It has been a long time since I have written anything. It turns out that seminary keeps you as busy as everyone says it does!
I just got back from an incredible trip to Haiti where seven of us spent six days in the small village of Yvon building a church. I am never very good about writing after I come back from trips - it takes me a long time to absorb everything after a trip like that.
But as I reflect on my trip and recover from sleep (and binge watch Netflix), I cannot help but think of the words that our Mary uttered just a few weeks ago in the lectionary. My sermon might not do it justice, but I keep thinking about how willingly Mary accepted her new journey with God.
Another thing rolling around in my brain is about internship. Where am I going? Will we have a weekend free to get married? Why hasn't anyone emailed me in over three weeks?
But I do have one assurance. God is calling me to something different. And God is there when I take that journey. No matter where I am called - to Haiti, Argentina, London, or South Carolina - God provides and God journeys with me. All I have to say is, "Here I am."
So with that in mind, here's a link to my sermon from Advent 4. I had the incredible opportunity to preach in my home congregation over Christmas break. I heard a lot of people say that it was a blessing to have me preach that morning, but I feel that I have been blessed doubly by such an incredible congregation and the story of Mary that has been resonating in my soul for several weeks.
Showing posts with label happy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label happy. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Biblical Women I'd Rather Be than the Proverbs 31 Woman
You have probably all heard of the Proverbs 31 woman. I have seen so many young men claim that they wish they could find a Proverbs 31 woman to marry. Or others who claim to have found a Proverbs 31 woman and just can't wait to make her their wife! Woohoo!
She is a capable wife.
She imports her food from far away.
She makes all her own clothes.
She gets up really early and cooks for her husband.
She works out.
Her husband is super popular.
She has her own business.
Her husband praises her.
She is submissive.
She lives for the will of her husband.
Oh yeah, and God too.
I don't have a huge problem with all of these things. Fearing God is cool. Owning your own business is pretty swell. But it doesn't say things like "sometimes she does things for herself because she's worth that." It doesn't say that her husband helps her cook and clean because he recognizes the fact that being a mother and wife is actually pretty difficult work. It doesn't say that she is independent and courageous.
She lives for her husband and for God. And probably her children (although they are barely mentioned).
I guess there are worse things to live for.
But I would rather be one of these women of the Bible.
Sarah... obviously Sarah has to be one of my favorite women of the Bible. I wish I had her faith, her humor, her love for Abraham. She hears what God promises and she wants to do everything she can to make that come true so that the nations might be blessed through the offspring of her husband. Even if it means she has to suck it up and give Abraham her servant Hagar. So maybe her efforts were a little misguided. She didn't give up and she loved God.
Achsah of Joshua, Judges, and 1 Chronicles... When her father promised her to a man in marriage, she told her father to up the dowry. Basically "I'm worth more than just a few acres of land." What a badass.
Deborah... the only female Judge of Israel in the Old Testament. Need I say more? People used to beg her to be a part of their battles because they were too afraid to fight on their own. She was pretty freaking cool.
Hogla of Numbers and Joshua... she was one of the five daughters of Zelophehad who fought and won the right to inhereit their deceased father's property. Back then, women were basically considered property, so the fact that she could own her father's property (it would typically go to her brothers or uncles or some distant relative) is really awesome.
Jael of Judges... she is my favorite. Jael tricked Sisera into coming to sleep in her tent and then she drove a tent spike through his head. This delivered the Israelites from the troops of king Jabin. I imagine her looking around at all the chaos and death going and and thinking, "well if all these men can't handle it, then I'm going to do this myself!" She is pretty much the coolest.
Junia... one of the outstanding woman apostles. She was a colleague of Paul and he apparently thought very highly of her. Reason #975 why I don't think Paul wrote mean things about women in his letters. Anyone who is able to hang with Paul and tolerate his incessant preaching and obsession with Jesus is worth a place on this list.
Ruth... she stayed with her mother Naomi because she knew that Naomi would need comfort and guidance after the death of all of her sons and husband. Ruth is one of the most selfless, beautiful women in the Bible. She is also the only one who has a whole book about her. Not only that, but Naomi is kind of an awesome trickster and tricked a man into marrying Ruth and giving her a life. I love cunning women. Sometimes I like to pretend I'm that clever.
Mary... I basically love all of the Marys in the Bible, but I especially like Mary, the sister of Martha. She sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to him teach while other people were probably looking at her like she was a freak. You see, she wasn't doing the social norm of that time... she should have been up hosting with her sister Martha. Martha even calls her on it! But Mary is just perfectly content being with her Savior, no matter what is going on around her.
Rebekah... a lot of people don't really like Rebekah because she had a favorite son. But she is so smart! She dresses her favorite son up and makes sure he gets the blessing from their dying father. So maybe she's not super honest, but she is killer smart.
I like women who take things into their own hands. Women who stand up for what they believe in. Women who know what they want and are out to get it. The Proverbs 31 woman sounds nice for a while, but her obedience to her husband and mundane days of making garments and planting vineyards sounds like a drag.
So here's hoping my future husband likes more of a Jael-type of girl!
She is a capable wife.
She imports her food from far away.
She makes all her own clothes.
She gets up really early and cooks for her husband.
She works out.
Her husband is super popular.
She has her own business.
Her husband praises her.
She is submissive.
She lives for the will of her husband.
Oh yeah, and God too.
I don't have a huge problem with all of these things. Fearing God is cool. Owning your own business is pretty swell. But it doesn't say things like "sometimes she does things for herself because she's worth that." It doesn't say that her husband helps her cook and clean because he recognizes the fact that being a mother and wife is actually pretty difficult work. It doesn't say that she is independent and courageous.
She lives for her husband and for God. And probably her children (although they are barely mentioned).
I guess there are worse things to live for.
But I would rather be one of these women of the Bible.
Sarah... obviously Sarah has to be one of my favorite women of the Bible. I wish I had her faith, her humor, her love for Abraham. She hears what God promises and she wants to do everything she can to make that come true so that the nations might be blessed through the offspring of her husband. Even if it means she has to suck it up and give Abraham her servant Hagar. So maybe her efforts were a little misguided. She didn't give up and she loved God.
Achsah of Joshua, Judges, and 1 Chronicles... When her father promised her to a man in marriage, she told her father to up the dowry. Basically "I'm worth more than just a few acres of land." What a badass.
Deborah... the only female Judge of Israel in the Old Testament. Need I say more? People used to beg her to be a part of their battles because they were too afraid to fight on their own. She was pretty freaking cool.
Hogla of Numbers and Joshua... she was one of the five daughters of Zelophehad who fought and won the right to inhereit their deceased father's property. Back then, women were basically considered property, so the fact that she could own her father's property (it would typically go to her brothers or uncles or some distant relative) is really awesome.
Jael of Judges... she is my favorite. Jael tricked Sisera into coming to sleep in her tent and then she drove a tent spike through his head. This delivered the Israelites from the troops of king Jabin. I imagine her looking around at all the chaos and death going and and thinking, "well if all these men can't handle it, then I'm going to do this myself!" She is pretty much the coolest.
Junia... one of the outstanding woman apostles. She was a colleague of Paul and he apparently thought very highly of her. Reason #975 why I don't think Paul wrote mean things about women in his letters. Anyone who is able to hang with Paul and tolerate his incessant preaching and obsession with Jesus is worth a place on this list.
Ruth... she stayed with her mother Naomi because she knew that Naomi would need comfort and guidance after the death of all of her sons and husband. Ruth is one of the most selfless, beautiful women in the Bible. She is also the only one who has a whole book about her. Not only that, but Naomi is kind of an awesome trickster and tricked a man into marrying Ruth and giving her a life. I love cunning women. Sometimes I like to pretend I'm that clever.
Mary... I basically love all of the Marys in the Bible, but I especially like Mary, the sister of Martha. She sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to him teach while other people were probably looking at her like she was a freak. You see, she wasn't doing the social norm of that time... she should have been up hosting with her sister Martha. Martha even calls her on it! But Mary is just perfectly content being with her Savior, no matter what is going on around her.
Rebekah... a lot of people don't really like Rebekah because she had a favorite son. But she is so smart! She dresses her favorite son up and makes sure he gets the blessing from their dying father. So maybe she's not super honest, but she is killer smart.
I like women who take things into their own hands. Women who stand up for what they believe in. Women who know what they want and are out to get it. The Proverbs 31 woman sounds nice for a while, but her obedience to her husband and mundane days of making garments and planting vineyards sounds like a drag.
So here's hoping my future husband likes more of a Jael-type of girl!
Thursday, August 14, 2014
The Start of Something New
And I'm young. I have a lot to live for. I have a lot of goals I want to reach before I kick the bucket. And I have a lot of time to achieve those goals. I don't always feel that way- I look around to my friends who are forming nonprofit organizations, designing iPhone apps, becoming teachers, and traveling the world and I'm jealous.
I want to be doing those things. I think to myself. So why am I not doing those things? Good freakin' question. I've never really had a bucket list before, but I think I'd like to start one.
I'm young. I shouldn't be doing something I hate right now (like CPE) or ever, for that matter! I should be following my passions and creating my own bliss. I should be leaving the past behind me and living the adventure that is my life. I should be living the life I have right now. Moment to moment.
So I'm going to start. CPE ends tomorrow with graduation and I am not turning back. I'm going to run out those doors and start following my dreams. This is my public proclamation that this is the start of something new.
I've always been fearful of the future. I think that is why I spend so much of my energy trying to plan for it. I try to map out my life and what is going to happen year to year. Man, that takes the fun out of living! I'm going to start living in the moment and loving life the way it is. And if I am unhappy, I will get up and change it. I know I can do this now because I have felt myself growing up.
One reason I know I have been changing and growing up is what I see in my relationship. The relationship I'm in right now is the very first relationship in which I haven't been searching around for what is next or what is to become of it. I am so happy with where I am in our relationship. I'm not worried about marriage or kids. It's all to come. For now, we're still young. We enjoy each other's company and hanging out with our dog and going on road trips. We love spending time with each other's family and talking about our passions. We aren't in any hurry and that is so very nice.
I'm going to make mistakes. I'm going to say some stupid things. Maybe get myself in trouble. But I am also going to have fun. I am going to follow my passions no matter who I disappoint. I am going to travel. I am worth being the happiest I have ever been.
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