tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60504992011-10-20T19:52:58.474-04:00This isn't exactly insightful or inspiring. It's just whatever I'm thinking about when I sit down to my keyboard. But, if you're interested, read on. Feel free to leave comments, too!Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.comBlogger3551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-66154254915558379712011-10-20T19:24:00.002-04:002011-10-20T19:52:58.504-04:00

He said to him, " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." - Matthew 22:37-38 NRSVDear God,I love you. Not just for your gifts, though I marvel at the beauty and wonder of your creation and I am thankful. Not just for your word, though I enjoy poring over the Scriptures you have given. No,

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-38816535877060149092011-09-03T19:47:00.002-04:002011-09-03T20:55:43.502-04:00

Hurricane Irene roared through the East Coast and left a lot of us without power. At my house, it went something like this: 6:00pm - 2 Hours without power: I knew we'd lose power, but it's a little scary in the dark with the rain pounding and the wind roaring outside. 8:00pm - 4 Hours without power: I really hope my cell phone battery doesn't die before it's supposed to wake me up in the

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-36412649373960479872011-08-28T19:26:00.002-04:002011-08-28T20:45:07.041-04:00

This weekend I faced a first in my life: my first hurricane. I wasn't sure how to prepare for the storm, so I started asking around. And the signals were...mixed. The newscasters kept telling us to prepare, to buy batteries and food that we could store and prepare without power, and to fill the bathtub with water in case the water was shut off. They kept claiming that the storm would be terrible

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-27494768467866353262011-06-03T11:29:00.002-04:002011-06-03T12:20:52.519-04:00

I believe that all church newsletters carry a drop of grace within them. We who work in the church often bemoan their deadlines and complain about the necessity of writing a column and preparing articles and fitting all the pieces together. But there is something beautiful in the way a church newsletter can gather the flotsam and jetsam of our life together in community.Today I went to my mailbox

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-10423943576614370312011-05-22T12:43:00.001-04:002011-05-22T12:43:55.908-04:00

Saturday night is the hardest part of my week. No matter how well-prepared I am for Sunday, I always get nervous on Saturday night. Sunday is just such a huge day. And until the sermon has left my mouth, until the last "Amen" is spoken, the anxiety doesn't fade. Even when every word of the sermon is typed in front of you, even when all the prayers are written down, you don't know what will happen

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-34218641137721962242011-05-10T17:15:00.002-04:002011-05-10T18:08:39.556-04:00

Dear Future Me,You probably don't remember me very well. I'm you... thirty years ago. I'm you when you were new to ministry. I'm the old you, the one who was so excited about God and the church's potential to make disciples and change the world that people told her to stop being so naive and idealistic. I'm writing to you so that you will remember what being me felt like. This is a preemptive

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-72620199014508631012011-05-10T14:15:00.002-04:002011-05-10T17:15:42.996-04:00

At a conference I attended this week, we were invited to imagine the "Church of the Future". I know this isn't what they meant, but this is what my friends and I came up with: 1) Holograph Pastor: Even though the pastor is present in the building, he or she will speak from hidden in a back room while a giant holograph of the pastor is projected instead. This arrangement, much like the Wizard

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-65842381329887746892011-05-04T00:30:00.001-04:002011-05-04T00:30:58.012-04:00

From time to time, when I'm caught up in the minutaie of everyday church life, I lose track of the bigger picture. I get bogged down in the little stuff and forget how beautiful the wider view can be. The last few weeks, though, have reminded me of just how miraculous the body of Christ is. In a world that is increasingly divided, the church is one of the few places where people who are

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-15588106576240743812011-04-21T00:09:00.001-04:002011-04-21T00:09:53.191-04:00

We are in the middle of Holy Week, the absolute busiest time of year for pastors. Don't get me wrong, Christmas is really busy, but Holy Week is worse because it's a marathon. Holy Week starts with Palm/Passion Sunday, then plods on through the relentless stretch of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil, Easter Sunrise, and Easter. With all of the sermons to write and worship

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-30861615741980276052011-04-02T21:27:00.003-04:002011-04-02T21:39:41.921-04:00

I have decided that my gym owes my downstairs neighbors an apology. You see, I have a membership at a 24-hour gym. So, this evening, after a delicious church spaghetti supper that left me as overstuffed as the pouffes in Prof. Trelawney's office, I decided to take my book to the gym and work off some of those extra calories. But when I arrived at the gym at 8:15, I discovered the doors locked.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-31434930078788416122011-03-30T23:33:00.003-04:002011-03-31T00:09:01.005-04:00

I lead a full life. My life is full of adventure. I've had opportunities to travel all over the place, and I continue to take advantage of every chance I get to see the world. I face challenges every day: trying to figure out what God is saying and then attempting to articulate it to my congregation, trying to be an instrument of transformation in the world, doing things each day that scare me

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-27934004909771291522011-01-31T21:44:00.003-05:002011-02-12T21:47:33.768-05:00

"Sometiimes it takes holy imagination just to remember a call, to imagine one, not in the sense that the call is an illusion created by us, but when we imagine, we see what we do not know; we see the possibilities God has for us." -Lillian Daniel, This Odd and Wondrous Callings p. 7My last few weeks have borne a strange resemblance to a career fair. You remember: those big events in college

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-23823783574133600082011-01-24T23:27:00.002-05:002011-01-24T23:35:33.647-05:00

Last week, several of my friends and colleagues went to a conference. When they returned, they were really riled up about the Psalms. Now, I like the Psalms, but I've always struggled with how to connect with them. The language they use tends to be a little obtuse. But they came back and shared a really helpful insight from the conference speakers: the Psalms are God's poetry. Just as we use

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-46740176967417061742011-01-02T21:35:00.004-05:002011-01-24T23:24:08.858-05:00

"And being caught in between all you wish for and all you see.And trying to find anything you can feel that you can believe in.May God's love be with you, always."This evening I felt a sudden urge to listen to the song "In the Sun" by Joseph Arthur, from which all the quotes in this entry come. I first fell in love with this song when I heard it in the movie "Saved!" and then searched out a

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-82685836842917350992010-12-30T16:08:00.003-05:002011-01-24T23:25:09.110-05:00

I should really be working on my sermon or cleaning my apartment or doing some other productive activity. But I can feel myself sliding into the post-Christmas-and-my-family-just-left-and-January-looks-crazy-busy funk, and I just don't want to. Instead, I'm giving a valiant attempt at good cheer. I'm sitting in Starbucks surrounded by people, sipping a peppermint mocha, and trying to think

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-23784238011358139142010-12-23T23:43:00.002-05:002011-01-24T23:25:28.264-05:00

They have come, not because all the world must be registered, but because they want to spend the holiday with family. They have brought gifts, not to the Christ child, but in remembrance and celebration of God's gift of Emmanuel. They have come to my home to spend Christmas with me, and I'm so excited I can barely contain it. I love my family, and I'm really glad to have them here. The

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-47383381006401719982010-12-22T23:00:00.003-05:002011-01-24T23:25:40.442-05:00

Last night was the winter solstice. For those of you who didn't pay attention in elementary science, that means it was the longest night of the year. We've now reached the darkest part of the year, the day when we see the sun the least and we are most enveloped in the black of night. I'm pretty sure that it was only because it was the longest night of the year that I was actually awake this

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-91481048973116031052010-12-21T23:20:00.003-05:002011-01-24T23:26:02.479-05:00

Our Christmas Concert on Sunday included the song "Hope for Resolution." It's a beautiful piece that combines a Zulu song with "Of the Father's Love Begotten", which was written to celebrate the end of apartheid in South Africa. As I sat in the Sanctuary watching our choirs sing this piece, the faces of our choir members blurred with my memories of Robben Island and the informal settlements

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-21728307667828618922010-12-20T23:37:00.002-05:002010-12-21T00:26:49.398-05:00

Lately I've been doing a lot of visits with people who are in enormous physical pain. I've sat by bedsides and been asked over and over, "Where is God? Why is God letting me suffer like this?" It is, I think, one of the hardest questions in anyone's walk of faith. It's not just a whiney "Why me?" in the face of irritations, this is the genuine lament, the cry of deep pain and anguish. It's

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-2087049150736946932010-12-19T23:48:00.002-05:002010-12-20T00:09:17.069-05:00

In the midst of cold and dark, Christmas reminds us of the warmth and light. I was reminded of that particularly this evening. The church had our annual Christmas Concert, and it was awesome. The program celebrated the coming of Christ, the light of the world. The first few pieces talked about our yearning for Christ's coming, our seeking the hope that the light of Christ brings. Then the

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-39430453125711359422010-12-18T21:30:00.002-05:002010-12-20T00:08:40.202-05:00

Tomorrow I'm preaching. I love preaching. It also makes me nervous. Even when I'm confident that I'm bringing a powerful word from God, even when I think the sermon has illustrations that will connect with people where they are, I get nervous. But I'm never more nervous than the night before I bring a difficult word. I think sermons are like food. There are cake and ice cream sermons:

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-68228510151276822652010-12-17T23:57:00.001-05:002010-12-20T00:08:17.993-05:00

On December 1, I was rear-ended. And while the damage to my car seemed minimal in the dark that night, closer inspection in the sunlight the next day revealed significant problems. A week later, my baby, Emma, was declared a "Total Loss". Emma was my transition car. My previous car, an ancient Buick Century named Jack, died while I was in the middle of moving. So getting Emma marked a

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-60564510425336571452010-12-16T23:39:00.002-05:002010-12-20T00:08:01.135-05:00

"And since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"Everything was cancelled today. Work, school, all the things that usually require me to leave my apartment were cancelled. But the snow didn't begin until mid-morning, so a friend came over this morning before the roads got bad, and we spent the day relaxing and watching movies. We both worked a bit, but most of the day

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-6243433033093981782010-12-16T00:17:00.002-05:002010-12-20T00:07:46.897-05:00

The forecast for tomorrow is nasty: lots of snow with accumulation, mixed with freezing rain and ice. It's going to be ugly weather, and the road conditions are supposed to be terrible. So, since this is the south, people started freaking out and canceling things. I don't really object. I could use a day to get caught up on things while wearing my pajamas. So this evening I sat, waiting for

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-36528467002016459772010-12-14T23:27:00.002-05:002010-12-20T00:07:30.334-05:00

I don't want to buy a car. There are no cars on the market that I really like, no cars that I look at and say, "Oooh, I want to drive THAT!" And I haven't been looking and considering cars much because, let's face it, I wasn't planning to need one. I really liked Emma and was planning to spend the next ten years with her. But, thanks to circumstances beyond my control, Emma is no longer in my

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-55297923529078699692010-12-14T00:13:00.003-05:002010-12-20T00:07:02.919-05:00

"Are you kidding? Any second now he's gonna look at me and go, 'Ha. Yeah, right, you're so not worth this.'" - Toula Portokalos, "My Big, Fat Greek Wedding"Sometimes I wonder what God is thinking. After centuries, millennia even, God still reaches out to stubborn, oblivious humans. God called to us through great leaders like Abraham and Jacob and Moses. God called to us through the prophets.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-75825243578738755402010-12-12T22:01:00.003-05:002010-12-12T23:05:30.987-05:00

I am utterly exhausted. Today I led and helped lead four worship services. I went to lunch with congregation members and a social event with others. And I didn't get my nap. All day long I've had a song in my head from my childhood. It's a song from a cassette tape we used to have entitled "The Music Machine". While the rest of the songs from this collection designed to teach Christian

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-34369549964649080172010-12-11T21:20:00.004-05:002010-12-20T00:06:21.921-05:00

You may have noticed that today is Saturday, and the post before this is from Wednesday. Yes, my friends, I have failed at my goal of posting every day in Advent. I was so distracted having Sabbath and fun on Thursday and Friday that I didn't get anything written here. I apologize, and I hope you won't think I'm terribly disappointing for having not posted as regularly as I'd hoped. Thursday

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-79005490966824931902010-12-08T21:51:00.003-05:002010-12-08T22:10:05.584-05:00

Tonight there are no words. I've been sitting at my computer for more than an hour now trying to form my nebulous thoughts into the coherent paragraphs that will hopefully become my sermon manuscript for the week, but nothing is quite coming out right. My learning style, generally, is that ideas will bounce around my brain like rubber balls, jumbling and banging into each other chaotically

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-10586144000710535912010-12-08T00:43:00.002-05:002010-12-20T00:04:57.758-05:00

People often quote, "Be still and know that I am God." I'm pretty decent at the "know that I am God" part, but I'm not so good at the "be still" part. I'm a fidgety person. I wiggle, I move my hands, I doodle, I play games on my phone or computer, but it's really hard for me to just be still. So this evening, for a few minutes, I worked to just be still. I sat, without doodling or playing a

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-44532056510026793932010-12-06T23:02:00.003-05:002010-12-20T00:04:48.668-05:00

Gracious God,As the days draw short and the weather grows cold, we wonder where you have gone. In the light of the summer it was easy to see your face.In the blooming flowers of spring we are assured of your new life,and in the blazing leaves of autumn we see the color of your creative power. But in the winter, when the cold winds threaten to blow us away,when the dark consumes and lingers, you

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-87487367329505740792010-12-05T23:07:00.002-05:002010-12-05T23:33:43.392-05:00

It's Sunday evening and, to be perfectly honest, I'm wiped out. Today I led two morning worship services, taught confirmation class, helped with the Advent Festival, and led the evening worship service. All of those activities, added to the lingering stress of not knowing what's going on with my car and the ongoing pain in my back, leaves me with very little to say this evening, and almost

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-37156655717844820832010-12-04T22:26:00.002-05:002010-12-04T22:50:25.633-05:00

This afternoon I finally got around to decorating for Christmas. I pulled my Christmas tree out of its place in storage, along with the boxes of ornaments and nativity sets, and set about putting them up. I love decorating the Christmas tree. There are people who organize their tree decorations according to color scheme, but I am not one of those people. My tree is a mishmash of ornaments of

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-23544985707887609622010-12-04T00:17:00.001-05:002010-12-04T22:49:27.324-05:00

I visited Colonial Williamsburg today. The interpreter who led us through the Randolph House spoke about the importance of conversation during the colonial era. There were few other amusements, so it was important at the table and following dinner to be able to discuss the events of the day in an informed and articulate manner. It was an interesting contrast to the dinner with friends I

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-56871117559038836722010-12-02T23:29:00.002-05:002010-12-04T22:48:58.320-05:00

Tonight I went to the UNOS Tree of Life ceremony. For those of you who aren't familiar, UNOS is the United Network for Organ Sharing. The Tree of Life ceremony honors organ donors and their families, organ recipients, and those who are still waiting on the transplant list. We were privileged to hear the stories and thoughts of a transplant recipient, a man who is waiting for a liver transplant,

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-57674042542295706982010-12-01T20:50:00.002-05:002010-12-01T22:24:31.246-05:00

Today was an average, ordinary day. I went to the office, did my usual work, and was looking forward to a quiet evening at home when, four blocks from the church, WHAM! As I was stopped, waiting at the end of a line of cars turning left, I was rear-ended. The man in the car behind me was distracted, looking at his GPS, and he didn't see my brake lights ahead of him. So, instead of getting

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-36627782771913439882010-11-30T22:44:00.002-05:002010-12-04T22:50:18.874-05:00

It occurred to me today, as I looked over my blog post from last night, that the Advent connection in my words might not have made sense to anyone but me. For those of you who didn't catch the link, which I admit was a bit fuzzy, I'll explain. Advent is a season all about preparation. And most of the time, we think that preparation is about what we're doing, how we're preparing to celebrate

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-67587966900960323102010-11-29T23:35:00.001-05:002010-11-30T23:53:32.765-05:00

This evening I was headed to hang out with a friend, so I grabbed the first T-shirt my hand landed on in my closet and threw on a hoodie over it. It wasn't until I was getting ready for bed and tugged the hoodie off that I realized I was wearing my feminism T-shirt. I got the shirt in college, when I first started taking gender studies courses, when I was all fired up about shattering the

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-4660929607870690192010-11-28T21:01:00.001-05:002010-12-04T22:50:55.757-05:00

Ready or not, here it comes! Advent is upon us (again) and I just don't feel prepared. Which, I suppose, is ironic. But here I am, unprepared for the season of preparation. Last year, I tried to keep focused on the joy of Advent by taking pictures of something each day that brought me joy. This year, since the season snuck up on me, I didn't think to take a picture today. And, while I could

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-11121743366931150972010-11-27T15:25:00.001-05:002010-11-30T23:53:56.175-05:00

It amazes me that I can be going 70 miles per hour down the highway, watching the snow stream past, and still blogging. But, I suppose, that is the wonder of technology. I'm on my way back...home? To the place where I now live and work, certainly. But it's too weird to say I'm going home when I'm driving away from the place I called home for more than twenty years. The place I live now should

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-54158451230503139442010-11-23T00:04:00.002-05:002010-11-30T23:54:11.253-05:00

Once upon a time I was a regular blogger. Then I became a semi-regular blogger. Then, in the last two months, life got really, really messy. But, I do intend to get back to blogging regularly. I'm even hoping to do something special for Advent again, either through pictures or through a discipline of regular writing. Now, for an explanation of why I haven't been blogging: 1) I work for a

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-20205953176720387682010-09-14T00:07:00.002-04:002010-11-30T23:54:35.099-05:00

One of the things I treasure most in life is humor. I love sharing laughter with people. I'm pretty sure that laughter can be part of God's grace, healing us, bringing joy to our souls. I recognize that it can also be dark and harmful, but I'm going to say that dark, harmful humor is a perversion of this good gift (like all evil is, to borrow a definition from a great theologian). And so, on

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-83241797746571913412010-08-18T00:08:00.003-04:002010-08-18T00:31:22.829-04:00

I spent a good part of this afternoon sorting out prayer shawls to send to the youth from the church I serve who will be starting college this fall. I wrote liturgy and double-checked names because this is an important ministry. Women from the church have spent months making prayer shawls with these particular students in mind. Smooth hands and gnarled hands and able hands and arthritic hands

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-80122935982752680782010-08-17T00:08:00.002-04:002010-08-18T00:31:12.357-04:00

"Are you happy? Do you have what you want, have you achieved all the goals you had for yourself at 25?"Bear, one of my male friends from college asked me this question the other day. I paused for a few moments, then said, "For the most part, yes. I have a job that I love. I'm in a place that I like. I have a dog to keep me company. I've got great friends, though I wish some of them lived

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-60465238770041214602010-07-05T00:39:00.002-04:002010-07-05T23:21:43.965-04:00

I was planning to go to bed at a decent hour this evening. I was ready for bed, doing my nightly devotion stuff when I stumbled on the following passage in a sermon by Barbara Brown Taylor in her book Home By Another Way:"This is not a story about us. This is a story about God, and about God's ability not only to call us but also to create us as people who are able to follow--able to follow

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-11553064385516289862010-07-01T23:49:00.003-04:002010-07-05T23:20:30.333-04:00

A few days ago, as I was sharing ice cream cake with several coworkers in our lunchroom to celebrate my one-year anniversary at this church, someone asked me to name five things I've learned this year. All at once hundreds of experiences went racing through my mind, moving so fast that I couldn't even distinguish most of them amidst the blur that whipped past my neurons. But, after giving it

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-34398767903793284712010-06-12T23:46:00.003-04:002010-07-05T23:21:37.871-04:00

A year ago this week I was in Atlanta, madly throwing my belongings into boxes, getting ready to get commissioned at Annual Conference, and spending every spare second with my seminary friends. I was in the midst of transitions: finishing school, leaving my friends, moving several states away, starting a new job... Everything was in flux, and I didn't have a concrete role or identity. Now, 360

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-60094427516683430232010-06-03T22:22:00.002-04:002010-06-05T18:21:23.576-04:00

My niece is too smart for her own good, and she's only eight months old. For example, she finds eating boring. In order to sit still and actually eat the baby food my sister skillfully shoves into her mouth, she requires an array of distractions. She needs to have at least one and preferably several things she can play with. She likes to conduct gravity experiments with these toys: she drops

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-63747821272991403302010-05-31T11:03:00.002-04:002010-05-31T12:53:13.303-04:00

Imagine a cabin up in the hills: three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a sort of open-plan living room/kitchen/dining room. Imagine beautiful blonde wood floors, wood paneled walls, wood ceilings, and comfy furniture. Now add a family: four adults, an eight-month-old child, and a six-month old puppy. The result is, of course, chaos. Beautiful, frustrating, hilarious chaos. This is my vacation.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-78533909939782563182010-05-29T17:01:00.008-04:002010-05-31T12:52:30.129-04:00

In case you were worried, I'm not dead. My schedule has been a little crazy but, to tell you the truth, there's an even bigger reason that I haven't been writing. Since I started preaching every week, it's as though every single creative thought, every moment of writing inspiration, has been funneled into sermon preparation. Every time I feel like writing, I have to channel that energy into a

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-12698739094269049432010-04-28T00:23:00.006-04:002010-05-31T12:52:17.335-04:00

I find superlatives very difficult. Questions that begin with "What was your best/most/worst/favorite..." Almost always leave me scratching my head, saying, "I'm not sure I can pick just one!!!" I can't pick just one favorite movie or song or book. I can't decide on just one favorite food or most embarrassing moment. In fact, the only time a superlative came easily to me was when I was

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-22046709946362875732010-04-20T23:06:00.004-04:002010-04-20T23:35:03.028-04:00

This has not been a great week. In fact, it has been a discouraging week filled with people complaining about things. I really, really dislike it when people complain about things, particularly when the complaints are not said in kindness and not accompanied by suggestions for improvement. This sort of thing always leaves me frustrated, discouraged, and tired. It's on weeks like this that I

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-80254950908156012012010-04-13T22:42:00.002-04:002010-04-13T23:03:06.061-04:00

All of my coherent thoughts lately have gone to writing sermons. In lieu of those, I offer you the following sarcastic questions, which have been floating through my head in the last few days:How do you tell the difference between the silence of awe and the silence of lead balloons passing over? I tried something new in our emergent worship service on Sunday. Instead of a traditional sermon or

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-10701447497922903192010-04-08T19:38:00.003-04:002010-04-10T10:44:25.255-04:00

Holy Exertion, Wholly ExhaustedHoly Week is only seven days long. Eight, if you count Palm Sunday. But for church staffs, it seems much, much longer. The church I serve, for example, had ten services in those eight days. I would never even think of comparing our experience to Christ's, but in terms of scheduling, there are some similarities, at least in the rhythms of darkness, work, and

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-46089662945067556782010-03-28T23:36:00.003-04:002010-04-10T10:44:07.718-04:00

This is my first Holy Week as a pastor and, to be honest, I'm probably inappropriately excited about it. Holy Week is something to be "observed", not really "celebrated", at least not until Easter Sunday. It's about penitence and suffering and being aware of Christ's actions for us. For pastors, it's probably the busiest week of the year. For, while Advent and the Christmas services are big

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-23941788704031157862010-03-26T23:35:00.002-04:002010-04-10T10:45:33.804-04:00

Six weeks ago, I got a puppy. There were lots of reasons for this decision, but one of the many motivations for getting this new roommate was to help with self-care. I figured it would force me to come home on time, to get more exercise as I walked the dog multiple times per day, and give me a good reason to enforce better time boundaries in my life. So far, all of those things have been true.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-16769983716017673182010-03-19T01:01:00.002-04:002010-04-10T13:57:43.920-04:00

This evening, instead of writing the two sermons I need to finish by Sunday, I went to the movies with a couple of friends. We didn't really know what to see, but we were looking for something funny and stumbled upon "She's Out of Your League." It's not great cinema by any stretch of the imagination. The acting is mediocre, the humor is shallow and sophomoric, and it's a predictable plotline.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-53319125989643446732010-02-27T21:59:00.002-05:002010-04-10T10:43:25.073-04:00

I want to be a poet when I grow up. I wrote my first poem when I was in sixth grade. My teacher played the song "Goodnight Saigon" by Billy Joel, and I was inspired by the power of the words and the way Joel expressed them. So, when my class had some free time in the computer lab later that afternoon, I spent those moments writing my own poem. The rhyme scheme was cheesy and the content

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-86063490632896255922010-02-17T23:02:00.003-05:002010-04-10T10:43:14.092-04:00

This was my first Ash Wednesday as a pastor. It was a long day, as I went to church early this morning to work on the details of a memorial service for tomorrow. It seemed fitting, though, to be pondering death on this day when we are called to be mindful of our own mortality. As I tried to put together words to remember a woman who lived a long, ordinary life, I wondered about the sorts of

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-26741586003393436872010-02-09T00:39:00.003-05:002010-02-10T21:53:01.469-05:00

For years (I mean YEARS... Decades, even) I've wanted a dog. I begged my parents to let me get one as a kid. When they informed me that we couldn't have a dog because my dad was allergic, eight-year-old me considered trading in my father for a puppy. In retrospect, I am sure that I made the right choice in keeping my father. But now that I'm living alone, in an apartment complex that allows

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-51469293109525182592010-02-07T23:24:00.003-05:002010-02-10T21:52:20.294-05:00

I have been adjusting, for nearly nine months now, to living alone. For the first 24 years of my life, I lived with family members, or in dorms, or in apartments with roommates, and suddenly, at age 25, I found myself in solo housing. Most of the time I like it. I like getting home at the end of the day and not having to be "on", ready to support people and handle crises. The only crises I

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-59523453281696689892010-02-05T15:28:00.003-05:002010-02-10T21:51:53.383-05:00

I tried to start writing my sermon in my office yesterday afternoon. But my office simply isn't conducive to liturgical writing. So I gave up, finished my work for the day, and went home to try there. Then my writing process looked like this:Day 1:Cook dinnerEat dinner while watching NCISClean up while watching a second episode of NCISWrite about a pageGet stuck on next ideaCall Dad and spend

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-67197873577916689822010-01-31T22:04:00.006-05:002010-02-10T21:51:33.590-05:00

I have never claimed to be a typical woman. I do not always play by the gender rules, and I don't usually buy into the stereotypes. In fact, I sometimes consciously buck the expectations just because I can. But the shoe thing... the shoe thing is a gender norm that I truly do not understand. Women are supposed to be fascinated with shoes. We're supposed to love shopping for shoes, wearing

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-54360097130481782632010-01-24T22:38:00.004-05:002010-02-10T21:51:00.145-05:00

I admire mystics, but I do not understand them. I am an empiricist, almost painfully practical in the way I view the world. Yet I am mesmerized by the words of the mystics, who speak about experiences of God that are tangible in a way I cannot imagine. I read the words of Theresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, and Bonaventure, and I am transfixed. They write as though they can see with their

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-27974246888780144802010-01-17T23:26:00.003-05:002010-01-17T23:48:57.180-05:00

When I was a student, I was under the impression that vacation was a natural habit. You took a break, went somewhere, and didn't work for a bit (a weekend, a few days, a week... however long your "vacation" was). But as a pastor, I'm discovering that vacationing is much more complicated than I originally thought. When I was in school, there were defined breaks. It was simple, for instance, to

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-41719029442712526802010-01-10T22:29:00.004-05:002010-01-10T23:41:40.922-05:00

This morning in worship we observed the Baptism of Christ. That meant that we called people to remember their baptism as we used spruce branches to sprinkle water on the gathered assembly. It was a beautiful moment, but I learned some unexpected practical lessons. First, I learned that it is difficult to walk with a bowl of water without the water in the bowl splashing all over you. Second, I

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-49347037601381767432010-01-06T20:25:00.002-05:002010-01-06T20:36:47.911-05:00

I hate being sick. I truly, truly hate it. And I've been sick more recently than probably any other time in the rest of my life. I usually have a very good immune system. I usually only get sick every few years. It was rare for me to get sick two years in a row, much less more than once in a single cold/flu season. But this year has been different. I got a cold in October that lasted for

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-18770935193667863792010-01-03T22:43:00.003-05:002010-01-06T20:20:38.784-05:00

I was a bit frazzled this morning. My senior pastor was out of town visiting family, and I was left in charge of Sunday morning worship. I had returned to town the previous afternoon after a few days away, and it wasn't until I awoke with a start at 3 a.m. that I remembered that I was presiding over communion this morning by myself for the first time. Our director of music was also on vacation

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-82163076377467388932009-12-31T16:43:00.007-05:002010-01-06T20:17:45.000-05:00

It's time again for year-in-review segments on the news and weight-loss resolution advertisements on TV, which must mean it's also time for my annual "arrows" entry. Here goes:Family ↑ Last year my family added a member: my brother-in-law Matt. This year we welcomed another fantastic addition: my niece, Hannah. She's an adorable, tiny person with lots of feathery, dark hair and deep blue eyes.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-60242824284500968632009-12-25T01:48:00.002-05:002009-12-25T01:53:45.312-05:00

This was probably the longest day of the whole Advent season. I got up this morning and wrapped some presents, then headed to the office to get some work done. I did some small parts in the children's service at 5:00, then helped lead the 7:00 and 11:00 services. It was great to see so many people in worship, and to celebrate the birth of Christ in this community. The greetings and hugs got

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-69631225742197645042009-12-23T23:32:00.003-05:002010-01-06T20:15:11.297-05:00

My face split into a grin today when, at 4:00 a.m., my parents arrived at my apartment. I left them to sleep while I went to work, but we had lunch and dinner together, and did some shopping in the evening. My parents brought a box of my childhood Christmas ornaments with them, and this evening we got them out and put them on the tree. With each ornament, we retold stories of the people who

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-25606000906580189282009-12-22T23:34:00.002-05:002009-12-22T23:52:05.743-05:00

Like yesterday, I forgot to carry my camera for some of the best parts of the day. Our staff meeting was particularly exciting today. In addition to our usual laughter, we played Family Feud with some information that our Minister of Youth and Young Adults gathered about Christmas traditions and practices. It was a great pick-up in the last few days before Christmas, and combined with the

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-50297447523827280422009-12-21T23:43:00.002-05:002009-12-22T00:04:52.720-05:00

I had a Grinchy day today. A family in our congregation is going through a situation that is painful beyond imagining. The preparation for Christmas Eve services is reaching fever pitch. My apartment is not yet clean for my parents' arrival. I spent an hour in traffic trying to get around a train derailment that created a huge traffic jam. I had to fight the crowds at the mall and I still

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-81131151871030311652009-12-20T21:50:00.003-05:002010-01-06T20:13:59.482-05:00

Today I was unable to get pictures of most of the things that made me smile. For example, this morning the DCE and I attempted to go to church at 7:30 a.m. My car had other ideas, though. It got stuck in the ice/slush/mess in the parking lot, and refused to move in any direction. So there Amanda and I were: wading through the snow and slush in our church clothes, trying to push the car out.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-31233635072498227512009-12-19T20:12:00.005-05:002010-01-06T20:10:34.519-05:00

I know you're deeply disappointed in me for not posting any pictures yesterday. The fact is, I took lots of pictures. But I couldn't post them because I was out of town and forgot to bring the cord to connect my camera to my computer. So today I'm going to post two days' worth of pictures. Yesterday I spent the day shopping and hanging out with a seminary friend. We visited Colonial

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-85279735184216003812009-12-17T22:36:00.002-05:002010-01-06T20:10:17.431-05:00

I didn't think to get out my camera today, though I had a great time shopping, joking around with co-workers, and attending a Christmas party for a group from church. But this evening, as I was relaxing in my living room, I looked up and saw my nativity. It was made by a member of my church in Atlanta, and it always makes me smile. The figures are woodburned into blocks of finished 2x4, which

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-52478705620249579192009-12-16T22:43:00.003-05:002009-12-16T23:00:34.480-05:00

During Advent, church staffs are very busy, putting together bulletins, planning extra worship services, going to meetings and celebrations... the very things that I was afraid would keep me from really observing Advent and celebrating Christmas. But for a few hours this afternoon, we took a break from that busyness to celebrate together. We shared a potluck lunch and had a gift exchange at the

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-26083323654385521692009-12-16T00:45:00.003-05:002009-12-16T00:50:22.621-05:00

Tonight was the Christmas celebration for the council, and the dinner, games, and conversation were a wonderful part of my day.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-62566828289250665132009-12-14T21:38:00.002-05:002010-01-06T20:08:43.792-05:00

Today I awoke to a dense cloud outside my window. The whole area was blanketed with fog. So, since I'd already arranged to come into the office late, I rolled over and granted myself a fog delay. It reminded me of those days when I was in elementary and high school when, upon waking up in the morning, I'd discover that everything out the living room windows was obscured by fuzzy gray. At that

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-38945242007046445222009-12-13T21:52:00.003-05:002009-12-13T22:07:17.521-05:00

Sundays are, as you might imagine, very long days for pastors. Today I was at church for twelve hours. Some of those hours were really intense: leading worship, conducting interviews, teaching confirmation. Others were powerful: the service of Lessons and Carols was beautiful, and incredibly meaningful. But by the end of it, all I wanted to do was kick off my shoes and chill on the couch. I

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-70070022676615550532009-12-12T22:15:00.003-05:002010-01-06T20:07:44.672-05:00

I stayed in most of the day today to catch up on things here. I did chores, wrote prayers for tomorrow, wrapped some Christmas presents, and generally relaxed. So, my happy thought for the day is this: my Christmas tree with actual wrapped presents beneath it. It doesn't have a ton of ornaments on it (and none on the back!) but it still reminds me of my favorite Christmas memories. There are

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-43950889331156299432009-12-12T00:08:00.003-05:002009-12-12T00:44:03.096-05:00

This evening was a fantastic! I went out for dinner and the tacky light tour with our Director of Christian Education and two wonderful friends from church. We feasted, laughed, had great conversation, and got to see some incredible decorations.

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-48986445097458077482009-12-11T00:04:00.003-05:002009-12-11T00:14:34.727-05:00

Today I had a meeting of my provisional covenant group, and it was fantastic to get to share some laughs and some great conversation with my clergy friends. After a long drive home and two hours of hectically trying to catch up on the work I didn't get done earlier in the day, I took a break for a fantastic dinner with another clergy friend, followed by sharing a slice of cheesecake from the

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-30723707751943689282009-12-09T21:11:00.002-05:002009-12-09T21:17:18.101-05:00

I had a great time today making a gingerbread house with the girl I mentor. But because of child protection policies and stuff I couldn't take a picture of that. And I had lunch with a friend from out of town, but I didn't have my camera with me. So, I found myself at a friend's apartment at the end of the day, having not yet taken a picture of something that made me smile. Then I saw it:

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-28534112643598103222009-12-08T21:56:00.004-05:002010-01-06T20:05:20.243-05:00

The Minister of Visitation and the Minister of Missions apparently bought ties for the mission team a few years ago. The ties, which feature outlines of the Blues Brothers and the words "On a Mission from God", are AWESOME. Since we liked them so much, the guys gave them to me and to our new Director of Christian Ed. So, we showed them off by wearing them to Home Depot today. Then this

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-22394256005045013162009-12-07T23:42:00.002-05:002009-12-07T23:50:16.157-05:00

Today was all go-go-go, from the moment I woke up until about five minutes ago when I got home from a church event. The morning was stressful and I had moments when I nearly tore my hair out. The evening was awesome, I had a great time relaxing and laughing with a committee of hard working people I've been in ministry with this year. But for a brief moment between the workday and the evening

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-79731584958739815642009-12-06T23:28:00.002-05:002009-12-06T23:40:00.565-05:00

Today I led three worship services, taught a Sunday School Class, and put together a bunch of Christmas cards. If I could, I'd show a picture of the setup for the Blue Christmas Service, which was lovely, but I'm pretty sure pulling out a camera during that particular service wouldn't have been a good idea. So, here are some of the cards. I'm not done with all the ones I need to send yet, but

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-26309642827449132422009-12-05T16:28:00.004-05:002010-01-06T20:04:28.856-05:00

Granted, it hasn't snowed very much, and it hasn't accumulated at all, but it was nice to look out at the falling flakes while I cleaned, decorated, and did chores around the apartment!

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-2896152830758529092009-12-05T00:05:00.004-05:002010-01-06T20:04:09.819-05:00

This evening I had the opportunity to spend some time with two of my clergy friends. We broke bread together, talked and laughed around a warm fire, made S'mores, drank hot cider, and watched the Muppet Christmas Carol. It was a lovely break from all the work of Advent, and it was deeply relaxing. There's something about being in a safe space, sharing food and stories with people that sets my

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-3048022142012656422009-12-04T00:31:00.002-05:002010-04-10T13:58:36.284-04:00

Today was an incredibly long day, and I faced some unexpected setbacks in one of my major projects. Most unexpectedly, I spent the day talking with a building inspector and filling out building permits. So, by the end of my 12-hour day, I was exhausted and a bit grumpy. But a friend called and invited me out to see the Blind Side after my meeting. I'm reading the book, and so far I've really

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-72296326660304057422009-12-02T23:15:00.003-05:002010-01-06T20:03:04.880-05:00

I walked into the office this morning expecting an ordinary day. Then our office manager informed me that our church had become a disaster management center for the day. I had been told when I arrived that we are a Red Cross Disaster Center, that we take people in when crises occur and provide a place to stay, but I hadn't seen it in action before. I was amazed and extremely impressed. The

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-4432771013773004972009-12-01T23:51:00.003-05:002010-01-06T20:02:35.623-05:00

In his prayer during our staff meeting this morning our senior pastor referred to Advent as a "pregnant time". I love that imagery. It is a time when we are heavy with expectation, curious and excited about what is to come. It was also interesting timing, since this is a bit of a "pregnant time" for one of my big responsibilities at the church: a new emergent worship service. Part of my work

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-47456212813344700532009-11-30T23:18:00.002-05:002009-11-30T23:22:00.298-05:00

Our new Director of Christian Education turned her Charlie Brown-ish Christmas tree into a full, colorful masterpiece of decoration. Despite the Barbie pink, it made me smile!

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-15586455239676656382009-11-29T23:53:00.002-05:002009-11-29T23:59:08.483-05:00

As promised, I will be posting pictures each day of Advent. I'm off to a bit of a rough start, as I forgot to take my camera to several big events today. Fortunately, I remembered it when I went to a birthday celebration this evening, so I do have some happy pictures to choose from today. Today I found joy in the people at church, the excitement over our Advent Festival, and in spending time

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-66792636229587586082009-11-14T13:50:00.002-05:002010-01-06T20:00:40.753-05:00

A week ago, someone broke into my parents' house and robbed them. Someone smashed in their patio window, trashed their bedroom, and took my mom's jewelry and my dad's laptop. It was, ironically, the night before I was preaching about trusting in God rather than in money or physical security. When my dad called to tell me about it, I was floored. I've always believed that my parents' house,

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-72059383889640283572009-11-01T21:44:00.004-05:002009-11-01T23:41:32.055-05:00

One of my friends, a chaplain, started taking a picture every day of something that made her smile. She was working as a pediatric hospice chaplain, and taking the pictures helped her to remember the good gifts from God that were around her, even when everything seemed to be filled with darkness and tragedy. I've decided to copy her idea this year for advent. I've always loved advent, and

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-31099396697998847182009-10-12T20:17:00.006-04:002009-10-12T21:41:22.994-04:00

Last week I got to do chapel for the "School for Early Childhood Education" (translation: preschool) that is part of the church where I work. Before I get into this, I have to tell you that I have never been great with kids. I can handle them in small numbers, but working with children is not one of my best gifts, and in large numbers I find them very intimidating. So, I was a bit nervous when

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-28081638776105867772009-10-05T22:45:00.002-04:002009-10-05T23:07:44.683-04:00

I practice blowing bubbles as a meditative act. I know it's a strange habit for an adult, but I love it. It allows me to connect with beautiful memories of childhood. It takes me back to getting gradually soaked in sticky bubble solution as I spun around with my wand arm out so that I was surrounded in floating rainbows. It reminds me of stealing pans and dish detergent from the kitchen and

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-81356818648136653212009-09-26T22:12:00.003-04:002010-04-10T13:59:18.287-04:00

My view of the world is based upon a continually-changing set of theories. My way of thinking, my values, and the purpose of my actions are based on more solid, less changeable things, but the way I see the world is shifting constantly because of changing experiences and attitudes, and I like to formulate expendable theories based upon those shifting views. Here are a few of my more recent

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050499.post-86341498901054889672009-09-23T23:40:00.004-04:002009-09-24T09:38:21.826-04:00

Two weeks ago, I decided that fall had arrived. I turned off the air conditioning, threw open the windows, and breathed in the crisp air of an autumn evening. For the last fourteen days, I've smiled smugly to myself, thinking about how green I've been and how much I must be saving on my energy bills. But the summer decided to return for a last laugh, and tonight I found myself sprawled on top

Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12178056783902917733noreply@blogger.com0