Julie's Journeys

Couch to 5K - Starting Over

2011-04-11T23:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I am starting the Couch to 5K plan all over again. It's been a month since I was on track and posted anything. I did end up speed walking my first 5K on Sunday, March 13. It was the Mini-Mukluk Marathon that is both a fundraiser and a "fun"raiser for the Rotary Club of Nome. We raise money for college scholarships for students from Nome. Anyway, I walked with people with long legs and a person about my height who wanted to walk fast. Instead of turning around where the rest of the walkers turned around, my friends and I turned around farther up where the runners turned around. I finished in 64 minutes - I kind of slowed down and talked to some people at the end. After that, my husband and I came home and cleaned our house in preparation for Iditarod guests. I ended up getting in over 20,000 steps that day. A record for me!

I did not exercise again until I hiked on vacation. I took a little time off to attend to some work-related issues. While in hindsight I know that I could have been still on track for couch-to-5k, I just needed to let something go and it was training for my challenge to run a 5K sometime in 2011.

Now I am back and did Week 1, Day 1 again. I walked at 3.8 mph and jogged at 5.0 mph. I am thinking that the next time I exercise this week, I may jump to Week 2, Day 1. I did not really break a sweat today, but I did not want to push myself too hard. I pushed myself too little, but still feel that I got a fairly good workout. I will be traveling this week, so workouts will have to be flexible. The next time I work out might be on Thursday morning. I am hoping to walk/run the country roads of Northwestern Ohio as I visit some of my relatives. One of my uncles is not well and I really want to see him. Please keep him in your prayers.

Tonight while I worked out, I listened to a sermon by Rev. Adam Hamilton, Senior Pastor of United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, called "If I Don't Do It...Remember Rule #6." He talked about taking time to slow down and listen to God. He also urged listeners to resist the urge to busy ourselves so much that we miss what God is saying to us. I am someone who can easily busy herself and spend 12 hours a day on church-related matters if I am not careful. I am a Pastor and I want to be the best Pastor God has called me to be. I am grateful for a husband who gets me out riding snowmachines (aka snowmobiles) and going to the Recreation Center. Again, I find that I have time to slow down and listen to God when I am exercising. Even though my body many be running or walking, I have still taken the time to get out of the grind and do something healthy for my body and soul.

I hope that you will continue to journey with me...even if I did take a break in the middle. My next opportunity to run a 5K will be in August. I am looking forward to running outside in Nome once the snow melts!!

Week 6 Take 2

2011-03-03T22:33:00.000-08:00

So I took another detour/break in the journey. God is good thought! I am back on the track, just not sure which part of the track. :-)

Tonight after a 5 minute brisk walk, I ran 10 minutes, then walked for 3 minutes, then ran again for 10 minutes and then walked for 5 minutes and then cooled down. I ran mostly at 5.0 mph and at 5.5 mph for 30 seconds toward the end. I walked at 3.5 mph. I am hoping to run for 25 minutes on Saturday. Before my workout at the Nome Recreation Center, I met up with at friend in the earlier part of the evening and walked in the beautiful sun and snow in 15 degree weather! There was no wind - it was indeed marvelous! We walked for about 45 minutes total.

Tonight's sermon was one I needed to hear again. Staying focused on God is tough when there are so many other gods to distract us. These gods include money, prestige, power, facebook, twitter, texting, internet...basically anything that is used way more than necessary. Hearing this sermon is timely as I ponder what to either fast from for Lent. I am sure it will become all too clear by Ash Wednesday...March 9. I already have an inkling, but will pray about it before I totally commit.

The journey is back on and continues...

Week 6 Day 2

2011-02-18T22:13:00.001-08:00

Well, I was supposed to run last night, but got on a roll with the writing project that is before me. By the time I was ready to go, the Nome Recreation Center was closing. I went instead this morning around 6:00 am. I know, I do prefer to do my workouts at night but I was wide awake at 6:00 am. After a brisk 5 minute walk, I ran for 10 minutes @ 5.0 mph and then walked for 3 minutes at 3.5 mph and then ran another 10 minutes @ 5.0 mph. I cooled down by walking for 5 minutes. There were not many people at the NRC this morning. My next workout will be to run for 25 minutes. I know that a good sermon will sustain me and knowing that I am getting closer and closer to running for 30 minutes excites me!

The sermons I listened to today are about our need for Jesus - our need for God. If we let God do the guiding we can be at peace. Life is not easy, but with God at the helm we can do anything. It's just too easy for us to want to take the helm and then ask God to take over when life all of a sudden becomes difficult. It happens to many, if not all, of us.

The journey continues....with God at the helm....God, thank you for being on the this journey with me and all others who are reading along....

So Long Self - Mercy Me

2011-02-15T23:47:00.000-08:00

In case you want to hear the song I ran a bit to this evening for yourself, you can find it on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxMnr0pM78U. It is called "So Long Self" by Mercy Me.

Week 6 Day 1

2011-02-15T23:40:00.000-08:00

I just finished week 6 day 1 workout. I feel great to have run 5 minutes then walk 3 then run 8 then walk 3 then run 5. This all of course with a 5 minute brisk walk warm-up and a 5 minute cool down. I listened to a podcast on New Year's Resolutions. Within that podcast was the song by Mercy Me called "So Long Self." As I was running I thought about how I was running from the negative thoughts that try to keep me to being on this journey. I am so glad to be working toward becoming a runner. I feel more positive in my body than I have in a long time. May the journey to health and wholeness continue...

Week 5 Day 3

2011-02-13T22:49:00.000-08:00

I just got back from jogging for 20 minutes. Yeah!! I made it!! It's amazing what our bodies will do when we put our minds to it! Tonight I listened to a sermon about stress which I really needed to hear. Looking forward to my next workout!

2011-02-10T23:54:00.001-08:00

I enjoy blogging about my journeys. Life is a sacred journey!

Week 5 - Take 2

2011-02-10T23:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo David took of me during the second take of week 5 - Tuesday, February 8. I am wearing a Texas A&M t-shirt this time. Hope to take another photo next week.

Week 5 Day 2

2011-02-10T23:09:00.001-08:00

I just got back from Week 5 Day 2 on my journey toward preparing to run a 5k sometime this in 2011. After a brisk walk of 5 minutes, I ran 8 minutes at 5.1 mph, then walked 5 minutes at 3.7 mph, ran 8 more minutes, then finished by walking 5 minutes. Running 8 minutes at a time seemed to go by pretty fast - I probably could have run faster, but could have tired out more quickly. This weekend I am supposed to run 20 minutes after a 5 minute brisk walk. I am hoping that a good sermon podcast will spur me on as it did tonight!!

The sermon I listened to this evening was entitle "If I Don't Do It...Remember Rule #6" by Rev. Adam Hamilton. Several weeks ago I mentioned that I heard a sermon and felt inspired to cut something out of my life. This week I finally made the tough decision to step back from two organizations that I work with in my spare time. Both of these organizations are really important to me. I am still supporting both of these organizations, just not in the major ways I was previously. It was not easy for me to say no. Listening to the sermon tonight helped affirm for me that sometimes we have to say no so that we can prepare the way for others to say yes. What may be on the verge of burning me out could be a blessing for someone else to do. Saying no to these two major commitments is allowing me to say yes to other things in the works in my life that need my attention. I am grateful for saying yes to running and the opportunity it has brought me to listen to sermon podcasts. I am more engaged on both the physical and the spiritual fronts when I do them together. I thank God for guiding me to this place. I feel as though I have found my spiritual home. Praise be to God!!

The journey continues...

Week 5 Day 1 - Take 2

2011-02-08T22:50:00.000-08:00

After a week of traveling and getting back into the swing of things in Nome, I ended up taking a week off from training for a 5k. I decided to repeat week 5 since I only did day 1. It seemed to go just fine. I hope to continue with Week 5 Day 2 on Thursday.

Tonight I listened to another couple sermon podcasts on Christmas. I know it sounds crazy, but I have enjoyed listening to these sermons during the season of Epiphany. We can either look back at Christmas 2010 or look ahead to Christmas 2011. Christ was a beautiful gift to us that we must never take for granted. Christmas is about Christ and often we make it about ourselves and what we want. How can we just be and enjoy during the Christmas season? With Easter coming up, will we face some of the same anticipation and family dynamics? People in our lives say things that can really hurt us. The preacher I listened to tonight suggested that when someone says something hurtful to us, this is an opportunity for us to pray for that person. They may be feeling insecure about themselves and need the prayers to deal with what they have going on in their lives. This is all easier said than done. May we all strive to be Christlike and see those who hurt us through the eyes of God. We just may be surprised.

The journey continues...

Week 5 Day 1

2011-01-31T19:33:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it! I got up early with my roommate at 5:30 and made it to the workout room early! I got in my work out. I ran three intervals of 5 minutes each with 3 minutes of walking in between. The running was at 5.2 mph & the walking was at 3.7 mph. One of the other conference participants came to work out as well and we found out that we have mutual friends in Alaska. What a small world!

I listened to two sermon podcasts on Christmas. I really learn so much from other pastors and enjoy listening with a spiritual ear.

It's been a long day with lots of learning and walking! I met a lot of great pastors today and had my mind opened to more social justice issues. What a gift to be here!

Anticipating Week 5 Day 1

2011-01-30T19:50:00.000-08:00

I made it to the place I am staying and my roommate, whom I just met, is amazing! She said she wants to work out in the morning too! So we made a plan to wake up and work out at 5:30 am!!! I know that I said before evenings have been working well for me. Tomorrow begins at 7:30 am!! When one travels, one often has to be flexible. Getting up at 5:30 tomorrow morning is really going to be flexible!!!

On that note...I am going to try to get some sleep! Tomorrow is three intervals of 5 minutes of running with 3 minutes of walking in between. Should be good!

Week 4 Day 3 - Day After

2011-01-29T05:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a busy day. Friday is often the day I take as Sabbath, but it seems that Saturday is my sabbath this week. I am traveling all day for a continuing education opportunity and excited for an opportunity to meet other young clergy in the United Methodist Connection. Left Nome last night and have made it through two out of three legs of the journey. Lots of time for reflection while flying....

I did manage to get a workout in yesterday afternoon. I ran my first three minute interval at 5.4 mph and then down to 5.3 mph. Maybe I'll get to 5.4 mph in a future workout. I still walked at 3.7 mph. I was one of two people in the workout room when I finally made it there in the afternoon.

I did listen to a sermon podcast as I did my workout. The sermon talked about serving others - that we are created and called as children of God to love God and love neighbor - to serve God and to serve neighbor. Often in serving others, we gain insights into God and the kindom of God. I may get more into this as I continue to write my ordination papers, but for this blog I will share that I have learned that God has a lot of patience and compassion for all of us. Sometimes others need our patience and compassion and need a safe haven from a world that seems to beat them up at what seems like every turn. We never know the difference God might make in their lives through us - God's hands and feet in the world. Sometimes God calls us into situations that we do not expect. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can accept those opportunities to help others and learn about how God is always ready to help us when we need it the most. I must say that I am constantly amazed at how much patience and compassion my husband shows toward others - always willing to do what he can to help. I thank God every day for such a great partner and how I grow to appreciate David just a little more each day. I am certainly blessed more than I can see sometimes. It's quite humbling actually.

Thank you for traveling this journey with me. This journey continues as we approach Week 5...

Week 4 Day 2

2011-01-26T22:31:00.000-08:00

Today I realized that I am in my second trimester of training. I feel a sense of accomplishment. Today I jogged at 5.3 mph & walked at 3.7 mph. I felt like I was on Kairos Time (aka God's time) tonight.

I got to the Rec Center with just enough time for my work out. I enjoyed singing and visiting with the Inupiaq Methodist Choir. We sang many of our translated songs in preparation for 5 opportunities to sing in the month of February. Exercising the lungs while singing, exercising the spirit while singing and praying, and exercising the smile muscles while chatting with a three year old. Then exercising the whole body while listening to a sermon podcast on following God's will for our lives. Loving God, Loving Neighbor - striving to serve others with their best interest at heart. Luke 10:27 says, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" As we love others, we are loving them in Christ's name - we are striving to love them as God would love them. We may not always do it perfectly, but that does not mean that we should not keep trying. Life is a journey and a journey with God is one filled with grace.

May your journey be filled with God's grace. And the journey continues...

Week 4 Day 1

2011-01-24T23:38:00.000-08:00

Another great and amazing workout! First of all, I entered the gym and saw a "fellow Rotarian" who is on this journey with me. I was happy and because he was there working hard, I knew I could too. I really did not think that I could run for 5 minutes straight without giving up at some point!! Wow! Mind over matter, I guess. My left hip has not been hurting as I run which is a relief, so I really did not have any excuse to stop unless I mentally talked myself out of it. Lately, other part of my body have been a little sore. It felt so great to run an interval of 3 minutes, walk for 1.5 minutes, run for 5 minutes, walk for 2.5 minutes, run for 3 minutes, walk for 1.5 minutes, run for 5 minutes, walk for 2.5, then cool down!! This was all after a brisk walk of 5 minutes. I was running at 5.2 mph and walking at 3.7 mph. I did not feel like this was too much, but just right. We'll see what Wednesday night brings as far as speed.

I have decided for the next two weeks to train on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I will be traveling beginning Friday night and then nearly all day Saturday to attend a continuing education and young clergy opportunity. I will be back home on the following Thursday night. So basically, I am going to be on a series of airplanes the days I normally do my training. The hotel where I will be staying advertises that they have a fitness center, so I am thrilled about that!

Tonight I listened to one of our United Methodist Bishops on two separate podcasts. The first podcast was more his editorial on equitable compensation of clergy within the UMC and the second was a sermon on the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan. Both of these are stories I need to hear once in a while to reflect where I have been recently in those stories - although, it's much easier to cast others in your life in those roles than it is to admit that sometimes we (I) may be the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son or one of the religious leaders that just passed by someone who needed our (my) help. Those stories sure help us to put things into perspective whether we like it or not. May we all strive to be like the prodigal's father, full of grace as he welcomed his younger son home after the hurt he caused. May we all strive to be like the Good Samaritan, breaking down the barriers of race and prejudice to do the right thing. May we all strive to be more like Christ, and receive God's grace and mercy when we just don't quite get there.

The journey continues...

Week 3 Day 3

2011-01-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

I am now a third of the way done on the training journey to 5k. I have noticed that my hip hurts less than it did a couple weeks ago. Praise God for that! I did jog 5.1 mph and walked 3.7 mph.

The sermon I listened to while jogging/walking was about the need for Sabbath. I feel like running is like a mini-Sabbath. I look forward to it and it rejuvenates me. The preacher, knowing that his audience is full of super-busy people, encouraged us to critically discern one activity we can take out of our life so that we can slow down, enjoy life more, and lead a life more focused on God. I am wondering what that might be for me. It will not be running or listening to sermons. These two things have sustained me during this exceptionally busy time. Only time will tell.

The journey continues....

Week 3 Day 2 - Part 2

2011-01-20T23:34:00.000-08:00

This is me after my week 3 day 2 work out. If you look closely, I wore a United Methodist t-shirt last week and wore a different United Methodist t-shirt this week. This one was from General Conference 2008. Last week's was Rethink Church. What shirt will I wear next week?? The journey continues....

Week 3 Day 2

2011-01-20T23:12:00.000-08:00

Tonight was another great work out. It was not crowded at all at the rec center. David was there with me exercising again! His parents would be so proud! The guy from the other night with the cassette player was there again. Tonight he moved closer to the 21st Century with his discman. Fun times and fun building of community.

Speed-wise I stayed at 5.0 mph jogging and 3.5 mph brisk walking. We will see what Saturday brings. I felt good running and again a sense of accomplishment when I jogged for three minutes straight in two different intervals. Endurance is building.

Tonight I listened to another sermon podcast on prayer. I felt encouraged to pray prayers of thanksgiving. I am thankful for legs to run, a husband who came to exercise with me, someone to laugh with at the gym about technology, dogs who welcomed me when I got home and for God who loves me unconditionally. Many more prayers of thanksgiving to come.

The journey continues...

Week 3 Day 1

2011-01-18T23:22:00.000-08:00

I just got back from training - Week 3 Day 1. I have to admit that a tiny bit of me secretly wanted to stay home. I did decide to go and David went with me!!! Phew! What a guy! He was working out on an elliptical machine down the row from me as I did my workout. He asked the guy next to him if the cassette player he brought belonged in the Smithsonian and all of a sudden there was much light bantering around the workout room. Many of us agreed that the cassette player was from the 80's and maybe did belong in the Smithsonian! All in good fun!

I did enjoy my jog/walk this evening. At first I was overly ambitious and started jogging at 5.2 mph. Then I realized that I would burn myself out quickly. I dropped to 5.0 mph thinking that Thursday I would try 5.1 mph and then 5.2 mph on Saturday. We'll see how that rhythm works - Tuesdays 5.0; Thursdays 5.1; Saturday 5.2. I feel good and was pleased to be able to jog for more than 90 seconds - 3 minutes in fact! I am excited that my endurance is increasing. I am continuing to enjoy the journey toward 5k. I am really glad I did not stay home tonight!!

Also, I listened to another sermon podcast on prayer. The challenge in this sermon was to be intentional about prayer and not to pray 2 second text message-type prayers. May we all be intentional in our prayer lives!! It's all part of the journey!

The journey continues....

Week 2 Day 3 - Day After

2011-01-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

I am happy for a couple days of rest before beginning Week 3. Last night I was wearing some of my shoes that I cannot exercise in because they just do not give me the support I need around the ankle. I call them my "look good" shoes because they are cute and look good with jeans which is what I mostly wear. They are like tennis shoes, but billed more as hiking shoes. Yeah right! When I bought them a few months ago I expected to be able to hike in them or at least walk in them. Anyway, I know not to wear them to jog or walk briskly. What I did not expect was that they caused my ankle to hurt when I wore them several hours after my workout. Consequently, I was limping as I wore them and even for a few hours after I took them off. Because I spent more money on my "look good" shoes than I would normally spend on a pair of shoes, I am reluctant to give them away. I want to get my money's worth out of them. On the other hand, I cannot live my life in pain especially when I am trying to get healthier and build up my endurance to run a 5k. The soreness of exercising is one thing. Pain for the sake of stylishness is another. I hope someone else will be able to wear the shoes comfortably that have given me so much pain. I am, however, grateful for the actually running shoes that my sister-in-law helped me pick out. Thank you, Rachel!! Thank you for your wisdom and for your inspiration!!

Week 2 Day 3

2011-01-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

I just got back from my Week 2 Day 3 workout on a treadmill at our local recreation center. Since I began, my brisk walk and walking throughout the workouts has been at 3.5 miles per hour. Today, I did my brisk walk and walking throughout at 3.7 miles per hour. I felt I needed to increase my speed. When it came to running the first week, I was running at 5.0 miles per hour. On Tuesday and Thursday of this week, I was running at 5.1 miles per hour. Today I ran at 5.2 miles per hour. Just increasing my speed a little at a time feels rewarding. I feel sufficiently challenged at this point. Next week after a 5 minute brisk walk, I will be jogging 90 seconds then walking 90 seconds then jogging 3 minutes then walking 3 minutes. I will do this for 2 repetitions. I will cool down enough to make it a 30 minute total work-out. I am curious to see how this will go.

Today I listened to a sermon podcast on prayer and was reminded that our prayers do have great impact and that the Lord's Prayer is a model for how we should pray (see Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4). God hears our prayers. Though God may not always answer them as we would like, God's wisdom is greater than our own and eventually we may see the bigger picture of what God is trying to accomplish. Prayer makes our relationship with God stronger and allows us to be at peace with whatever may unfold.

Several months ago we began Sunday Morning Prayer each Sunday at 10:00 am. Sometimes there are two of us and sometimes there are 5 or 6 of us. We pray for ourselves and those closest to us. We pray for our community and our world. We pray for the Church in all places. We pray for our local church. We pray for those who come through the doors of the church that day, including the preacher and the liturgist. We pray requests that do not fit into any category at all. Through the prayer time, God is near and listens. Through the prayer time, we are growing closer together as the Body of Christ as we pray. Through the prayer time, we are growing closer to God.

Through this journey of jogging/walking, I feel that God is near, urging me 0n this journey to better health. I sense this journey leading me to a more disciplined life. I had a few tough episodes in my life this week that I felt I was able to handle with grace (mostly) because of the increased discipline in my life. The discipline has allowed me to have a sense of grace and peace I did not expect. I know that this next week is going to be a busy one and glad to be journeying with God through it all.

May you find a sense of grace and peace with God as you journey. May we continue on this journey together....

Week 2 Day 2

2011-01-13T23:24:00.000-08:00

Tonight I trained for the 5th day on the journey to 5k - Week 2, Day 2. I got there a little before 9:00 pm and just about every treadmill was in use. It's always nice to see familiar faces and to be part of a "regular" crowd of people who work out at the Rec Center in the evenings. Tonight I listened to a sermon on stretching ourselves and being open to God's will for us and God's plan in general. Often when things get tough we may think, "Has God really called me to be here in this time and in this place to do this task?" Moses may have felt that way with leading the Israelites. I'll tuck this lesson in the back of my mind when the training gets tough (or when other things in life get tough). I really enjoy the physical and spiritual aspects of my life coming together. Good time to listen and reflect while jogging/walking.

Tonight I also joined a program through the local diabetes prevention office. The program is called "10 in 10" and it is a challenge to lose 1-2 pounds per week for the next 10 weeks. My goal is to lose 10 pounds. We weigh in each week and receive education at meetings following. There were nearly 50 people there tonight. David is doing this challenge with me, as are a few people from our church and a few Rotarians. How affirming that so many people in Nome are making the commitment to better health!

Additionally, through my health insurance I have joined Virgin Health Miles. They are challenging us to get in at least 7,000 steps in the next 11 out of 14 days. If we accomplish this, we get 200 extra points. The more points we get the more levels we travel through. The more levels, the more cash we win. So far in the first two days I have met that goal. Nine more days to go!

There are many reasons to get into shape and make the workouts worth it. I actually look forward to working out. I am so grateful that the Rec Center is open until 10:00 pm and that I can end my day with my physical/spiritual workout instead of beginning my day with it. Blogging at the end of the day just helps me to reflect further. For all this, I am grateful. Thank you for journeying with me!

Week 2 Day 1 - Part 2

2011-01-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

Here is the photo David took of me last night after my workout and a little time on the couch. Can't completely neglect the couch! ;-)

Week 2 Day 1

2011-01-11T23:33:00.000-08:00

Here we are at Week 2 Day 1 of training for a 5k. The routine this week has added 30 seconds more running and 30 seconds more walking per cycle. This means that after a brisk 5 minute warm-up walk, I am jogging for 90 seconds followed by 2 minutes of walking. I repeat the jog/walk cycle 6 times in 21 minutes. Then I cool down for 4 minutes. I enjoy the challenge and structure the training offers. Looking forward to the other two days this week to workout - Thursday and Saturday. My left hip hurts a little bit, but I am sure it will get better with time. Thank goodness for the day or two of rest between workouts. The shoes my sister-in-law helped me pick out are comfortable. I feel that they offer me good support around the ankles. Tonight I also had the nerve to have David take my picture to post. Periodically I hope to post photos. For those of you on this journey as well, thank you for inspiring me!! I will post the photo as soon as I get it from David.

Week 1 Day 3

2011-01-08T18:41:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a work out on the journey toward running a 5k. I feel great!! Listened to podcasts as well on the topics of goodness and faithfulness - two fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23. Hoping to remain faithful on this journey. It is a real test of commitment, though I look forward to the work outs. Maybe it's because I go at night and in the afternoon. Mornings may have been one of my hurdles.

The journey to 5k continues...

Day After Week 1 Day 2

2011-01-07T22:05:00.000-08:00

I am not as sore as I expected that I would be today. I have kept moving doing laundry and trying to tidy up a bit. I feel like my life is getting more into balance. Perhaps taking up running is helping me to get centered - centered physically and centered spiritually - important ways to be centered that affect the other aspects of one's life. Now it's time to take my incredible husband out for dinner because he is so amazing. I am thankful to God for bringing him into my life.

Journey Toward 5k

2011-01-07T00:07:00.000-08:00

Again, it's been a while since I have blogged. I keep reading lots of amazing blogs from family and friends. I am watching cousins and children of friends grow up through photos and blogging. It's time for me to share about a new journey on which I am embarking...a journey of preparing to run a 5k sometime in 2011!!!

In May 2006, I was the heaviest I have ever been in my life and was not exactly feeling good about myself. I was enjoying the life of eating out and overeating carbs when I got stressed out over papers and tests. I was in my second semester of seminary and had been dating David (now my husband) for six months. As I look back, I met the man of my dreams when I was at my heaviest and he was still attracted to me. I had always told myself that no one could possibly love me until I weighed the ideal weight for my height.

On May 5, 2006, I joined Weight Watchers and weighed in for the first time. David had been on the Weight Watchers Program before and said he would join again if I wanted to join. While I was not happy with my weight, I knew that this was the beginning of a journey toward better health. Over the next fifteen months, I lost almost 40 pounds on WW. It was not always easy, but I had some great women who got up with me at 5:30 am three mornings a week and we walked briskly around the sidewalk track on the campus of Saint Paul School of Theology. I had another friend who walked with me a couple other days in the week. I felt a sense of freedom as the pounds came off. I felt better about myself.

I kept loosing some after I got married, but I let the stress of my last year of seminary get to me and I cared less and less about staying on WW Program. By the time I moved back to Alaska I had gained back all but 17 pounds. Over the next two years I lost 10 pounds and then gained it back and then a little bit more. I was not liking how my clothes were fitting me. I was no longer feeling good or the freedom I enjoyed.

Finally at the end of August 2010, I was ready to get back on Weight Watchers online and really loose some weight. I would like to get pregnant at some point in the near future and could not imagine being any heavier. Fortunately David was ready to be in WW program again too. It really makes a difference to have your partner on a similar journey. I went to the local diabetes prevention department at the hospital and joined their "Step-by-Step" program. I bit the bullet and weighed in. They agreed to weigh David and me each week, because that accountability is what helped us to be successful in the past. I have lost about 17 pounds over the last four months. I have been feeling the same sense of freedom that I have felt in the past when I have lost weight. I am enjoying this journey despite the holiday yo-yo.

At Thanksgiving, I found out that my sister-in-law will be running the Boston Marathon in 2011. I want to be there for her as she finishes. Before I found out about her challenge, I had been thinking that one of my short-term goals is to do the running leg in our local triathlon. To accomplish that goal, my even shorter term goal is to run a 5k. I just began this week training using the couch-to-5k program as outlined online. I got inspired the other night when I looked online for touristy things to do in Boston, should I actually go to watch my sister-in-law finish the Boston Marathon. I noticed that one of the touristy options was to do a tour while running a 5k. I thought, "What an amazing way to see a city I have not been to in 19 years!!" So here I am training. I have since found out that there will be a 5k in Nome at the end of August this year. There are many reasons to train for this 5k. The greatest for me is the sense of accomplishment and to continue my journey to better health. I have been overweight most of my life and really want to be a much healthier weight.

This first week, I have been running on a treadmill at the local recreation center in the evenings. Did Day 1 on Tuesday and Day 2 tonight. Day 3 is Saturday. Five minute brisk walking warm up followed by 20 minutes of jogging 60 seconds & walking 90 seconds. I cool down for another 5 minutes. It feels good so far. As I have been doing my workouts, I have been listening to sermon podcasts. Both my body and my spirit are getting challenged!! Worship & exercise together!! What an awesome combo! God is there on the journey too!

Join me on this journey...

Early in the Morning

2010-04-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

Early in the Morning

Early in the Morning at the break of day the stone was rolled away

The above words are from a song I learned my Senior Year in the high school when I was a member of the Youth Choir at Stevensville United Methodist Church in Stevensville, Michigan. This song was swimming in my head as I was preparing to preach at the ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service in Nome, Alaska.

I preached on the Resurrection of Jesus according to the Gospel of John - John 20:1-18. I want to share with you what I shared with those present at the Easter Sunrise Service in Nome, Alaska on April 4, 2010 at 7:30 am.

When I was in high school I was in the Youth Choir at Stevensville United Methodist Church in Stevensville, Michigan. Each year we would practice and perform musicals. Two of those years, we performed musicals that took us through the whole liturgical year – Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost and into Ordinary time. While I did not have much confidence at all in my voice back then, I wanted to be part of the Youth Choir because it was a way for my sisters and I to get involved when we first moved to Stevensville. Also, we heard that the Youth Choir went on Choir Tours to places like Chicago!! Exciting!

The words to the songs I learned 15 plus years ago still stick with me. It’s amazing the lasting impact that something from your youth has on you later in life. Even others who were in the Youth Choir when I was, remember that song. “Early in the Morning” was one of those songs that has stuck with me and reminds me of the hope we have because Christ overcame death.

Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb where Jesus was laid after his death. It was a tomb given for him by Joseph of Arimathea. Mary saw that the stone had been rolled away. So she ran to the disciples to tell them. Simon Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved (tradition tells us John) raced each other to the grave like two silly children who could barely contain themselves with curiosity. The beloved disciple gets there first, but Peter is the first one to enter the tomb. They see that Jesus’ body was gone. Then they run back to where the others were gathered. Mary Magdalene remains at the tomb weeping. She looked inside the tomb and saw two angels – one at where Jesus’ head would have been and one where Jesus’ feet would have been. They ask her why she is weeping and she tells them that “they” have taken my Lord away and she does not know where they have laid him. She then turns around and sees a man whom she presumes to be a gardener. The “gardener” asks her the same thing the angels asked her. Her reply is much the same, though because she thinks he is the gardener, she asks him where he has laid him if he took him away.

Then Jesus says her name, “Mary.” She turns to him and says, “Rabbouni! Teacher!” He instructs her not to hold on to him, but to go and tell the disciples that He is ascending to the Father, to God. Mary went right away and told the other disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”

Early in the morning at the break of day the stone was rolled away. Here we are early in the morning on Easter Sunday gathered to encounter the Risen Christ with other Christians from around the community. We encounter the Risen Christ through music. We encounter the Risen Christ through prayer. We encounter the Risen Christ through scripture. We encounter the Risen Christ through the presence of others. We encounter the Risen Christ in a variety of ways. Like Mary Magdalene did that first Easter Morning we come to this place, expecting one thing and perhaps finding another. Perhaps it is a tradition for us to wake up early and come to this service every year. Celebrating Easter for us becomes a tradition - a body memory as we celebrate this miracle each and every year. Some of us only attend Church on Easter assuming that encountering Christ in the midst of community once a year is all we need for our spiritual well-being. Not so much.

Early that first Easter morning, Mary encountered the Risen Christ. She did not recognize him as such because she was so overcome with grief that she thought he was the gardener. Her eyes opened when Jesus called her by name. As the Great Shepherd, Jesus knows each of us by name and claims each of us as children of God. By calling us by name Jesus seeks to have a relationship with each of us and draw us close to God. Even when we turn away from this invitation again and again, Jesus reaches out to us revealing himself and revealing God. Jesus never give up on us.

Early that first Easter morning, Jesus had a mission for Mary to share the good news of his resurrection and his ascension that would take place soon. After Mary has seen Jesus, she goes and tells the disciple that she had seen the Risen Lord and delivered the message that Jesus was going to be ascended to the Father. Though John 20 does not say this, we could imagine that Mary Magdalene would have run joyously and as fast as she could with the message that she had seen the Lord. Jesus sent her on a mission and she took it seriously. She was excited that she had seen the Lord and wanted to tell others.

The other day I got my hair cut several inches and was so excited about it that I not only wanted to share it with my husband, David, but I wanted to share it with the world. So, I took a photo of myself and posted it on Facebook right away. As soon as I posted the photo of my new hairdo, I got lots of positive comments from my friends. Even the woman who cut my hair responded that I was fast in my posting. I replied that I when I am excited about something I cannot wait to share it with the world!!

What would it be like if we were as excited about the resurrection of Jesus as we are about the superficial transformations in our lives? What would it be like if we were as excited about something eternal as we are about those things that are temporal? Those of us with Facebook pages could share the Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus on our status reports. When we encounter someone on the street, we may get weird looks, but we could say, “Christ is Risen!” Maybe they would respond by saying, “Christ is Risen Indeed!” We could make someone's day with such a statement!

While writing and saying the words “Christ is Risen” to others is one way to shared the Good News, living our lives in such a way that expresses that message is also powerful. In the midst of adversity, we can choose to put our whole faith and trust in God that God would sustain us and see us through the difficult time. Even through our hard times, we can be a witness for God.

I, and others in the Youth Choir at Stevensville United Methodist Church, encountered the Risen Christ through the learning of songs and performing them for others. These songs continue to stick with us years later as something in our world reminds us of the songs we learned. Not only were we sharing the Good News with people in our congregation and people in churches and nursing homes across Chicago, but God was impressing upon us the Good News so that we could truly experience it for ourselves. Throughout our lives those songs have stuck with those of us who were called to be in the Youth Choir at Stevensville UMC over the years. What a blessing to be able to embody these words and encounter the Risen Christ, not just one time a year, but throughout our whole lives. Encountering the Risen Christ is a journey - a lifelong and worthwhile journey.

Thanks be to God, Amen.

* The empty grave photo is borrowed from the following website and was found through Google Images: suemartist.com.

The Journey of Lent

2010-02-22T22:06:00.000-08:00

My last sugary dessert before giving them

up for Lent. This is a Dole Whip from

the Dole Plantation in Hawaii.

David and I actually shared this!

David and I after officiating our first wedding

together. This was my first wedding to officiate.

Well, here it is again. We find ourselves in the Church Season called Lent. Some of us give up things for Lent while others add something meaningful to their lives. The intention is that either way, giving up or adding, will allow each individual to grow closer to God. This Lent, I am giving up sugary desserts. This means that when I am stressed and want to eat every piece of candy or cookie in sight, I will reach for a piece of fruit and think again about why I am reaching to fulfill that hunger that can only really be satiated with time spent with God. I often wish that I did not stress out about certain things, but I do see this as an opportunity to get closer to God and God's purposes for me. God called me here in this time and this place, so God will equip me with all that I need to serve God's people where I am now. Why sweat the small stuff when God has already gone before and worked them out? Why is that so easy to forget? Why is that so hard to live into?

Recently, my husband and I officiated our first wedding together. Not only was this our first wedding to officiate together, but it was the first wedding I ever officiated. The coolest part for me was that my first wedding was on a beach...in Hawaii!!! How many people can say that? Life's journey certainly takes unexpected turns at times! It was a beautiful day with a beautiful couple and beautiful guests. What was amazing to me was the imagery the bride and groom selected in the first part of the service - hands. When the bride's sister gave her to be married to the groom, the sister took the bride's hand and placed it in the groom's hand. Hand in hand this couple will journey through the rest of their lives together. Not only that, but God will be holding them in God's hands. When things get tough, God will offer an outstretched hand, perhaps in the form of a hand of one of the guests at the wedding or one of the many loved ones who absolutely love this couple. Accepting an outstretched hand does not mean giving up, but is an act of faith to journey through the most difficult times and become stronger and closer to God and each other as a result.

Where are the outstretched hands during this season of Lent? Where did Jesus find an outstretched hand when he was tempted by the Devil in Luke 4:1-13? The outstretched hand was consistently scripture. However, by the third time the Devil tried to tempt Jesus, the Devil recited some scripture. Jesus saw through the Devil's misuse of the scripture and still did not give into the Devil's temptation. Even when we are tempted by something that at first seems good and righteous, we must be careful that we do not get carried away. Fortunately for us, when Jesus was tested and/or tempted, he remained strong and did not give in.

This Lenten season, as I look to what God is trying to say to me, my hope is to deepen my understanding of scripture - to really live into them as a servant of God and disciple of Jesus. Sugary desserts, though very delicious and enticing, do cause some of us to gain weight that affects our health in some negative ways. Also, I have come to depend on these sugary delights when I have become overly stressed. I am depending or relying on these desserts to give me the comfort that can only really come from God. Instead of reaching for sugary desserts, I should be reaching for God and God's Word more than I have recently. My hope is that during this Lenten season you would grow in your relationship and understanding of God and scripture as well. May God bless you as you journey. Let us journey together with God.

Story Corps

2009-04-15T21:50:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I shared a few slices of my life with two women in my community who are serving the community of Nome through the United Methodist Church as well. Story Corps provided this particular opportunity for sharing. Ever since the Story Corps interviewer came to town in October 2008, she has been encouraging me to tell my story. It has taken me six months to figure out a) who is going to be my conversation partner? and b) which of my stories am I going to tell? I chose these two young ladies who are not only my neighbors, but also current young adult missionaries through the UMC. I was once a young adult missionary through the UMC as well, US-2 in fact. As I told my story, I started with experiences from my childhood and then the ladies asked me questions as they came to their minds.

This afternoon as I told my story, I relived memories of moving to and living in the Cote D'Ivoire and my experiences of being the only white girl in my class and learning to speak French by immersion. I also talked about moving to Iowa, then to Vermont, and then to Michigan as a child. In the midst of telling my story, I realized that I consistently found acceptance in each of the churches I attended throughout my life. Even when I did not always feel accepted by my peers at school, I did feel accepted at church.

From an early age, I was singing in the choir, going to Sunday School (or Sabbath School in Cote D'Ivoire), and attending worship regularly. In Vermont, I even took part in the leadership of worship on Children's Sunday. Throughout my life, I have had mentors on my journey who have given me opportunties to be in church and worship leadership. My roles have varied from having a role in a play to reading scripture and from leading prayers to preaching. I thank God for those who have been with me along my journey at various times, ultimately pointing me to where God was leading me. If it were not for my mentors, I would never have worked with Junior Highers, served as a Time for God volunteer in England, served as a US-2 in Alaska, gone to seminary, or become a United Methodist Pastor. One sister in the ministry called me a brave woman on twitter yesterday - I consider her a mentor as well. Many of all ages have inspired me.

As a result of this Story Corps experience today, the questions I am reflecting on are as follows:

"How are we as the Church mentoring young people today and empowering them for leadership within the church?"

"What am I personally doing to empower young people within the church?"

"What else could we be doing to develop our young leaders within the church?"

If we think that our children and youth are our leaders of the future, we are wrong - they are our leaders NOW!

I invite others to reflect with me on these questions. Happy Reflecting!

Reving Up For Winter Outdoor Activities

2008-11-03T21:15:00.000-08:00

For the last two weeks, snow has been falling off and on in Nome and we have a nice 4-5 inch layer of snow on the ground. David got the 26 year-old snow-blower fixed up and running just in time for the increasing snow. I am always amazed at what David does in ministry with his engineering mind & background. Nome is so beautiful, but slippery. I am working on picking out some snowshoes to order so that I can get out in the deep snow and really get some good outdoor exercise with the dogs.

In the meantime, I am working on a lifelong journey of trying to get in good physical shape. I have been going to the Nome Rec Center with David (when I can motivate him to get out of bed before 6:00 am) and Fawn (my favorite neighbor). They are good accountability partners - we are all in the Step by Step Program together - being intentional about exercise, working toward good health by trying to get in at least 10,000 steps each day. I have also been going to the local pool in an attempt to get in shape. I like to go to water aerobics on Saturdays - perhaps in the new year I will go on Mondays & Wednesdays as well. Being in relatively good shape helps when one all of a sudden finds themselves slipping on the ice. This happened to me last week, in fact. Luckily, every time I find myself falling, I have slipped in the most graceful ways. Amazing!

Our dogs seem to be enjoying the snow and stay out longer than I would expect. Gracie wears her coat because her hair is really too short to adequately keep her warm. Sere loves rolling around in the snow. The kids in the neighborhood continue to want to play with Sere & Gracie in the yard when they can. Sere & Gracie have been good evangelists - attracting kids to church. There is something to be said for using all of the resources you have for ministry. Sere & Gracie have been blessings to us in so many ways. They brought David & I together and now they are attracting kids to church. The Spirit moves and it's amazing to see this wonder!

The Spirit is Moving

2008-10-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

Again, it has been a long time since my last post. I have been enjoying my time as Co-Pastor of Nome Community United Methodist Church with my husband, David. We continue to work out how best we can be a clergy team serving in the same church and at the same United Methodist related agency. We do enjoy working together and combining our gifts and talents.

We feel that the Holy Spirit is definitely moving in Nome. Over that last three weeks, God has lead 25-30 different kids in Kindergarten through Sixth Grade to Nome CUMC for Tuesday School. God has also led several adults in the church to be involved as teachers, song leaders, planners, cooks, craft leaders, etc. It has been an amazing experience thus far. We are singing Jesus Loves Me in English & Inupiaq. Our dogs, Sere & Gracie, are great ministers as well. They attract the curious kids from the church's playground and allow the kids to pet them, give them treats, and brush them. The girls really like the attention and are such great sports.

Prayers for the ministry here are much appreciated. Let me know if you would like to receive our quarterly newsletter by posting a comment.

The Nome Journey has Begun

2008-08-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

I have recently realized that it has been a couple months since I wrote on my blog meaning that I have not written since I arrived in Nome to be Co-Pastor with my husband.

Today is a beautiful day in Nome, much like the day that David & I arrived in Nome. On Thursday, July 3, David & I landed in Nome and as we landed, the pilot told us that it was sunny and 80 degrees in Nome. I thought he was joking since I never experienced that type of warmth when I lived in Nome before. How wonderful it was to know that it was really this warm! I felt as if we were truly being welcomed! After that warm spell, we quickly dropped to 40 & 50 degree ranges and actually had to turn on the heat in the parsonage! Now 7 weeks later, we are enjoying some great weather again!

This journey to Nome to serve as Co-Pastor with David for the next four years has been a wonderful experience as well as an adjustment. On our first trip to the grocery store, we experienced "sticker shock" when we saw the prices of milk and other foods. Wow! Things were pricier now then when I lived here before, but not this much! $6 for a half gallon of milk?? Needless to say, we got ONLY what we needed and found our moods drop slightly. This meant no junk food! This is good for our budget and our waistlines! Now we are used to the prices, though one of our strategies is to buy items mostly when they are on sale. In addition, we ordered food in bulk from a barge company with some of our friends. We had to order a minimum of 25 cases which is why we went in together with another couple. This order should arrive sometime in September. Another thing we are doing is ordering organic vegetables from a company based in Washington State - several people in Nome do this and it is pretty reasonable. We pick up our order every other Wednesday so it is like Christmas when a new box arrives of 14 different fruits and vegetables. We are learning to prepare veggies such as kale and beets. Not only is this saving us a little money, but it is expanding our horizons as well.

On the ministry front, David & I are getting a sense of working together. For the first three Sunday we were here, we did what we call tag-team sermons. We divided up the thought blocks of our sermon and took turns speaking. It was kind of neat. Now we are dividing up the Sundays and at the moment preaching alternating weeks. We enjoy pastoring together, even amidst the growing edges. We have also visited people in our church together and visited the local nursing home today once last week and once this week already. David led worship at the nursing home today. We have met with the committee that is in charge of supervising us to begin working on a vision for the church. We have asked the committee to name some of their expectations of us and in turn have shared what we feel needs the most attention immediately. We would ask for your prayers as we seek to re-establish a children's ministry in this church. We have been getting to know the children who come to our playground. Our dogs have been great helpers in this endeavor. Part of the fencing around our yard where the dogs play shares a boundary with the church's playground. Many of the children are curious and want to play with our dogs. I have invited children to come into the fenced yard and sit on the front steps of the parsonage with me as they play with the dogs. Some of these children came to our recent Vacation Bible School led by our Volunteers in Mission Team from Pennsylvania. We want to build on these relationships and have a program for kids once a week in the evening. Again, please keep us in your prayers as the church begins this program.

One of my favorite things about living in Nome before was berry picking! It is now the time of year when the blueberries are ripe and more are getting ripe by the day! Woo-hoo! I can even see blueberries when I sleep. About a week ago, I went out with some awesome and totally amazing women from the church and found some cranberries! All week, I have been feeling like I am truly in the Kingdom of God! I love picking berries and being out in the fresh air. Something about it just energizes me! I have told a few people that I do indeed feel like I am in the already, but not yet Kingdom of God. I am "already" there in the sense that I am experiencing God's provision of some great berries to pick and put away for the rest of the year. Even though fuel and food prices are escalating, God is still providing for our needs through the plentiful berries on the tundra - free of charge - all we need to do is pick them and put them in our freezer! The "not yet" part is the fact that a bear could be lurking about since berries are part of their diet as well. Since I am afraid of the bears, I cannot experience the full Kingdom of God. Do we live in a perfect world??

God is also providing through David's fishing pink and silver salmon. We were not even in Nome 24 hours when David went fishing with someone from church. He caught 8 pink salmon and the other man caught 7. This generous man gave us all of his as well. David bought a fishing license and is now going out fishing every chance he gets. Thursdays evenings and Sunday evenings have been his typical fishing nights. The time he goes all depends on when high tide hits.

Throughout this part of the journey, I am learning that God certainly does provide. In fact, this is a message that I preached a couple weeks ago when I preached on the Matthew passage where Jesus asks Peter to walk on water. When we get distracted by our doubts, it is hard to keep our eyes on Jesus, on God. One of the things that worries and distracts many is the rising cost of heating fuel. God will provide for our heating bill in one way or another - maybe that means that each of us has to give a little more in the offering plate and maybe there will be some United Methodist Churches outside of Nome who will want to partner with us and provide some financial support as well. God will provide. In the meantime, we need to be faithful to what God is calling us to do with the resources we have - we have a building that is conducive to having children's programs and a beautiful worship space. We need to teach the children about Jesus and show them that because God loves and cares for them, we love and care for them as well.

Well, this is certainly enough for now. I hope to post more soon. Thank you for being on this journey with me.

Beignets....Mmmm

2008-06-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

David & I decided to make a trip to Louisiana before going north to Alaska. We have enjoyed visiting friends and meeting new friends along the way. What joy and blessing - following God's path for each of us has been an adventure and blessing and we are confident that the journey will be just that - an adventure and blessing.

Last night after visiting several people, David & I went to Morning Call to experience some delicious beignets with our cafe au lait. My cafe au lait was frozen while David's was nice and hot. The waiters and waitresses were amazing with their systematic approach to creating the perfect cafe au lait. They took two pitchers from the counter - one containing coffee and the other milk. When we received our beignets, I took one onto my plate and sprinkled a thin layer of powdered sugar over the top. David then took the shaker and showed me how beignets should really look - completely covered with a thick layer of powdered sugar. Mmm. I was on vacation so I decided I needed to live a little and experience the culture in its true form and have all the sugar expected of a beignet. Oh what a hubby I have - always looking out for me and making sure that I have a good time.

I have really enjoyed each of my visits to New Orleans area over the last couple years since I have been in relationship with David. What an adventure, what a joy! More adventure awaits in Louisiana in the years ahead.

The Calm in the Middle of Busy-ness

2008-05-11T16:40:00.001-07:00

Today is Sunday and I have turned in all of my assignments for the semester. Now I just have a couple of presentations this week and I am done! I am now at the end of my seminary career and am trying to tie up all of the loose ends. I am excited to see my family as they begin to arrive on Thursday for David's and my graduation. It will be a day of rejoicing that will go very fast, I am sure. Transitioning from one stage to another is easy sometimes, but other times, it is a little more difficult. Saint Paul has been a place of transition for me. It is here where I met and married my husband. It is here where I found my voice. It is here where I have developed many deep friendships that will last a lifetime. I am grateful to be part of such a connectional church as the United Methodist Church. There are always opportunities to see one another over the years - the International Clergywomen's Consultation, General Conference, Annual Conference, Ordination Activities, Intinating. These opportunities for me are glimpses of the full Kingdom of God. These are times of worship, reunion, prayer, laughter, and love. Oh the joy!

Beautiful Sunday

2008-05-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day to admire God's creation in Rural Kansas! The grass is green, there are multiple leaves on the trees, the irises are gorgeous, the dogs are enjoying the sun warming their silky fur. Another slice of heaven right in our own backyard! And now it is night and time to get renewed through a good night's sleep for another great and busy week. What a Creator who thought of everything, even rest!

Graduations Abound!

2008-05-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

Early yesterday Morning, David & I traveled to Michigan to attend the graduation of my sister, Monique, from Michigan State University. She has now received her Master's Degree and is about to be off on several adventures of her own in the next several months. I have such pride in my "baby" sister who managed to graduate with her Master's Degree two weeks before David & I will graduate with ours. After the graduation we went out to dinner and then to bed only to get up early to head back to Kansas. Before we left we were able to help move some of the bigger items from Monique's apartment. Since April 22, I have had many early morning and late nights...I am exhausted, but must persevere to turn in my last assignments of my seminary career. I am looking forward to some Sabbath time with my hubby, dogs, and good friends the week after graduation. Graduations abound! Only 13 days until mine and David's!

Post-General Conference

2008-05-03T19:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I did not have easy access to internet or time to blog as I had intended. Because I will be preparing a journal to turn in for a class, I will do some posting after the fact. I had a great time at General Conference catching up with friends and acquaintances and getting to know my classmates better. I saw many people who have been part of my journey as I have been in ministry through the United Methodist Church. I even met some new great people who are committed to the United Methodist Church and to justice for all of God's children. I bought a couple of clergy robes - one purple and one white. I also bought some books. I had a great roommate and some awesome suitemates at Texas Wesleyan University. We had some early mornings and some late nights. I enjoyed the city of Fort Worth and hope to return again someday, should I have an opportunity.

Heading to General Conference

2008-04-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

It's the night before our journey to General Conference in Fort Worth, TX and I am curled up on my couch with my dog, Gracie, and my husband, David. Our other dog, Serendipity (aka Sere), is waiting for me to come to bed. We are enjoying some quality time together now that the bags are packed and all the copies of research are made.

I am looking forward to what I will encounter on my first journey to General Conference. I am looking forward to seeing parts United Methodist Polity in action that I have not yet experienced. I am looking forward to meeting up with some of my future Alaskan colleagues in ministry, as well as, meeting up with people I have met in various ways through the United Methodist Connection. This is going to be an awesome time of learning and I hope that you will journey with me as I look into some of the issues being addressed at this General Conference.