa who went through a similar phase.
I can't believe Christmas is nearly here, and in just over a week I'll be in South Dakota to celebrate with my biological family. This makes it difficult for me as I also spend a great deal of time thinking about my family in South Africa, missing them dearly, and wishing I could also be with them.
The weather is getting colder and soon the snow will be flying, and its strange to realize it would feel just as normal to be preparing for a braai or finding ways to avoid the tourists as they flock to the beach in the midst of hot, sun-filled days in the Cape.
I feel out of touch with Advent because I don't have people to light my Advent wreath with at home (Hannah and Rachel).
Last year at Christmas I was preparing for a marathon of worship services I would be leading - and my heart longs to be back in that role.
In 3 days - on December 15 - I will meet the one-year anniversary of the big operation I had last year to have melanoma removed from my right temple.
Oh, how things have changed in that year.
Over the past 2 weeks I have had opportunities to spend time with friends who know me well and with whom I have no need for "walls" or "filters" - and it has been good. And it has invited me to reflect on the many incredible people I have in my life, near and far.
and it has made me think: it has been a long, long time since I felt genuinely "homesick" for a people or place I call my own, and yet that is where I find myself. Oh, how this holiday season makes me long for the people, the places, and the family that are so far away. Perhaps moreso because it is such a season of change, and I wish I could be there helping out...
and as so much is changing, I find myself wishing more than ever I could be with my family on another continent.
Here's to Advent as a season of change and a season of anticipation. As I continue to process the many changes within myself over the past couple of years, I am also excitedly and impatiently awaiting the experience of what this next season shall bring for me.
My prayer for the next couple of weeks is that I not get too far ahead of myself in anticipation but that instead, I find moments to rest into all that is offered to me in the present.
I have a friend who keeps posting one-word status updates and it reminds me of a colleague I had in South Africa who went through a similar phase.
I can't believe Christmas is nearly here, and in just over a week I'll be in South Dakota to celebrate with my biological family. This makes it difficult for me as I also spend a great deal of time thinking about my family in South Africa, missing them dearly, and wishing I could also be with them.
The weather is getting colder and soon the snow will be flying, and its strange to realize it would feel just as normal to be preparing for a braai or finding ways to avoid the tourists as they flock to the beach in the midst of hot, sun-filled days in the Cape.
I feel out of touch with Advent because I don't have people to light my Advent wreath with at home (Hannah and Rachel).
Last year at Christmas I was preparing for a marathon of worship services I would be leading - and my heart longs to be back in that role.
In 3 days - on December 15 - I will meet the one-year anniversary of the big operation I had last year to have melanoma removed from my right temple.
Oh, how things have changed in that year.
Over the past 2 weeks I have had opportunities to spend time with friends who know me well and with whom I have no need for "walls" or "filters" - and it has been good. And it has invited me to reflect on the many incredible people I have in my life, near and far.
and it has made me think: it has been a long, long time since I felt genuinely "homesick" for a people or place I call my own, and yet that is where I find myself. Oh, how this holiday season makes me long for the people, the places, and the family that are so far away. Perhaps moreso because it is such a season of change, and I wish I could be there helping out...
and as so much is changing, I find myself wishing more than ever I could be with my family on another continent.
Here's to Advent as a season of change and a season of anticipation. As I continue to process the many changes within myself over the past couple of years, I am also excitedly and impatiently awaiting the experience of what this next season shall bring for me.
My prayer for the next couple of weeks is that I not get too far ahead of myself in anticipation but that instead, I find moments to rest into all that is offered to me in the present.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!
I know its a day late, but when this video showed up on my Facebook News Feed today I casually pressed play as I got up to do something unrelated. I decided it was awesome about a minute in so I sat down to watch the accompanying video and much to my surprise: the guy playing guitar/singing is an old college friend I haven't seen/heard from in years! Well done, Greg Dolmage: its good to see you're still doing and creating pure awesomeness. :)
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
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