Thanksgiving!!!

Every time we remember to say "thank you",

we experience nothing less than heaven on earth.

-- Sarah Ban Breathnach

As Thanksgiving nears and I prepare to leave to spend some time at Chautauqua, I find myself doing a lot of reflecting on the adventures of the past year and the many opportunities for adventures in the year to come.

This past year has been one of change and challenge but also a lot of things to be thankful for.

· I am thankful for the Jr. Boulevarsity and the community we formed watching 16 & Pregnant and eating PB and apples

· I am thankful for the communities that I continue to be a part of from a distance.

· I am thankful for the growth of Interfaith at Luther and the opportunity to have been a part of that.

· I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the Chautauqua community for the summer.

· I am thankful for the people who pushed me outside my comfort zone and help that area become my comfort zone

· I am thankful for the Chicago Center and their commitment to cultural learning

· I am thankful to have been a part of IFYC and One Chicago, One Nation

· I am thankful for families, both the one I was born into and ones that I have formed.

· I am thankful for Luther College Campus Ministries and the fantastic staff there.

· I am thankful for intentional community.

· I am thankful for shared laughter and tears.

· I am thankful for affirmation that arrive when most needed

· I am thankful for pen pals.

· I am thankful for my CERP, and to have her back in this country!

· I am thankful for communities with wide open arms

· I am thankful for the challenges that have made me a stronger person.

· I am thankful for friends willing to spend their fall break taking care of me and visiting me in NJ.

· I am thankful for the giant paper people hanging on my wall.

All in all, through all the tears, laughs, challenges, comforts and growth provoking of the past year, there have been a lot of things to be grateful for.

Proper Steps

I only do this until I get dizzy

& then I lay down on my back

& watch the clouds,

she said.

It sounds simple

but you won't believe

how many people forget the second part.

~StoryPeople (Proper Steps)

I sat there watching her get frustrated. The computer was running too slow and won’t do what she needed it to. It was a struggle I had watched several times in the past. Then I asked what seemed to be the obvious question “Have you tried shutting down the computer lately?” and the response came “I don’t like shutting things down.” With that comment, I started to laugh. Not because of any humor in the actually statement, but more because of the irony in the situation.

At the time, both the person uttering these comments and myself had been sick off and on for a period of time and where not running at full capacity. Much like the computers that were not running at full capacity because we had not recently shut down.

Having been in Jersey for almost three months, things have been a bit crazy and a bit draining at times. Working with kids every day, forming a new living community and learning the layout of a new area has meant a lot of time getting dizzy and less time laying down and watching the clouds.

In the past month I have had two fantastic opportunities to watch the clouds. The first was hanging out at Camp Carol Joy Holling in NE for the CSLYOPs conference.

The second was this past weekend we had a retreat as an intern group at Bradley Beach. It was an opportunity for the 8 of us to be in a place together for an extended period of time. We got the chance to run around the beach, play sports, sing songs, and in many ways simply be with one another. It was simply a beautiful place and a fantastic time. A great chance to take the proper steps-lay down and watch the clouds.

If you would like to pictures of our beach adventures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2074671&id=59203733&l=3780a79154

For the beauty of this Earth

T­he feel of the crisp autumn air. The color of leaves turning for the fall season. The still silence interrupt by the chorus of birds and falling leaves. The feel of the cold earth under my bare feet. Indeed, Camp Carol Joy Holling in Nebraska is a beautiful place.

While most people in the New York City area where getting ready for the Halloween Festivities, I was heading to Nebraska to meet up with Pr. Amy Zalk-Larson and Aaidha Majdhy to do a presentation on Religious Pluralism and Compassionate Listening and Responding for the Council of Synod Lutheran Youth Organization Presidents. From Thursday, October 28^th until Sunday October 31^st, I had the opportunity to hang out with the awesome youth leaders of the ELCA and their chaperones, plus a fantastic worship band and the other wonderful presenters.

Pr. Amy, Aaidha and I did our presentation twice on Friday for a grand total of almost forty people (just about 20 in each session). During our time, it was great to get a chance to see the young adults of today’s church find a way to step outside themselves and work to expand their horizons. They were willing to sit and learn about a counter-cultural way of being in conversation with another that involves deeply listening and asking open honest questions.

On Friday afternoon, I got to participate in their high ropes course, which was a great chance to push myself outside of my comfort zone in yet another way.

Saturday all 7 of the presenters sat on a panel together to answer any questions that the participants may have. There were a lot of fantastic questions and it led to a very emotional panel with lots of shared tears and laughter.

After the panel on Saturday, we enjoyed another fantastic meal and browsed through the gift shop. As I browsed I had made mention of wanting one of the Lutheran Chick mugs but bemoaned the fact that I did not have any cash. While saying good-bye to Aaidhya and Pr. Amy, who had to return to Luther, the bass from the worship band wandered by and handed me a bag from the gift shop. He had purchased the mug for me and offered it to me as a gift.

Aside from being a huge honor to be a part of, the weekend was also a fantastic time for me to disconnect from my world of technology and instant access to all and reconnect with a dear friend, make new friends and simply breath. During the time I was there, I experience amazingly beautiful hospitality and genuine warmth.

Sunday morning before I had to leave, I got up to watch the sunrise at Inspiration Point. It was truly a beautiful inspiration and reminder of the beauty of creation.