We need to understand that the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia will be a lose-lose situation!
Here's a good video that helps explain the situation:
Profits for Them, Destruction for Us
Monday, June 20, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
I'm on Fi-ya!
Sunday morning I woke up and put on an orange shirt. It could probably be classified in the "burnt orange" category, which meant I was the recipient of much heckling from the Buffs fans at church. An oversight on my part. I fully deserved the heckling.
Why did I wear (burnt) orange? Not to show my loyalty to the UT Longhorns, though I admit they rank higher in my list than the CU Buffs. No, this outfit choice had nothing to do with sports. It had everything to do with Pentecost, one of the most under appreciated days in our liturgical calendar.
It's true, Pentecost Sunday is overshadowed by Christmas and Easter. It's as though Pentecost is the red-headed stepchild of the liturgical days. Which is funny because our tradition encourages wearing red on this day :) But most people couldn't even tell you the approximate time of year for this special Sunday. I find this very unfortunate because this day has so much potential!
Most churches experience a lull in attendance and activity in the summer. Not very helpful for boosting Pentecost's cause. And so I propose a change to the liturgical calendar. How about we push Pentecost up to September? I realize the Bible says the Holy Spirit came to the followers of Christ 50 days after the resurrection. The word itself even means "50th day." But we Christians are known for fudging dates in history. After all, Jesus was not really born on December 25th and his death probably didn't happen in Spring. We just love to tweak our special days to compete with those pagans.
So why not celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in September, when there is much hubbub around going back to school and getting back into the swing of things? I think this would create a space for proper celebration of the Holy Spirit. As our pastor said on Sunday, the church is still the greatest hope for the broken world. If we truly want to live into that calling, we should move Pentecost from the lazy days of summer to the high energy days of Autumn. Or would that be too much for us "frozen chosen" Presbyterians?
Why did I wear (burnt) orange? Not to show my loyalty to the UT Longhorns, though I admit they rank higher in my list than the CU Buffs. No, this outfit choice had nothing to do with sports. It had everything to do with Pentecost, one of the most under appreciated days in our liturgical calendar.
It's true, Pentecost Sunday is overshadowed by Christmas and Easter. It's as though Pentecost is the red-headed stepchild of the liturgical days. Which is funny because our tradition encourages wearing red on this day :) But most people couldn't even tell you the approximate time of year for this special Sunday. I find this very unfortunate because this day has so much potential!
Most churches experience a lull in attendance and activity in the summer. Not very helpful for boosting Pentecost's cause. And so I propose a change to the liturgical calendar. How about we push Pentecost up to September? I realize the Bible says the Holy Spirit came to the followers of Christ 50 days after the resurrection. The word itself even means "50th day." But we Christians are known for fudging dates in history. After all, Jesus was not really born on December 25th and his death probably didn't happen in Spring. We just love to tweak our special days to compete with those pagans.
So why not celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in September, when there is much hubbub around going back to school and getting back into the swing of things? I think this would create a space for proper celebration of the Holy Spirit. As our pastor said on Sunday, the church is still the greatest hope for the broken world. If we truly want to live into that calling, we should move Pentecost from the lazy days of summer to the high energy days of Autumn. Or would that be too much for us "frozen chosen" Presbyterians?
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The Most Boring Job Ever
This summer I chose to take some time off from classes in order to regroup and relax. I may have shot myself in the foot for that because now I can't graduate on time, but whatevs. Unlike undergrad when I raced through to save money, I'm looking at seminary as a blessing which needn't be rushed. I also realize I need to stop and rest before reaching burnout. So, I'm currently enjoying some time in Colorado, playing in the mountains and hanging out with my folks. Oh, and I picked up a part time job because Weavers are apparently incapable of relaxing completely.
I've had some weird jobs in my life, but my current place of employment has got to top them all. From 5:30-10:30pm, Monday through Friday, I sit at a computer and grade standardized tests. Jealous yet? Let me give you a taste of what this job entails and maybe you'll grow green with envy. Probably not, but let's find out.
At 5:20, I pull into the parking lot and look for the perfect spot which will enable an easy getaway at the end of the night. When 300 people leave a building at the same time, things can get sticky so it's important to be strategic. Then, I slip that green badge over my neck and head inside. I enter the room with 300 IBM ThinkCentres at 25 stations, a sight that is a bit overwhelming. I greet the coworkers at my station, 12 other enthused test graders. I know a few of their names and some minor details about them. That's about all. Pretty sure this is the most impersonal job I've experienced. I didn't even know who my supervisor was until the end of the first shift.
I log onto the computer and take a qualifier test - we must properly grade 3 out of 5 tests in order to stay. If we don't pass that test we go home and can come back the next night. Then the grading begins. We're currently working on 5th grade math, grading one problem at a time. We've been at it for three nights so far and haven't yet finished the 72,000 tests. Daunting, no? The test provides a graph and the students had to answer three questions about Jessica and her water tank. They are scored on a 4 point scale, as laid out in a grading rubric. The tests have all been scanned into the computer, so all we have to do is read them, determine the grade and click "score." Over and over and over.
Occasionally we'll get an exam with a bit of humor. Last night I graded one that had a short story about how Jessica could never drink all 300 gallons of water in one day. Then I got one about how many fish could fit into the tank. My coworkers and I usually share these with each other because we've found that laughing about them helps the time pass. I've noticed other stations aren't as chatty and we've been shushed a few times. We don't care, we're the fun table.
I can't guarantee I'll have any funny stories to share about this job, since it is the most boring job I've ever had. But if one comes up, I'll be sure to post it.
I've had some weird jobs in my life, but my current place of employment has got to top them all. From 5:30-10:30pm, Monday through Friday, I sit at a computer and grade standardized tests. Jealous yet? Let me give you a taste of what this job entails and maybe you'll grow green with envy. Probably not, but let's find out.
At 5:20, I pull into the parking lot and look for the perfect spot which will enable an easy getaway at the end of the night. When 300 people leave a building at the same time, things can get sticky so it's important to be strategic. Then, I slip that green badge over my neck and head inside. I enter the room with 300 IBM ThinkCentres at 25 stations, a sight that is a bit overwhelming. I greet the coworkers at my station, 12 other enthused test graders. I know a few of their names and some minor details about them. That's about all. Pretty sure this is the most impersonal job I've experienced. I didn't even know who my supervisor was until the end of the first shift.
I log onto the computer and take a qualifier test - we must properly grade 3 out of 5 tests in order to stay. If we don't pass that test we go home and can come back the next night. Then the grading begins. We're currently working on 5th grade math, grading one problem at a time. We've been at it for three nights so far and haven't yet finished the 72,000 tests. Daunting, no? The test provides a graph and the students had to answer three questions about Jessica and her water tank. They are scored on a 4 point scale, as laid out in a grading rubric. The tests have all been scanned into the computer, so all we have to do is read them, determine the grade and click "score." Over and over and over.
Occasionally we'll get an exam with a bit of humor. Last night I graded one that had a short story about how Jessica could never drink all 300 gallons of water in one day. Then I got one about how many fish could fit into the tank. My coworkers and I usually share these with each other because we've found that laughing about them helps the time pass. I've noticed other stations aren't as chatty and we've been shushed a few times. We don't care, we're the fun table.
I can't guarantee I'll have any funny stories to share about this job, since it is the most boring job I've ever had. But if one comes up, I'll be sure to post it.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Hell's Angel
I cut this guy off in the parking lot. I didn't mean to, honest. It was one of those moments where my brain just wasn't working. After all, every other time I've pulled into that parking lot it has been deserted. But today he was there, hoping to pull in to the spot I nabbed. I felt like an idiot and I was ready for him to come over and yell at me. I made it inside the store before he got out of his car and I hoped to make a quick getaway, avoiding him and his anger. I got in line at the cash register and wouldn't you know it, he got in line right behind me. My heart started to race as I braced myself for the lecture that was to come. But he didn't lecture me. I was taken aback when he inquired about my ink, a stained glass tattoo on my left wrist inspired by a window in my church's sanctuary. He told me it was lovely and then asked me about my church.
We chatted about my church and about tattoos. He said he went to a shop in town for his latest ink. I asked him what he got and he hesitated, finally admitting that he's in the Hell's Angels gang. Perhaps he expected me to start witnessing to him, encouraging him to repent and turn to Jesus. I didn't do that. Instead I told him I've heard a lot of things about Hell's Angels and I've always thought they were judged too harshly in our society. His face lit up and he said his wife used to go church and she always kept him in line. He said he's only been to church a few times and when he did go, the people in the pews ignored him and only interacted with their friends. I winced at this statement. So painful and so true. The church, which is supposed to be welcoming to all, is often guilty of making people feel unwelcome. I told him he'd be welcome at my church anytime and that he could sit next to me if he liked. I told him his wife would be welcome too, but he then told me that she died five years ago. He said they had been married 40 years and she was the love of his life.
I imagine this man lives a lonely life now that his wife is gone. I also imagine he's received a lot of judgement from those who follow Christ. I don't know if I'll see this man on Sunday morning. I hope I do. I'd like to be friends and I'd like to know what his name is.
We chatted about my church and about tattoos. He said he went to a shop in town for his latest ink. I asked him what he got and he hesitated, finally admitting that he's in the Hell's Angels gang. Perhaps he expected me to start witnessing to him, encouraging him to repent and turn to Jesus. I didn't do that. Instead I told him I've heard a lot of things about Hell's Angels and I've always thought they were judged too harshly in our society. His face lit up and he said his wife used to go church and she always kept him in line. He said he's only been to church a few times and when he did go, the people in the pews ignored him and only interacted with their friends. I winced at this statement. So painful and so true. The church, which is supposed to be welcoming to all, is often guilty of making people feel unwelcome. I told him he'd be welcome at my church anytime and that he could sit next to me if he liked. I told him his wife would be welcome too, but he then told me that she died five years ago. He said they had been married 40 years and she was the love of his life.
I imagine this man lives a lonely life now that his wife is gone. I also imagine he's received a lot of judgement from those who follow Christ. I don't know if I'll see this man on Sunday morning. I hope I do. I'd like to be friends and I'd like to know what his name is.
Monday, May 2, 2011
What To Do With Enemies
Yesterday U.S. troops killed Osama Bin Laden. Today I wear black in mourning.
I mourn for this false sense of justice that the American people have. The troops were sent to kill a man. Not to capture him. To kill him. The notion of putting him on trial to prove his guilt was not an option here.
I mourn for the woman who was used as a human shield. She died in the incident.
I mourn for the one who had to pull the trigger, shooting Bin Laden in the eye.
I mourn for those who think that this death will bring peace.
I mourn for the people in the streets of New York, in front of the White House and at a baseball game who let out shouts of joy at the news.
I turn to Scripture to seek answers.
Matthew 5:44-45: "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous."
Proverbs 24:17-18: "Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them."
Ezekiel 18:23: “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live."
Matthew 5:38: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."
Luke 6:37: "Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
Killing Osama was the easy way out. It's easier to pull a trigger than it is to look our enemy in the eyes and discern what is just. The conflict does not end with his death. If anything, it perpetuates the brokenness of humanity.
I mourn for this false sense of justice that the American people have. The troops were sent to kill a man. Not to capture him. To kill him. The notion of putting him on trial to prove his guilt was not an option here.
I mourn for the woman who was used as a human shield. She died in the incident.
I mourn for the one who had to pull the trigger, shooting Bin Laden in the eye.
I mourn for those who think that this death will bring peace.
I mourn for the people in the streets of New York, in front of the White House and at a baseball game who let out shouts of joy at the news.
I turn to Scripture to seek answers.
Matthew 5:44-45: "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous."
Proverbs 24:17-18: "Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them."
Ezekiel 18:23: “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live."
Matthew 5:38: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."
Luke 6:37: "Do not judge and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
Killing Osama was the easy way out. It's easier to pull a trigger than it is to look our enemy in the eyes and discern what is just. The conflict does not end with his death. If anything, it perpetuates the brokenness of humanity.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Psalm for the Survivor
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. I thought about posting some statistics about how prevalent child abuse is in our nation and world, but instead I will make this statement: the abuse of even one child is too much abuse.
Yesterday I meditated on Psalm 5 which was in the lectionary. I decided to rewrite it to reflect those who have survived child abuse.
Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my sighing.
Listen to the sound of my cry,
my Love and my God,
for to you I pray.
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you and watch.
For you are not a God who delights in sexual abuse;
evil will not sojourn with you.
The perpetrators will not stand before your eyes;
you hate all molestation.
You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the predators and deceitful.
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you.
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemy,
make straight my path.
For there is no truth in his mouth;
his heart is destruction;
his throat an open grave;
he flatters with his tongue.
Make him bear his guilt, O God;
let him fall by his own counsel;
because of his many transgressions, cast him out,
for he has rebelled against you.
But let all abuse survivors take refuge in you and rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them,
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.
Amen.
Yesterday I meditated on Psalm 5 which was in the lectionary. I decided to rewrite it to reflect those who have survived child abuse.
Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my sighing.
Listen to the sound of my cry,
my Love and my God,
for to you I pray.
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you and watch.
For you are not a God who delights in sexual abuse;
evil will not sojourn with you.
The perpetrators will not stand before your eyes;
you hate all molestation.
You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the predators and deceitful.
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you.
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemy,
make straight my path.
For there is no truth in his mouth;
his heart is destruction;
his throat an open grave;
he flatters with his tongue.
Make him bear his guilt, O God;
let him fall by his own counsel;
because of his many transgressions, cast him out,
for he has rebelled against you.
But let all abuse survivors take refuge in you and rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them,
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.
Amen.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Re-imagining, re-membering
One of the things that annoyed me most when taking the Bible Content Exam (besides failing it the first time and having to re-take it) was the question about the woman who anoints Jesus. In Mark 14:9, Jesus says "wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." The annoying part of this verse is that WE DON'T KNOW THE WOMAN'S NAME! Like so many other women in the Bible, she is not honored with a name. This is troubling.
This semester I'm taking Feminist Theologies and am being exposed to so many radical ideas. My heart is full of joy in response.
One of the greatest joys of this class has been exposure to Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, a feminist scholar who likes to push people's buttons. She wrote a book called In Memory of Her, which looks at reconstructing our theological notions. Her starting point is with that unnamed woman who anointed Jesus. Schüssler Fiorenza argues that we must employ various hermeneutics when looking at the Bible, because traditional interpretation has many, many gaps.
Two friends and I had the assignment of giving a presentation to our class on the week when we were discussing scripture in the feminist lens. We wanted to do something different, and kick things up a notch. We all agreed to focus on our reading from Schüssler Fiorenza, because she really knows how to kick things up more than just a few notches.
We decided to follow Schüssler Fiorenza's lead by re-imagining and re-membering stories about women in the Bible. We each selected a passage of scripture that involved an unnamed woman, whether she was a main character or not. The slave girl in Acts, Samson's mother, and a woman told to wear a veil in 1 Corinthians. We each wrote a monologue on those women, re-imagining and re-membering their stories.
We were nervous about how this would go over. Were we being heretical? Rewriting Bible stories sounds dangerous, but we were willing to take that risk.
The results were beautiful. I've had a hard time articulating the experience of taking part in that class presentation. All I can say is that the Spirit was moving that day in mysterious ways. What happened was informative and yet worshipful. As we delivered our monologues, we realized that what was happening was incredibly special. I was moved to tears at several moments.
I love being in seminary where things like this are acceptable. This is a safe space where we're allowed to make mistakes, to push the limits and ask questions. I realize that writing monologues and reconstructing the Bible might not go over well in the typical congregation, but this experience has taught me that it is okay to push ourselves to examine scripture and theology from a different angle. To know that the traditional interpretation isn't the only acceptable interpretation is a relief. I hope to continue re-imagining and re-membering, giving voice to the marginalized people of the Bible.
This semester I'm taking Feminist Theologies and am being exposed to so many radical ideas. My heart is full of joy in response.
One of the greatest joys of this class has been exposure to Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, a feminist scholar who likes to push people's buttons. She wrote a book called In Memory of Her, which looks at reconstructing our theological notions. Her starting point is with that unnamed woman who anointed Jesus. Schüssler Fiorenza argues that we must employ various hermeneutics when looking at the Bible, because traditional interpretation has many, many gaps.
Two friends and I had the assignment of giving a presentation to our class on the week when we were discussing scripture in the feminist lens. We wanted to do something different, and kick things up a notch. We all agreed to focus on our reading from Schüssler Fiorenza, because she really knows how to kick things up more than just a few notches.
We decided to follow Schüssler Fiorenza's lead by re-imagining and re-membering stories about women in the Bible. We each selected a passage of scripture that involved an unnamed woman, whether she was a main character or not. The slave girl in Acts, Samson's mother, and a woman told to wear a veil in 1 Corinthians. We each wrote a monologue on those women, re-imagining and re-membering their stories.
We were nervous about how this would go over. Were we being heretical? Rewriting Bible stories sounds dangerous, but we were willing to take that risk.
The results were beautiful. I've had a hard time articulating the experience of taking part in that class presentation. All I can say is that the Spirit was moving that day in mysterious ways. What happened was informative and yet worshipful. As we delivered our monologues, we realized that what was happening was incredibly special. I was moved to tears at several moments.
I love being in seminary where things like this are acceptable. This is a safe space where we're allowed to make mistakes, to push the limits and ask questions. I realize that writing monologues and reconstructing the Bible might not go over well in the typical congregation, but this experience has taught me that it is okay to push ourselves to examine scripture and theology from a different angle. To know that the traditional interpretation isn't the only acceptable interpretation is a relief. I hope to continue re-imagining and re-membering, giving voice to the marginalized people of the Bible.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)