Graduation!!!

Yesterday, June 2nd 2012, I graduated from Fuller Seminary Northwest.  It was a fantastic day - the culmination of seminary studies, and a day I've looked forward to since I was six years old!  The good Lord, our Beloved Creator, knows what's next.  As of yet, I've only been given some inklings and ideas.  The whole picture has yet to be revealed.  For now, I am simply thankful for this day of celebration and this giant accomplishment! 

All praise to You, Lord Most High, who called me into seminary and have flowed through the teachings there, through my work as a nanny, through my relationship with my husband and with Your communities of faith, to help me grow in knowledge, love and compassion!  Wherever You lead I will go!  Whatever You call me to, I will do!  Thank You, Beloved, for Your presence and guidance!  And now, thank You, Lord, for rest and recuperation.  Amen.

Dear ones, today, my head is fuzzy and my body is tired.  Having not slept well out of excitement the night prior to graduation, and then again last night due to processing the whole event, today I feel a bit zombie-esque and have not changed out of my pajamas.  It is a true Sabbath day for me! 

Well, dear ones, this is a short post today.  Since I am receiving my Master's of Arts in Theology and Ministry, I'm considering adopting the title "Zombie Master of the Theological and Ministerial Arts".  What do you think?

What's in the Mirror?

ZomBcon Prep - Oct 2010

Looking at myself in the mirror before a recent zombie walk in Seattle, I laid the foundation for the bloodied zombie that was later reflected therein.  Sometimes I wonder what we as a church might see if we looked together in a mirror.  I wonder if we really know how we are perceived.

What might we see if we did some self-reflection?  Would we like what we see?  Do we want others to see us this way?  Do we have bloodstains and sunken eye sockets or are we full of life and vitality?What would we change if we could? 

Zombie Women Unite!

"Zombie Women Drum!"
Photo by Matt Wynne

The Fremont Solstice Festival is an expression of joy and freedom birthed out of a love for the arts.  My husband and I very much enjoy the culture and atmosphere in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle.  (Perhaps one day we'll live there; for now we simply visit when we can.)  Today Matt and I participated in the Solstice Parade, which inaugurates the beautiful days of summer.  It is our third year of drumming for Delilah's bellydancers, and we love it!  My body, mind and spirit are consistently rejuvinated through my interactions with the women who dance as well as the men and women who drum for them.

Likewise, when I attend a local women's drum circle each month, I almost always come away feeling unburdened.  I stand taller, breathe more easily, think more clearly and love more fully as a result.  These gatherings allow a fullness of self-expression, creative energy and a whole-bodied seeking after a Source beyond ourselves.  To be honest, it has been a while since I've experienced a similar feeling in a corporate worship gathering.  I look for it, and the search will go on, but I suspect that the kind of gathering I am looking for is more like a large family than a corporate gathering in a distant building.