Memorial Day

Yesterday, we sang a lovely hymn at church. The name of the hymn is: "This Is My Song." Here's the third verse (in the last 12 hours, I have fallen head-over-heels for the editing features of the online sites Picnik & Flickr). I pray your day is filled with wonderful memories and special moments.

Today, I learned how to increase the photo size on the blog!
Here are some nature photos I snapped while on a hike today.

Boyfriend Criteria.

Found this cute poster here: http://bedilia.tumblr.com/post/630334366/hehe
I like it a lot. My list wouldn't be "exactly" the same, but seeing this poster did inspire me to write my own "Top 10" qualities list.

Boys, boys, boys. Hmmm.

Holy Trinity

Good afternoon.
It's "Holy Trinity" Sunday! Are you celebrating by spending time outside? Hanging out with friends? :) I hope you're having a good Memorial Day weekend.

Interesting to note on this "Holy Trinity" Sunday that the word "Trinity" NEVER shows up in the Bible. Fascinating, eh? It's actually a theological term; a Greek form of it was first used by Theophilus around 170 AD. Or, it might have been a fellow named Tertullian.

Anyway, the Bible does mention these different parts of God (Father/Son/Holy Spirit - Creator/Redeemer/Sustainer). So early theologians wanted to articulate a word to describe the relationship between the three parts, so that's where "Trinity" came from.

The Trinity is SUPER mysterious, but also very intruiging.

On this special Sunday, I invite you to take a few moments and ponder:
*With which part of the Trinity to you feel most connected?
*How do you think the various parts of the Trinity interact?
*What significance does the Trinity have on the world today?
*What language for the various parts of the Trinity is most helpful to you?

Have a lovely afternoon!

New hair, new hair. :)

Prepare yourself, time for some Emily pictures!
I had a great time at the salon today getting my new hair.
My stylist and new friend, Heather, talked me through all kinds of colors, cuts, and styles.
2.5 hours later, ta-da! We modeled my cut off of this cut:

Summary of a heavenly day.

The special day off has arrived.
So far, all of its hours have been glorious.
A heavenly day off.
I am feeling internal peace and gratitude.
MUCH less chaotic.
First, I stayed up very late last night cleaning.
Then, I slept in this morning. After that,

I watched an episode of "Northern Exposure" that I got through Netflix. Someone told me they thought I'd like it, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I'm all caught up on episodes of Breaking Bad and Mad Men (my favorites), so now I'll have about a YEAR until their current seasons come out on DVD. Then,


I engaged in one of my VERY favorite life activities. Sun-sitting. I caught up on my magazines. And then took one of my very best girlfriends on a date. Don't you remember, her? She's so classy! We had fun in the sun. And,

then we wrote a love letter to my day off.

With the pastor insurance I have, there's a special program where I can earn "wellness dollars" for making good health choices. Once a month, a lovely lady named Peggy calls and we talk about my fruit and vegetable consumption. Peggy called at 11:50am today. We only have one more chat, and then I won't have any more wellness dollars to earn. I'll miss Peggy. Our chats only last about 5 minutes. This month, I had to confess that I'm mostly eating Grape-nuts, oatmeal, and granola bars. She said, "Do you have any ideas for how to improve that?" I said, "Well Peggy, I think that I could take time to pack a container of fruits and veggies in the morning and have them with me all day." Peggy said, "That's a great idea Emily." I should really do that. Here's my love letter.

I also ate copious amounts of my very favorite snack. Almond crackers and hummus. Yum!

And then I FINALLY completed this assignment, and wrote a short story.

Have a magnificent weekend, beloveds. I adore that you've been commenting more lately; thanks for posting them. Feel free to post comments all the time!

Still thinking, and thinking

Hello friends.

Thanks for the haircut feedback. I'm still thinking about what the best hair option might be.

I have an appointment on Saturday. It's a "consultation" and then if I want, I can get a haircut/color after that. Adventure....

It's currently about 10pm, and I'm now starting my DAY OFF! :) :) :) :) :) :)

I'm going to drink a glass of wine while cleaning my house for the rest of the evening.

Some little ants seem to have found their way into my bathroom, so I'll need to remedy that situation.

Also, I haven't vacuumed or scrubbed any floors for quite some time.

I've been thinking this week about sacred encounters. God moments.
Oftentimes, I catch myself thinking about a God moment I had in early February. It was just a stranger smiling - across a room, but it has stuck with me for the last 4 months. Today, as I ate packaged cookies and drank awful coffee with the most amazing 95-year-old lady I've ever met, I felt God's presence right THERE. Her perspectives and insights, her vulnerability and authenticity - it was like chatting with the Holy Spirit. A few days ago, I watched this little worm wiggling around in the dark soil of my garden, and it was like a little glimpse into forever.

It's amazing how God pops up. Here and there and everywhere.

It really gets me thinking.

Trees & New Hair?

(photo taken yesterday at that meeting I went to)

I stumbled across this beautiful poem today.

"The Trees" by Philip Larkin

The trees are coming into leaf
Like something almost being said;
The recent buds relax and spread,
Their greenness is a kind of grief.

Is it that they are born again
And we grow old? No, they die too,
Their yearly trick of looking new
Is written down in rings of grain.

Yet still the unresting castles thresh
In fullgrown thickness every May.
Last year is dead, they seem to say,
Begin afresh, afresh, afresh.

Also, I am considering this haircut and color. Or just the color. Or just the cut. Or neither.
I'm just feeling like I might need something new in my life.
Maybe I should just make an extra payment on my student loans.
Or, maybe I should go for it.
Thoughts? Suggestions? It seems like a cute, flattering haircut - good for the summer season. I've never had my hair that short. Also, I don't "exactly" have the same lovely face as this gal. :)

In other news, the baccalaureate service at the high school went GREAT tonight. I got to preach for all the seniors and their families and friends. It was fun. Oh, to be 18 again...

Photo Lunch Break

Today I spent part of the morning at a required workshop.

It was fairly helpful. The topic was "Healthy Boundaries." All new pastors and new church staff members are required to go.

The leader said: "In some ways, it is the young, single pastors who have the most difficult time."

He was talking about how difficult it can be for young, single pastors to date/develop a social life/etc.

So, I'm not sure how encouraging that part of the conversation really was. Mostly it just made me feel slightly more terrible than I already do about being a "young, single pastor." So, to heal my grief, I used my lunch break to roam around and take pictures of the facilities.

Look! A turkey! Right by the street!

YIKES!

Read this, and look at the pictures. :( Terrible, terrible. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_sc2199

I haven't had regular television for about 2 months now (my converter box went out), so I often don't have the best idea of what's going on in the world. I can't believe I didn't recognize just how big of a deal this oil spill is!!!!!

Monday Morning Reflections

Good morning, folks.
It's a new week - what are you most excited about?
The warm weather?
Do you have a big roadtrip this weekend?
Are you eager to drink a gigantic cup of coffee this morning?

My favorite musician, Andrew Belle, released a new download a few days ago on Itunes. It's "In My Veins" and I definitely recommend it.

I started the morning with some quality garden time. Those inches of soil and new life have become my sanctuary. I wake up thinking about the garden. I go to sleep thinking about the garden. I'm sure that's probably semi-obsessive. But mostly I just love that space. I love how being in the garden calms me down and forces me to look up-close at lots of tiny details. Strangely, I think the garden has been where I feel most myself lately. No self-judgment or self-doubt. No worry. No fear. Just a sense of peace and some small tasks to keep my heart and mind occupied.

There's another funeral at church today. Praying my heart will exude compassion, love, and hope. For the other parts of today and tonight, I'm praying for energy, enthusiasm, and joy.

Are you ready for this new week?

What is the #1 thing you are MOST looking forward to? (Mine = FRIDAY; sleep-in, watch Breaking Bad, read, cook a lot, relax, laugh) Your turn!

"Do not mourn like those who have no hope." - C.S. Lewis

Pentecost, Pentecost.

Greetings. Happy day of PENTECOST! It's so fun to say that word! I had the kids say it a bunch of times during the Children's Sermon this morning at church.

On the day of Pentecost, we wear red and celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit.

I'm especially happy about Pentecost this year because I've been noticing just how much the Holy Spirit really is at work in this world lately! I really should pay attention to the Holy Spirit more often! She is so lovely and powerful!

I love the idea of a God that comes to us, that God is living and breathing and moving among us - thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit.

Worship this morning was splendid. I made a little goof at the beginning of the service, but that's okay! Everyone makes mistakes now and then, right? Plus, it made everyone laugh. And there few things more healthy than a good, quality laugh - especially at the expense of a silly, new pastor, right? :)

People were so happy on their way out of church this morning. It was fun to see their smiles. One person said: "You are always smiling." Another said: "It feels so good to laugh." Truthfully, I am not always smiling and laughing, but I do really enjoy those activities. So I'll try to keep incorporating them into most hours of the day.

Smiling and laughing.

This week is another big, busy one at church. Praying for strength, energy, happiness - and LOTS AND LOTS of smiles and laughter. (Also, I will have Friday off and I'm quite enthralled about that.)

Happy Pentecost to you! I hope you find a way to incorporate some red into your day and celebrate the Holy Spirit!

Nothing is wasted.

Today at church there was a funeral for a fantastic man.
The Holy Spirit was blowing all day; it was beautiful to see God working in the midst of grief, showering people with hope.

I came across this poem today. It's "Life After Death" by Laura Gilpin.

These things I know:
How the living go on living
and how the dead go on living with them
so that in a forest
even a dead tree casts a shadow
and the leaves fall one by one
and the branches break in the wind
and the bark peels off slowly
and the trunk cracks
and the rain seeps in through the cracks
and the trunk falls to the round
and the moss covers it
and in the spring the rabbits find it
and build their nest
inside the dead tree
so that nothing is wasted in nature
or in love.

For a plethora of reasons, this poem is speaking volumes to my heart tonight.
It is a reminder of the interconnectedness of all of creation.

"Nothing is wasted in nature or in love."

That is a beautiful sentiment. I want to believe it is true.
And so, I choose - here and now - to believe.

"Nothing is wasted in nature or in love."

So we might as well love, right? Waste not, want not - as they say.

Every second is a sacred second.

Graduation Memory Lane

Youngsik, Yoojin, Eunbhin, Yoojin's Mom

My dear friend, Paul.



Lovely, wonderful Joy.




The fam.

I just took a little trip down memory lane.
I can't believe seminary graduation was just over a year ago. TIME FLIES.

Truly! Looking at these pictures makes me VERY nostalgic for Chicago.
Looking at these pictures also makes me VERY thankful for the Chicago years;
those years formed me into who I am becoming, and they equipped me for ministry.

Thank you Chicago, thank you friends and family, thank you God.

I am one year post-grad school.
Wow. When all these pictures were taken I had NO IDEA where I was going to end up.
I had no idea when I'd get a call. I was living in limbo land.
And now, here I am, at my desk - in my house - in this adorable Minnesota town.
Life is so peculiar and surprising, unpredictable and glorious.

How exciting it is to imagine what the next year will hold.

Seize the day. Carpe diem. Take a great big life-gulp and swallow all these beautiful moments.

Life Lessons

I just found this picture randomly on my computer.
It's from a fiesta we had at church last fall.
Some church leaders came up to Minnesota from Mexico to visit for a few days.
It's a treat to discover forgotten photos.

Here are some life lessons I learned today:
-It is incredibly healthy and life-giving to laugh with gusto
-Church administration is important
-Friends are miracles
-Miracles are friends
-God likes surprises
-The book of Acts is AMAZING
-Even though I try to be good, I LOVE junkfood

A Thought for Today

To always be intending to live a new life, but never find time to set about it - this is as if a man should put off eating and drinking from one day to another till he be starved and destroyed.

~Walter Scott

Things I love about today:

-An hour in a kindergarten classroom. We worked on numbers today. One little gal exclaimed (many, many times), "I just LOVE the number 8."

-Watering the plants in my garden (sprouts are up).

-14 hours at work, and all of them were quite meaningful and positive.

-Eating Grape-Nuts for breakfast and lunch, and then oatmeal for dinner.

-Text messages (always so day-brightening)

-The Health & Wellness Team met for the first time at church! :) We are going to come up with a really awesome name for our team SOON!

-Pineapple

Your turn, my beloveds. What did you love today?

Healthy and Whole: The Short Story

This week's assignment:

Write a short story.

I'm really going to attempt to complete this assignment, too.
The length of the story is totally up to you! 2 sentences, 2 pages, 2 chapters.
Whatever you prefer.

Life updates:
Where to begin?

There was a junior high lock-in at church from Friday-Saturday morning.
It was unique. Actually, someday I will write a longer post on this experience.
It made me think a lot about the challenges of being 14 and middle class in the United States these days. In some ways, they are kids of total privilege. Cell phones. Independence. Access to so much knowledge and educational opportunities. In other ways, they face real concerns. They are exposed to so much - and I am worried about their communication skills.

Anyway, I will someday write more about today's youth. I love them. I really do. I am thankful to have a job where I work with young people.

I just suddenly feel especially concerned about them.

In other news: another week of run-run-running is ahead. Hoping for moments of peace here and there.

Also: I should probably never allow myself to develop crushes. I might want to consider some version of Lutheran nunery.

In still other news: The garden seems to be doing well.


Have a lovely start to this new week.
Don't forget your short story.

Song Worth Downloading: "Single Girls" by Laura Jansen
Here's the music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-479ojoLgxg

I think the lyrics are delightful.

Why I Love Japanese Snack Foods...

I love Japanese snack foods.

I love them for many reasons.

They are tasty. They are generally fairly low in calories.

And, best of all, many of them contain random assortments of English words.

I ate the snack pictured above earlier today. And it was like eating a little slice of heaven.
Yum.

Food of the Week: Chives

Do you ever eat chives? So far, my own garden of chives is quite sparse, but I did add some to an omelet the other day, and it was delicious!

Chives are filled with vitamins, nutrients, and flavor.

I encourage you to stop on over to your local farmer's market and pick some up.

Do you have a favorite recipe that uses chives? Please share!

Vanity of Vanities

Today's vanities are all experiential. I hope you'll join me in listing a few of your own in the comments. I adore reading your comments! Today, I'm longing for....

1. A chance to play piano with my Grandma Verona again (she passed away in 2002).

2. A trip to India with my little brother.

3. A family reunion with all sides of my family hanging out, laughing, and reconnecting.

4. A sushi date with Jake Gyllenhall, my future husband (isn't it time we meet)?

5. A musical jam session with the adorable band Pomplamoose (seriously considering getting a slightly altered version of the girl's haircut).
http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic


Your turn! Please comment with an "experience" you'd love to have this week....

People Are Interesting: Rachel Saldana

Today's interesting person is a highly creative photographer & mom. Her name is Rachel Saldana and she is the creator of the blog: buttons magee (so fun, check it out)!

1. Where do you feel most comfortable? I feel comfortable pretty much anywhere, but I would have to say in my home. I just love being at home.

2. Describe your average day in one word. chauffer

3. Who are the people who most inspire you? My other artist friends- they continually push me to be better.

4. What do you love about your work? Well, as a mom I love seeing those big growth moments in my children...the ones where you can tell they are really absorbing something essential to life like compassion and empathy. As a photographer, I love how taking pictures forces me to slow down and really see those glints of greatness in the small moments.

5. What is your most beloved hobby? I am lucky that my hobby and my work are one and the same- photography. But I also love to paint.

6. What are you reading? Zorro by Isabel Allende, one of my favorite writers. Her take on this legendary character is magical.

7. What is the best advice you've ever received? "Just be yourself. If you knew how seldom people actually think about you, you wouldn't worry so much about their opinions." I have seen so many people miss out on great stuff because they are so worried they are going to look silly. I say, jump in with both feet. Who cares if people laugh? You are the one who will leave feeling terrific.

8. What movie or television show do you think everyone should be required to watch? Gosh, I don't think there is any movie or tv show that you should have to see in order for you life to be complete. But I do think it's crazy that people don't go back and watch movies that were before their time.

A Few Weeks of Randomness

Hello team. How is your Monday going?

My life and brain are at maximum capacity for the next few weeks, so my blogging will be more random. I hope to post daily, but it will probably be more haphazard and less focused on the daily themes. More photos; probably less words.

If you happen to be a person interested in prayer, I'd truly appreciate a prayer or two on my behalf.

Please pray that I can persevere through a challenging work schedule and stay positive. I am on the verge of tears just thinking about the pace. I know that things will improve, or maybe God will help me adapt to this context and 70-hour-week-lifestyle.

Thanks for listening. I wouldn't trade this job for the world. I love it, love it, love it. I could list at least 15 wonderful things that happened today. Really and truly, I do love this job. I just get overwhelmed sometimes. Especially around 9pm when I get home. I should just go straight to bed and avoid the crabby reflectiveness. :)

There will be balance eventually. And it is my prayer that I can find a way to experience inner balance and peace no matter what. Because pastors are supposed to be externally AND internally balanced and peaceful and joyful and thankful. I feel like I'm a lot better at having those qualities externally, but then internally I feel bananas and tired.

I think that this struggle I'm describing is true for a lot of you - certainly not just pastors. Teachers. Social workers. Office managers. Moms. Small business owners. Dads. Writers.

We all struggle to exude balance and peace and joy in the midst of challenges and busy schedules.

We can do this - team! We really can. We are going to be okay. We are going to be more than okay. We are going to be healthy and happy and balanced.

Want to join me?

Love,
Em

Healthy and Whole: A New Week

You're all so fabulous that I'm giving you multiple "Healthy and Whole" assignments this week!

#1. Watch this amazing music video to my new favorite Earth, Wind & Fire song: "September"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xycnv87N_BU
#2. Notice the back (and often underappreciated) part of a flower.

#3. Give your plants or flowers funny names.

#4. Watch at least one sunset this week.