sticking around, confiding, whooshing

-When I was finishing up schoolwork at my favorite coffee shop, they suddenly started playing really lovely Irish music. I decided to hang out a bit longer and enjoy it.

-Someone beginning a conversation with "I'm telling you this as my Pastor..."

-The whoosh sound of sugar being poured into my sugar bowl.

so generous! & oh the places you will go

-I went by Jessi's room and saw that she had some really lovely earrings on her dresser. She said that she made them (which she does really well) and that she got the glass beads in Mexico. Then, she gave them to me, saying she could easily make some more. So thoughtful!

-Getting an email from a great old friend, Andrea. She's from Germany, and we both worked in Northern Ireland at the same time. It was great to catch up and she even invited me to her wedding in September! So thoughtful! I hope I'm near there in September, and can make it.

-From my window I can see planes flying behind the trees like flashing, shooting stars. I love to dream about where they're going.

rock & egg

-While we were reading scripture aloud in church, the teenage girl sitting next to me gave me a rock sign at the part saying that Jesus appeared first to the women. After church, she told me that she thought this was Jesus' way of challenging patriarchy and valuing women. I agree!

-Watching a beloved movie and saying all the lines along with it.

-The enthusiasm of kids & youth hunting Easter eggs.

lent berries, craic, dance

-The way raindrops dress every plant in dazzling, clean, color-accentuating clothes. (An aside: you know you've been in seminary too long when you name a picture like this "Lent Berries." Haha!)

-Lots of good friend time...what N. Irish folks call "good craic." Maybe it's catching up after my trip, or the realization of only two months left here, or the procrastination of my midterm work, but I've spent a lot of time with great friends this week.

-Seeing Karen preach and then perform one of the most heartfelt and joyful liturgical dances I've seen. I found myself teary (but things seem to affect me emotionally more these days...children laughing, the strum of a guitar...I think I'm coming into a season of vulnerability and openness before God. It's wonderful.).

a great day

-Sitting outside and hanging out with a friend in the first warm evening of spring. We had a great time catching up, and even saw a shooting star. When discussing that this time of waiting feels for me like a very long Lent, she said, "no, Whitney, you're not in Lent. You're in Advent. You're waiting with hope."

-A day full of fun times with friends: Mexican food for lunch, smoothies in the afternoon and a 'Girls' Night' movie fest.

-Birds enthusiastically chirping.

a pilgrimage home to belfast

How do I even begin to describe all the ways I encountered God in Belfast? God was everywhere, and it's hard to even put most of these encounters into words, but I'll try.

Seeing the Botanic Gardens again. Melissa and I walked Goldie through the gardens, and were in complete shock that we were actually there again.

Having coffee and a cinnamon scone at Common Grounds once again. I used to go here all the time, and it tasted just the way it used to. It was such a centering, comforting experience.

The wonderfully giving and kind dog Goldie.

Meeting new friends and seeing old ones again.

Seeing Melissa, who I used to work at Mo Ranch with years ago. I haven't seen her in almost 5 years, and apparently Ireland was where we would meet again.

a pilgrimage home to belfast

-Getting a pennywhistle serenade from a little girl I used to work with.

-Gorgeous daffodils signaling an Irish spring is on its way.

-Seeing Lois and Peter again--three years older, lots taller--and just as hilarious.

-Hanging out with Roberta. She's such a great, funny friend.

-Belfast city centre looking lovely in oddly sunny weather.

a pilgrimage home to belfast

-Busking in the city centre of Belfast with Melissa and Jonee (and pretending to be like 'Once').

-Joanna and Richard.
-Singing songs on our last night and reveling in the joy and sadness of it.

-Having someone next to me on the plane who understood my sadness at leaving, and cried with me.
-Feeling really, really called to a place.

the road goes ever on and on...

-Warm sunshine on my face.

-My friend Marc's hilarious magic show. He puts them on for the seminary every so often, and he's a riot.

-A journey! I'm off to Belfast, Northern Ireland tomorrow morning for a week, and am so ready for my former and current life to converge. I can't wait to see familiar faces, drink a decent cuppa tea, have an Ulster fry for breakfast, pet my friend's dog Goldie, walk along my former paths, see that brilliant green again...

trusting the light

-Waking up with no power. We had a huge storm last night, and so I didn't have power for the the first part of the morning. There was something organic and whole-feeling about getting ready by candlelight and daylight. I felt somehow more earthy, and leaving my hair wet and wearing little makeup was refreshing.

-The tiny bubbles that form on the inside of my vase of flowers. Millions of tiny bubbles cling to the stems and clothe them in light-reflecting beauty.

-Getting my hair cut at a Korean place with my friend Sharon. She translated for me in the beginning, and I showed the woman cutting my hair a picture of what I wanted. As she cut my hair faster than I've ever seen (almost Edward Scissorhands-esque) I felt a moment of panic at the different way she was doing it. Then, I thought that I just had to trust her. There was no way I would even be able to communicate my anxiety to her, so I just sat and trusted. I left with one of the best haircuts I've ever had and a soothing complimentary cup of green tea. It seems God is teaching me a lot about trust lately.

talk, relax, feel

-A really engaging class discussion that connected ministry experience I've had with theology.

-A fun, relaxing night hanging out with friends.

-The feel of spring in the air.

chicken soup for the soul

-Closing an incredibly fun week of leading chapel at seminary. My group was fantastic, and our collective creativity gave me a new love of crafting worship.

-The way that homemade chicken noodle soup made by someone else always tastes better.

-Serving communion to Laura, my former pastor. It was so meaningful.

joy, warmth, beauty

-Having the Korean Hope Choir from Seoul on campus. There were about 20 people all together, and then came into the library for a tour and an impromptu (heartbreakingly beautiful) song. My friend Jae was hosting them, and he invited me over to meet them. I've learned a bit of Korean from Jae, and so I greeted them all by saying, "Ano ha sei oh." They all replied in suprise, "OH!!!" and said "Ano!" Everywhere I went on campus I kept running into them, and they would always say "ano ha sei oh whi-tu-nee!" They were the most joyful people I've met in a long time.

-Socks keeping my feet nice and warm.

-Dreaming of emerald green and royal blue oceans.

reconnecting and recharging

-This morning's chapel service. It's my chapel week, and we included a ritual of unbinding of a "Lazarus" figure (i.e. "Unbind him and let him go."). People in the pews participated, and it was so moving to engage in the ritual with a former pastor of mine who is in town.

-An unexpected 2 hours added to my day (class cancelled). I really needed that time.

-A letter from Belfast! Oh, the joy of a physical connection to a place I love. The stamp, the 'Royal Mail Northern Ireland' across the top and even the date listed day-month-year all give me joy. This time the letter's from my friend, Jonee. He's my poet friend, and even wrote me a little fun poem in the letter. In response to my letter saying we should have a pint when I'm there (10 days!!), he said, "definitely, I should be about the time you are over, and a pint would go down very nicely." I can't wait to hear the accent that matches such an interesting use of words.

great expectations

-A bright orange and red sky on Valentine's Day.

-My wonderful friend Elizabeth bringing me cold-relieving items: a copy of Elle magazine, Twinings Lady Grey tea, chicken noodle soup and kleenex (the fancy kind with lotion). Even the most independent of people (i.e. me) appreciate a little pampering from someone when they're sick.

-The way that being sick forces me to relax in the middle of a really busy time. Getting ridiculous amounts of sleep, watching dvds, letting the dishes pile up and walking around in pajamas are expected behavior. How nice.

loving the world all over again

-Sue's wonderful sign/coat rack/art by her door from the story people. It says: "Anyone can slay a dragon, he told me, but try waking up every morning & loving the world all over again. That's what takes a real hero."

-A stranger pulling foward in their parking spot to let me in behind them.

-Running into friends in the grocery store.

(oh--one more! Getting letters and emails from Belfast, which get me so ready to reconnect with those wonderful people in 16 days--not that I'm counting!)

whisper, relax, love.

-Pink blossoms whispering of spring.

-A really low-key and relaxing get-together, complete with tales of world travel and impromptu dancing.

-The sweet older man who, in lieu of the usual perfunctory handshake, gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek as he left church and thanked me for being the liturgist.

ease, gifts and joy

-Having coffee and yummy bakery bread at an early morning meeting, making it more comforting, relational and casual.

-Hearing a classmate who I had no idea could sing belt out "Jesus Walked That Lonesome Valley." The wealth of gifts in this place is amazing.

-Dancing in my belly dancing class and realizing with joy that I kept smiling while doing it. I love it.

lenten the journey begin

-Helping lead the Ash Wednesday service (the beginning of Lent) and giving out the ashes to people saying, "remember you are from dust and to dust you shall return and God's love is yours forever." I wore a stole and felt for the first time very much like a minister of Word and Sacrament drawing crosses on foreheads and squeezing praying hands.

-Arch taking me robe shopping. I know that shopping for any sort of clothes is not at the top of most men's list, and so I appreciated the thoughtfulness, support and patience he showed me.

-Helping co-plan a sermon for youth Sunday with a young person, and being remarkably wowed by the movement of the Spirit in our planning and surprising energy at the end of a long day.

tell me all about myself

-In our first confirmation class, we had each youth tell five things about themselves to the group. When it was my turn, because they all know me pretty well, I had them tell me things about myself. I was amazed at all that they remembered: that my car is always too cold, that I love talking to strangers when travelling, that I'm from Texas, that I went to Texas A&M, that I lived in Northern Ireland and that I play guitar. They were all talking over each other excitedly to tell me about myself. It was really encouraging and centering.

-Sleeping amazingly soundly after a long, warm bath.

-The smell of chocolate brownies baking.

let it be

(I've been in Birminham for a couple of days visiting a good friend.)

-Constant and comfortable conversation as we cooked, ate and relaxed.

-Pierce praying for me before dinner and including prayer not only to bless our food, but also prayer for my call and future. The sincerity of her prayer made me feel so cared for.

-Waking up from sunlight--not an alarm--streaming into the room and gently letting me know morning had come.

-Stopping on the way home at the Irondale Whistlestop Cafe in Alabama. This is the site of the book and movie "Fried Green Tomatoes." I had them and, along with a coke in a glass bottle, they were delicious. Watching the train go by the window, I wondered how many people had done the exact same thing before me for decades.

-My mind racing with questions about the future, only to be silenced by the radio playing "Let it Be." Okay, God. I get the hint (remind me later, please?).

chocolate for breakfast, trolls in trees and warm shoulders

-Having my favorite coffee shop be out of bagels, "forcing" me to eat a chocolate croissant for breakfast.

-Eavesdropping on a teacher leading ten bundled-up children away from the woods, with them asking her all about the trolls who live in the trees, and her explaining very simply that they live under the trees in winter (because it's so cold). They were fascinated, and so was I.

-When entering the chilly farmer's market (I know, I'm there a lot), being able to make the pashmina around my neck a really warm shawl of sorts.

somewhere within the rainbow

-While walking past the sanctuary Sunday afternoon (when I was the only one still at the church), I noticed the sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows onto the floor and walls. I stood and basked in the bright colored light for a moment, and felt God. I think that's what walking through a rainbow might feel like.

-Working really hard and then sleeping really hard.

-Catching a glimpse of the orange sunset at the treeline right before night came.

enthusiasm, reminiscing, and decoration

(picture taken in May 2005 on the Ponte Vecchio in front of the Arno River in Florence.)

-The way my Grandmother is enthusiastic about absolutely everything. When I told her I was going shopping with friends, she said, "hallelujah!"


-Watching Under the Tuscan Sun while going through my old pictures from my trip to Italy a couple of years ago. It awoke the lover of travel in me to see the same things on the tv as in my pictures, and to remember the adventures behind me and dream of those before me.


-Jessi and I decorating ourselves with random objects in Karen's backseat as we drove to meet up with friends for game night. Jessi ended up wearing a knit hat with strings attached all night, while I wore (a less logical) bandana on my head. Wearing something silly on purpose seems to bring out the youthful joy in everyone, so we enjoyed singing and dancing to the radio at the top of our lungs.

life is like a bowl of cherries...

-A bowl of cherries.

-Peace flags hung up in my favorite Mediterranean restaurant.

-A day of pampering myself: sunflowers, finding treasure in a used bookstore, coffee, a James Taylor record and a magazine. What a nice day.

community & cooking

-The man in the car next to me who gave me a genuinely kind smile and tilted his twead fedora-adorned head towards me. No matter how individualistic our culture has become, we can still find community.

-The joy of going to the farmer's market with no list and only the idea to make some winter vegetable soup. I ended up adding vegetables to my cart by color, so that my soup would be white (potato, mushrooms and onion), green (parsley and celery), orange (carrots) and yellow (squash). I also found my favorite Irish cheese to top it with and couldn't resist pairing the cheese with some rustic multigrain bread as soon as I got home.

-The fun of peeling carrots in long, delicate strips.

snow, fire, water

-Snow that fell all day long at our youth retreat at Calvin Center. It was so great to be out of the city and play in the snow.

-Warming our feet constantly by the fire. Some of us even slept by the fire last night, bringing our mattresses and sleeping bags from our rooms. I haven't made a pallet and slept in front of a fire since I was a child, and it brought back fond memories. We all agreed we slept amazingly well with the warmth, dancing shadows and crackles of the fire lulling us to sleep.

-Watching the snow begin to melt, forming beautiful crystal-clear drops on everything.

-During our footwashing ritual in closing worship, one of the youth who had earlier been freaked out by the idea motioned at me to come foward and she washed my feet. It was such a guesture of love and vulnerability, and meant so much.

-Watching our group bond with each other and another church in lasting ways.

-Seeing one of the youth play at Eddie's for his piano recital and being blown away by his talent and candor.

happy to be here

-Dancing in my class until my legs ached, and then dancing some more.

-Yesterday was one year from a very scary experience I had in Jamaica, where I had an allergic reaction that was very serious. My friend Karen decided then that it was essential that we celebrate my being alive with a Red Stripe. After chatting over our beers for a while, she gave me a big hug and said, "I'm glad you're alive." I am too.

-Starting the day with the melodic and familiar sounds of my Out of Africa record and a cup of Irish tea....bringing together two places I love.

(a fourth today)

-Getting an email that a dear friend who is enduring cancer is feeling stronger, and hungry.

winter wonderland, warmth and sleep

-It snowed! Instead of Bible study, some youth and I just went outside and played in it for an hour. I loved the crunch under my feet, the glittery while surface on everything and sticking our tongues out to catch snowflakes. The warm cup of cocoa once we got back inside was also a nice end to the fun.

-A little older man in church seeing that I was a bit cold and saying, "We need to get you a warm coat, young lady!" I explained that my coat was downstairs, but thanked him for his concern. I don't love being called "young lady," but I can see that he was trying to show me care.

-Blessedly dreamless sleep.

play, plan, play

-Using the really fun silicon strainer I got for Christmas. It pops out and fold back up, and feels more like a toy than a kitchen tool.

-A planning meeting where we all got energized by each other's ideas, and agreed together that we've all had our faith in group process restored.

-Getting to go to an intimate "friends of Dave FM" concert with Mark Cohn performing, the musician who sang "Walking in Memphis." He has a beautiful voice and plays the piano so well, and it felt more like a jam session with 30 people there than a large concert. It was great to watch one of my favorite radio DJ's talk with him about her favorite song, and then to see her off to the side of the room, silently wiping away her tears as he played it. She must genuinely love her job.

productive, assurance, rhapsody

-An amazing surge of productivity.

-Waiting for takeout in my favorite Thai place and having the waiter and owner smile at me in recognition each time they passed me, offering me water and assurance that my food was almost ready.

-A room full of people making fools out of themselves (me included) singing Bohemian Rhapsody at the top of their lungs, accompanied by one amazing guitarist.

dancing towards unity

-Trying something totally new with a friend: belly dancing! I'm enrolled in a six-week class, and it's taught by a Middle Eastern woman who explains how this dance is an act of power, liberation, wholeness and sisterhood for women from her culture. She also talked about how we won't only be learning to dance, but also about how false media stereotypes of Middle Eastern women are. I think I'm going to love it.

-God providing much in the past couple of days: inspiration, energy, rest, help, eventual youth participation, movement and peace.

-A really thoughtful gift from home.

a walk in the woods

-This glimpse is a lot all in one: Tired of being cooped up in church, I decided to go for a little walk in the small wood behind the church. It's amazing how even the smallest encounter with nature can feed my soul. I sat and watched the little lake in front of me, amazed at the gracefully changing shape of the water's surface. Then, I walked along the water and found the tiny stream flowing out of it, forming bubbling small waterfalls along mossy green rocks. The feel of the cool water was invigorating as I dipped my hand in it. I also loved the peeling bark of the tall, skinny trees being lit by the late afternoon sun. All in all, my little brief venture into nature stirred up in the me the feeling of wonder and magic I held for the outdoors as a child. I hope I never outgrow that feeling.

born again

-A pink and orange striped sunrise which made me jump out of bed and to the window, just so I would see it in time.

-Having some plans fall through suddenly, only to have my friends selflessly and immediately offer to fill in and help out. It makes me wonder why I ever waste time being discouraged, when God always makes a way.

-Two nights of birthday celebrations--one mine, one a friend's--where I was able to be surrounded by people who have added joy, challenge, laughter and encouragement to my time in seminary.

the arts of pilgrimage & life

-Having my first "conversation" with PCUSA mission service folks. There's something about saying my call out loud to someone who can help me get there that makes it real.

-Right before going to bed, I absently picked up the book that's been on my bedside table for months (The Art of Pilgrimage by Phil Cousineau), which I hadn't yet read. I was instantly pulled into it, and one paragraph in particular spoke volumes to me:

"Centuries of travel lore suggest that when we no longer know where to turn, our real journey has just begun. At that crossroads moment, a voice calls to our pilgrim soul. The time has come to set out for the sacred ground--the mountain, the temple, the ancestral home--that will stir out heart and restore our sense of wonder. It is down the path to the deeply real where time stops and we are seized by the mysteries. This is the journey we cannot not take.
On that long and winding road, it is easy to lose the way. Listen. The old hermit along the side of the road whispers, Stranger, pass by that which you do not love."

-Today's my birthday. :) I've already received several email well-wishes and I'm looking foward to a great day.

a snapshot of warmth, readiness, contagious joy

-A random and really jazzed up picture of me and some friends playing guitar appearing on Columbia's newsletter. It's nice to imagine playing guitar outside in warmer days, while it's 16 degrees here.

-Actually being ready for classes to begin again.

-After a really long day, having a meeting where my colleague's energy and enthusiasm for our work rubbed off a little onto me.

thought- & hope-full

-Positive graffiti under a bridge.

-Remarkably patient friends who, when plans change unexpectedly, respond with resilience and humor.

-The hope and promise a new year brings.