Uphill idealist

Is a gem you need to watch soon. It's about: dignity, courage, and hope. If you need a little of any of those things, watch this film.

Here is the shirt logo that I created for this year's Youth Convo coming up in June. The Convo shirts have "Convo 2011" on them, but I've had some outside requests for this artwork. Let me know if you are interested in the graphic. Have a happy art-filled day! Tara

Image from Wikipedia. If I could knit, I'd knit a sweater out of the things I'm thankful for. I'd wear that sweater in all kinds of weather. If it was hot, I'd think of the clean water I have to drink. If it was cold, I'd think of the layers of clothing I have to put under my thankfulness sweater. If I was hungry, I'd think of how thankful I'd be for a healthy body that can metabolize food. If I was hurting, I'd think of the loving people in my life and take their affirming words and actions to wrap around me. Keeping my mind in a place of thankfulness is often not as easy a putting on a sweater when I'm chilly. In fact there have been some chills this last week that are making it hard to think I'll ever feel warm again. But this image of a thankfulness sweater is one that has captured my imagination - and so I'm beginning to think of doing some knitting. I'll need some directions, some lessons and even a pattern for this thankfulness sw...

Image from Cool Clips For the last year I've been in the process of continuing studies in the area of Youth Ministry and Theology with Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey. In the last year, I've traveled to NJ three times and each time I come home with new ideas, knowledge and my heart filled to the brim with encouragement. There is a challenge in keeping to the practice of study is in the pace and challenge of everyday life, but for now PTS's: Certificate in Youth Ministry and Theology is just the right fit. Allowing time and space for growth and learning is very important to me. As a non-traditional adult student throughout my associate and bachelors studies, I developed a love of having a period of time to absorb, muddle through and come to an internalization of new concepts.That kind of time and space helps things to settle and the learning to move past being information in your head to something that truly becomes a part of your entire being. For me, learnin...

For the last year, I've been taking continuing studies in youth and theology with Princeton Theological Seminary's Youth Department. That may sound all proper and studious - and let me tell you I'm learning a great deal; but I have to say I'm incredibly blessed with the sense of family and community that has grown from this group as well. These writings are my first impressions last April...More to come on that soon. Thank you PTS for being the fresh breath of air, that cool splash of water, that dear comforting embrace and gently nudge to take that next unseen step into...God know what! There poems are for you, for my cohorts - and for the G-d that brings us all together! Blessings... Tara Cohort Community The meals shared too many to count... Just like T.S. Eliot - "My life is measured in coffee spoons." - or in my case, tea. So much laughter, questions, nerves and chatter - until we relax in the space of that moment and before we know it we become frien...

"The fact that a problem will certainly take a long time to solve, and that it will demand the attention of many minds for several generations, is no justification for postponing the study."

Image from 123RF One of my favorite smells in the world is freshly baked bread. When I was little, my family and I lived with a neighbor as my dad was in the process of building our new home. Estella, our neighbor and close family friend, would bake all the time. So, when I got off the bus from school each day, it was a regular occurrence for me to have freshly baked snacks to eat. Sometimes she would make cookies, sometimes apple turn overs, but more often than not, Estella would bake bread. The smell of the bread would travel through her house and waft out the windows and doors to beacon me inside when I returned home from school. The fragrance of fresh-baked bread led me to a safe, warm, kitchen after a long day at school. My traveling feet found a place to rest in Estella's kitchen. Estella's bread had a way of resetting my heart and mind on good things, even after a hard day. In the account of Jesus on the road to Emmaus, two of his followers are traveling along the road. ...