Book it!

Remember Book it? I loved that program! Reading four or five books for a personal pan pizza, who wouldn't do that?

Well, I am doing my adult Book It (only not with pizza hut). I am setting a goal of reading 40 books this year. I am on my way: two already finished: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and The Latehomecomer. Both excelent selections.

,If I read all 40 of these books I am having a pizza party. Are you interested? Make your own book goal for the 2012 year, achieve it, and you will be invited to my pizza party in early January 2013. (It may be at my house and it may homemade pizza).

Are you in?  Send me a comment and let me know!

Good Dog/Bad Dog

While running with my dog this morning, I encountered a man and his dog. While talking to the owner, he shared how he had met 1 dog while he was training dogs that was a bad dog, but that he has met many bad people. Now it was 7am and I didn't want to get into a big fight with him, but two things I am left with today:

1. Are people really inherently good or bad? or are they a product of societal issues, such as race, education (or lack of), socioeconomic status?

2. How does one disagree and discuss with a stranger? How do we get back to dialoguing without getting heated or taking anything personally?

Working Woman

This past fall, I have officially been in the adult workforce for 10 years!  I can remember when I started my first jobs how young I felt, how unequipped, but not wanting to show that I was so naive. Now, what I realize 10 years later, I have learned some things, have some experience, and still have a lot more to learn. My "career" has included everything from determining parenting goals with women fleeing domestic violence at the age of 24, to working with youth in congregations, to leading an Interfaith group to end homelessness in our community.

"Is the life I am living the same as the life that wants to live in me?" A few years ago, I read Parker Palmer's book Let Your Life Speak, which is where the quote is from above. Palmer's book was one of the most helpful books in terms of thinking about our work as vocation (a Lutheran word, described by Palmer as where one's gifts meets the world's deepest needs) . Palmer worked a variety of different jobs, but they never felt quite right. It was well into his adulthood that he realized that writing was a love that he could pursue as his vocation. He has written beautiful books.

Where do my gifts meet the world's great needs? Having shelter is a world need, but is it where I can best be used?

Year of 2012 - what will it bring?

“At first glance it may appear too hard. Look again. Always look again.” ― Mary Anne Rodmacher
 
For much of my life, I have dwelt on the hard stuff, stood on the rocky terrain, focused on the negative parts of life. I am not unrealistic that this will go away without a fight, that one day I will wake up and find that all the focus on the harshness of life and negativity in my head will be gone.

But I do start this year, wondering 2012 has for me. Many people start with resolutions: eating right, exercising, add something to their life, or take something away. Resolutions seem to me half-hearted as they are pie in the sky changes people want to make without thinking about the real implications and the determination they will need to have to make the resolutions happen.

In a sermon at Grace during Advent, Pastor Mary challenged us to consider what kind of lives we were living. What do we like? What regrets or grudges need to be lifted from our lives. What new ways can we move forward?


What new path will be followed? How do I want to embrace life in the next year? In a world where one can easily get lost, lose focus, be carried away until one realizes that what they want is no where near what they have. I don't know if I have a clear vision of what I want 2012 to be or have happen, but I do know that I desire deeper connections. I desire a deeper relationship and partnership with my husband of two and a half years. I want to continue to encourage each other, to delve deeper into who each other is and wants to become. I also know that I desire to delve deeper into the women relationships in my life. 2012: the year relationships. Has a good ring, right?