Bread for the road and evicting the gremlin

I found this quote on a board in the dorm I'm staying in this weekend - who would have thought

that Joan Chittister would meet me here and greet me, just when I needed it the most.

St. Benedict's is a Benedictine Monastery that I visit regularly and it just so happens to be her home community. Coincidence - I think not. :) Here is a short video clip to see what kind of ministry these amazing ladies are active in every day...

Bread to take with me...

This week I'm in Dubuque, Iowa at Wartburg Theological Seminary for a weekend of intensive study in the area of Lutheran Worship. The work week has already been very full after a fun overnight with the Shared Lutheran Confirmation Youth on retreat, planning for an upcoming Youth Sunday, and getting ready to hit the road, and air today at 4am to head west to Wartburg. This bread may not be well thought out, but these things are the ones I take with me for the adventure ahead - I hope this "quick bread" is a blessing to you as well.

There have been many references back to last weeks' bread to "Keep, toss and donate" since last week's

Sleeping with Bread. I've had a few opportunities to share it as a devotional prompt and have been thankful that it has resonated with some folks. That in itself has been some good bread for me.

What I've continued to leave behind is the nagging feeling of not quite making the cut in some academic terms. No one has told me this, except the gremlin in the back of my brain. But that nagging has held me somewhat captive in taking steps to write, read, and move forward on some school assignments this week. I know I need to press on, and will - but naming this gremlin just might be helpful in requesting it's quick exit.

There are some other amazing encouraging people out there: folks from Cohort B and C from the Princeton Seminary Youth Ministry Certificate Program. This group of folks have been and continue to be bread in my life in so many ways. My family has been fantastic. They have worked out work schedules, made meals, bought laundry soap and put up with my occasional grumpiness about what "Needs to be done!" Oh my, what a drama queen going back to school can make me at times. They are good at keeping the "queendom" rolling along.

For the last few weeks, a small group of folks have been meeting at lunch time once a week for conversation, scripture reading and discussion of moments where we take notice of God's presence and work in our lives and the lives of others. This sharing - especially the time of prayer has been uplifting to my heart.

What bread are you carrying with you this week? Can you pack it into a carry-on easily? Is it giving you life?

Can I give you a suggestion?

Image found at Bing Images

If you have a gremlin on board as a stow-away, tell him to make a quick exit prior to reaching 30,000 feet - or else!

Grace and (A little gremlin booting) Peace,

SWB: Claustrophobia and clearings

Mary Lue shared her host post on business and rest for this weeks Sleeping with Bread Examen. Her words resonated with me in the fact that due to a significant staff change at my office, there is more work to be done and my plate is feeling fuller lately. There have been more meetings, and lots of talking and planning. For the most part, I've felt much more connected to people since I've become more involved in this way, but oddly when I'm done for the day or night - I find myself in need of some quiet. Maybe I'm still sorting and planning in the back of my mind, but silence (even my own) is something I find myself being more and more drawn too. It's like the extra noise, both internal and external, makes me feel claustrophobic . A few days after Christmas, I went into a game store with my son and was overwhelmed by all the noise and activity there. The store was tiny but filled with kids and their parents vying for their video game of choice. My head felt hot, my

Sunny and rainy day friends

There are two kinds of friends in the world: Sunny day friends and rainy day friends. This is a statement that my Mom used to remind me of when I was in the midst of drama or conflict with one school friend of another. There are lots of people that we define as friends, but they are really acquaintances. Two men were out hunting in the northern U.S. Suddenly one yelled and the other looked up to see a grizzly charging them. The first started to frantically put on his tennis shoes and his friend anxiously asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know you can't outrun a grizzly bear?" "I don't have to outrun a grizzly. I just have to outrun you!" This story is funny, but it does help define the distinct difference between a rainy day friend and a sunny day friend. The sunny-day-friend is more concerned with watching out for their own health and wellness, than their friends' wellbeing. On the other hand, a rainy day friend is willing to take risks, work fo

What Summer Camp Means to Me...

I was around six-years-old when I first went to sleep-away summer camp. At the time I lived in PA and the camp (through my church) was in Ohio. All school year, I attended Sunday School faithfully partially because regular attendance allowed my family scholarships to help with the cost of Summer Camp. Over the school year, I attended most Sunday's and by the end of the year, my little coupon book was full of stamps - providing me with a scholarship to attend a camp session. I provide this background on how I first got to go to camp, because it is an essential part of explaining what Summer Camp meant (and means) to me. Going away to Summer Camp gave me a whole new experience of community. The whole process of going to and attending was the first times I experienced, "it takes a village", personally. From the Sunday School Teachers who drove a sedan full of kids to Ohio, to the counselors and staff who supported new campers: through the first 48 hours of homesickness

Uphill idealist

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