Back in the Saddle Again

After a long hiatus away, I am back. Can't promise that I'm better than ever, but I'm back and ready to pour out my thoughts onto this dear old blog.

What's up with the hiatus? I got married and have done my best to survive as a chaplain resident for the past 14 months. I've simply been too busy. Sorta. I mean, I'm paying for that Netflix account, so it seems like I should use it. Perhaps watching the entire series of Alias in two weeks might be a little much, eh?

The truth is I spend my days in the hospitals and have been so emotionally drained, all I can do is come home at night and do anything but write a blog post. Go for a run? Yes, sparingly. (It is hot in Texas!) Play in the garden? Of course. Take muh dawg for a walk? Absolutely. But writing has just not happened.

Part of the reason is that I'd be tempted to write about my adventures as a chaplain.  There is so much material to write about when you spend your days at a children's hospital and even more so at a psychiatric hospital. Let me just say that HIPAA laws are scary and I don't have the complexion to pull off orange, so I'll avoid jail for the time being. I thought it would be best to respect my patients and their right to privacy, by not sharing all their stuff on the web.

I could have written about marriage, but I'm sure my partner would also appreciate privacy, so let's pretend there's HIPAA for marriage. We'll call it MIPPA (Marriage Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

I don't yet know what this blog will look like. I hope it will incorporate thoughts about theology, loving our neighbors, gardening, books, life in Central Texas and muh dawg. Can't say for sure until we get there. Whatever comes of this project, I'm hoping it will ignite a tiny bit of joy into your heart, whether I'm telling about an act of kindness I saw, or some plant I managed to kill in the garden. Cheers, friend!

Hippy Grocery Store Heaven

I just found out two of my favorite hippy grocery stores are merging. Sunflower Farmers Market and Sprouts Farmers Market.

This is going to be the Brangelina of grocery stores. I'm psyched.

International Women's Day

Just want to give a shout out to women on this International Women's Day!

Preacher Wives

TLC is coming out with yet another reality TV show. This one is called Preacher Wives which will feature women who preach and lead churches. My concerns with this are many. First of all, why do we need another reality TV show? Second, why is the title Preacher Wives and not just Preachers? I'd even be okay with Preacher Women. Is our society still convinced that women have no identity apart from their marital status? While I think it is wonderful that the media is highlighting women who preach, I have a feeling this show will make me cringe. You're not going to find it on my Tivo. If I had a Tivo.

Check out the blurb about the show here at CNN.

MLK jr Birthday Reflection

Today I lament because of blisters. Blisters in and of themselves are worth lamenting over, because they're rather painful and annoying. I happen to have two matching blisters, one on each foot, thanks to a 9.5 mile run I did this morning.

But these blisters are causing me to lament over the sad reality of privilege and racism in our society, especially how I participate in that system.

Yes, going from blisters to racism is a rather big leap, but allow me to explain. I went to the drugstore to purchase some type of moleskin to alleviate my blister situation. There were only a few options, the best one being a product from Dr. Scholl's. Here is a picture of the packaging:

Do you notice the "Nearly invisible" phrase on the box? Well, it isn't false advertising. If you're Caucasian. This blister bandage really does blend in to my peachy flesh. Which is nice, because it doesn't draw unwanted attention to my feet. But if your skin is darker, say a lovely shade of black, this bandage isn't going to be invisible on your skin. It will be quite apparent. Just like most of the other bandages on the shelves of drugstores and in the supply rooms of hospitals.

Our society still defines the norm for skin color as white. And so these bandage makers get away with declaring that their products blend in, nearly invisibly, when applied to skin. I lament because I participate in this system which perpetuates privilege. By purchasing this product, I have said "yes" to racism. I have done my part to perpetuate injustice.

A few decades after MLKjr's time, we've come a long way. But we've got a long way to go.

Undefined Blog

It just occurred to me that I wrote 10 blog posts in the month of June, which is way more than my typical posting per month this year. I think being unemployed has something to do with it, but I also think I'm rediscovering my love of blogging. I once talked to a woman who said that blogging is her spiritual discipline. She writes for herself and doesn't care who reads it. I admire that and I wish I were that bold.

When I titled this blog "Defining Selah" the idea was that it wouldn't have any sort of theme. It would be undefined the way the Hebrew word "Selah" is undefined. It's been fun having the freedom to post about anything from thoughts on bin Laden's assassination to romantic relationships. I'm glad there are people out there who are willing to read what I post, even when it contains slightly ridiculous content.

As I embark on the second half of 2011, I'm excited to see what life brings and what I'll have to blog about. The first six months have set the standard pretty high and it is going to be tough to beat. I checked three things off my bucket list (I know, how cliche, but it was an assignment when I was an AmeriCorps memeber) so far this year and am in the process of checking one more off. I have a feeling life will continue at this pace, especially with a trip to Colombia in August, Seattle in October and jumping back into Seminary in September. Life is looking pretty good right now!

That Troublesome Plastic

I'm glad my parents taught me how to be financially responsible.

The other day I went to my credit union to apply for a credit card. I already have a credit card, which I use for emergencies and rare times when I buy a plane ticket or two, but I would like to get rid of that card so I can be fully invested in my wonderful, non-profit credit union. I've decided I'm done with those corporate banks.

So I walked in and asked how I could go about applying for a credit card. A very friendly employee said she could help me out and we started the process. She asked me where I'm currently employed. I told her Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She asked me what my job title is. I told her "bookstore cashier." She asked me what my monthly income is. I told her "about $250." Then her jaw dropped a bit. She asked me how much my monthly rent is. I told her "$425." She didn't seem pleased at this point, but I explained that I'm a grad student on scholarship. This didn't seem to impress her.

She ran my credit check and as we waited for the results she told me I could only qualify for a $500 limit. Then my jaw dropped a little bit. $500? That's it? She got my credit score back and was pleasantly surprised by what she saw. She said she could raise my limit up to $1000. I would have preferred a bit more wiggle room, but settled for the $1000 limit. I realize that this credit union is not in the business of giving out credit cards to irresponsible folks. I appreciate that a lot, actually.

When I got home I checked the mail and found two pieces for me. One was from Discover, offering me a $25,000 card and the other from Chase offering me a $10,000 card. I tore them up and shook my head.

I'm glad my parents taught me how to be financially responsible.

Go South, Young Woman

This past semester I took an exegesis class on 1 Peter. This brief letter is addressed to churches who suffer for doing good and following Christ. I became baffled by this notion of a church continuing its ministry in the midst of tremendous suffering and I tried to think of an example of such a church in our modern day context. The church in Colombia came to my mind. You may have heard about the situation in Colombia: 60 years of a corrupt government and civil unrest has devastated this nation. There continues to be a power struggle between the paramilitary groups and guerrilla forces, which has led to violence against civilians. Colombia has recently surpassed Darfur for having the most internally displaced people within its borders. The situation in Colombia has been complicated further by the Free Trade Agreement which is currently being considered by our nation’s leadership.

Amidst all of this violence and suffering, the churches in Colombia continue to serve and work toward peace. The PC(USA) has a partnership with the Iglesia Presbiteriana de Colombia (IPC) which has built a bridge of support for our brothers and sisters in Colombia. The Accompanier program was started in 2004 and since then there has been a constant PC(USA) presence in Colombia. I learned about this program during my first semester of seminary and had an overwhelming urge to dropout of school and go to Colombia. I resisted that temptation, but the desire to participate in this program has been overwhelmingly strong. I finally have an opportunity to go, even though it will mean delaying my anticipated graduation date. In August I will serve in the rural region of Urabá, Colombia. I'll be there with another young woman, Kelsey, who I met at the training in March. Our purpose for being there is threefold: to be a ministry of presence and support to the IPC, to keep an eye on what is happening in Colombia, and to offer our presence as a means of safety for the church workers who face potential violence. In the seven years this program has been going, there has never been an instance where an accompanier has been harmed and with God’s blessing, that record will continue!

I've started making preparations for the trip and as the departure date approaches, this dream is starting to feel more like reality.

What is Meaningful?

I wish I had some funny stories from my standardized test grading job. There have been some funny moments, but you had to be there for most of them.

Tonight we had to fill out a survey about our time working with this company. One of the questions was "Do you feel like your work is meaningful?" The only options were "yes" or "no" with no ability to explain my answer. I selected "no." I'm a big fan of education, but I'm not a big fan of standardized testing. My two weeks of grading these tests has only made me detest them more. One reason is that the grading is very inconsistent from state to state. Say there are three parts to a question and the second two parts depend on the first. If a child answers the first part incorrectly and then proceeds to answer the second two using that incorrect answer, most states would not give the child any credit for it. But some states do give credit for that. For instance, there's a state, let's call it...Shmassachusetts that tries to give the child as much credit for their work as possible. So a child can give an answer that ranks as a "3" in Shmassachusetts, but in another state a child with that same answer could get a "1" or even a "0." Fair? I think not.

So no, this work I've been doing is not meaningful, especially when I compare it with other jobs I've been fortunate to have. Rebuilding lives after hurricane Katrina? Yes. Working with Dreamers to help them succeed? Yes. Working at a drugstore on the Eastside? Yes. Grading standardized tests that don't really measure intelligence or ability? Nope.

Tomorrow is my last night. I am glad.

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.

Is it right to bear arms?

We're in the school cafeteria, celebrating a friend's 13th birthday when the reports came in: there was a shooting at a high school in Littleton. No details just yet, but it's bad. We're safe here in Longmont and will finish out the school day. A shooting in Colorado? That's the kind of thing you hear about happening in foreign countries, not in our own backyard. Is anywhere safe?

It's a sunny Tuesday morning in Austin. The emergency sirens start blaring at UT. Is it the tornado warning test? Nope, there's some muffled announcement about a shooting. Wait, what? I turn on the news and see a chaotic scene at UT as the reporter tries to explain what is happening. A shooting at the Perry Casteneda Library. Which one is that? I go online to look at the University map to find out that it is on the opposite side of campus. A quick glance at my email tells me UT is on lockdown and so is our Seminary. Keep checking back for updates. Should I stay or go? I don't want to be alone, but they told us not to leave whatever building we're in. I guess it's good I'm still in my apartment with access to TV and internet. Updates keep coming in. Noon comes around and we're given the all-clear. The shooter has killed himself, leaving all others unharmed.

A quick check of Facebook before I go meet a friend for coffee. "Prayers for Tucson" is the common status of friends. Tucson? What happened? A link to the NY Times reports a shooting at a grocery store, many injured including Democratic congresswoman Giffords. Some report that she's dead, others say she will recover. The scene sounds frantic. I'm not familiar with her, but I'm assuming she's one of the "good ones," working for immigration reform. She must have integrity if she earned the respect of her district and got elected in that troubled state of Arizona. I'm guessing that has something to do with the shooting. A brief perusal of the web tells me she is an advocate for health care and was one of Sarah Palin's targets to bring down. What a painfully tragic situation.

I don't personally know anyone who has been killed by a gun. But each time I hear of gun violence, my whole self is rocked to the core. My heart sinks for those killed by guns as well as thier loved ones. And my personal safety feels shattered. On average, 32 people are killed by guns each day in America. That is a ridiculously high number. Yes, it is our constitutional right to bear arms, but that right has been abused.

There's a Moon in the Sky

I'm back in my hometown for the holidays, currently sitting in my favorite coffee shop. The most accurate word to describe this particular coffee shop is "quirky." It is in an old house with cracked walls and drafty windows. There are bookshelves full of used books for sale, though I'm pretty sure 90% of them have been there since I was in high school. None of the furniture matches. And then there are the customers. Oh, the customers are quirky.

I'm sitting in the corner reading a novel. But I had to put it down for a minute to write about a couple that is in the coffee shop with me. Isn't it fascinating what people talk about in coffee shops? I realize I'm guilty of having conversations that should be private, but I don't pay any mind to the people around who are listening. The couple sitting here with me don't seem to mind the rest of us listening in. This coffee shop is especially good for eavesdropping because of the wood flooring. No carpet to absorb the delicious contents of their conversation.

They seem to be on a first date. I know because I've been on several of these in the last year and I know how to identify them. Awkward conversations about family and their jobs. Passing the iPhone over the table to look at pictures. Uncomfortable changes in hand position. Do I put them on the table? On my lap? Should I fiddle with my coffee cup?

They moved on to current events. Good, semi-safe topic, just steer clear of politics. "Did you watch the lunar eclipse?" He asks her. She lets out a laugh and says she was fast asleep. Besides the newspaper showed pictures the next day, why get up in the middle of the night to see it?

This is what prompted me to blog.

My heart hurt a little bit when she said she settled for pictures in the newspaper. I guess that makes sense, after all the eclipse was in the middle of the night. But what about the joy of seeing it for yourself! I cozied up on some patio furniture in my parent's backyard and watched the moon slowly transform, morphing from white to red and back again. I didn't want to settle for some media images. I wanted to see it for myself. Friends back in Austin said it was too cloudy which made me sad for them, but glad I was in Colorado with the clear skies.

A few days ago someone asked me why I decided to enroll in seminary. Experiencing theology for myself was one of the reasons I gave. All my life I've grown up in church and have been fed theology by some well-intending folks. But I wasn't satisfied. Like watching the lunar eclipse with my own eyes, I wanted to read Calvin and Luther and Barth firsthand and figure out what they had to say, rather than take someone else's word for it. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to attend an institution where I am being personally shaped and molded, but at the same time being trained and equipped to serve others who are also hungry for theological answers.

The next lunar eclipse will be June 15, 2011. I pray the skies are clear where you are that night so you can see it for yourself.

Ups and downs of the process

If you were ever to read my diaries from ages 6-22 (how dare you even think of doing that?!), you would probably think I was some lovesick, depressed loony. I actually had a wonderful childhood full of amazing people and a lot of love. The reason you would have a misconception about me is because I usually only wrote in my diary when I was upset about something. A boy broke my heart. I didn't get the teacher I was hoping for. I was homesick. So on and so forth.

I've come to find that this blog has been somewhat of the opposite type of outlet. I like to write on it when things in life are going well because I don't think the world wide web wants to hear about my whining and murmuring. Plus I've realized that I have a really hard time being vulnerable. I have no problem with others sharing the deepest darkest contents of their hearts with me, but when it comes to my turn, I usually resort to "I'm fine, thanks."

I haven't written on this here blog in over a month which is a good indication that things haven't been going so well. The week following my last post I was in New York helping with new YAV orientation which was great. Wasn't much time for blogging there. After that I spent one day in Colorado and then drove back down to Austin. Two days later I took the Bible Content Exam and that's when things went sour.

I failed the exam. You need a 70% to pass the exam and I scored a 69%. The results of the exam are instant since it is online and when my score popped up on the screen I just stared at it. Now, if I had just casually studied for the test and walked into it in a cocky state of mind, I wouldn't have been upset. I would have realized that I needed to put more effort into studying. But I worked my ass off for that exam for the entire month leading up to it. I spent nearly every bit of free time during YAV orientation to study - taking prior exams and actually reading the Bible (gasp!). I'm not sure what else I could have done to be more prepared.

To make matters worse, this was a public failure. The results are immediately emailed to both our Vice President for Student Affairs as well as the chair of the Committee on Preparation for Ministry (the ones who are steering me through the ordination process). Plus, my peers all knew about the failure so there was no hiding it (although I did get to see some shining example of pastoral care/counseling from them).

My immediate frustration was in response to the test itself. But as the days passed I realized there was a much bigger problem here. I was beginning to question the discernment I had done which led me to seminary. I had to wonder: if God was calling me to this vocation, why am I meeting so much resistance? I'm referring to other matters, not just this one lousy exam, but I think this exam was a slap in the face that got me reflecting on life.

So that's where I'm at. I've been weighing a lot of options. Giving up my fellowship to take away the pressure I feel. Quitting my job. Dropping out altogether. For now I have quit my job so that I can make school my full time priority, but the other options are still on the table. It was not an easy decision to quit the job I love, especially since I've worked since I was 15. I realized that I need to focus my attention more since I am not a scholar and I have to work really hard to do well in school.

We'll see how things go from here...

Jesus stirs things up

This past Sunday the good old lectionary contained one of those passages that preachers cringe at. Luke 12:49-56, a rather troubling passage about how Jesus came to cause division and bring fire to the earth. Our pastor gave a beautiful sermon about family relationships and gave a challenge to the congregation to reconcile any broken relationships with our family members and then to look beyond into our communities and world.

I'm particularly struck by that challenge this week.

Jesus says outright that he did not come to bring peace to the earth but division instead. Ouch. While awaiting the Messiah, people expected a great king who would end all conflict and bring only good things. But if we look back through history we can see how Christianity has failed in that regard: the crusades, the Inquisition, the Holocaust and countless other deeds that we Christians have committed in the name of Christ. For people who follow a man who preached love, we don't seem to be very good at loving our neighbors.

The controversy making headlines these days is the proposed Mosque near the site of the fallen World Trade Center towers in New York. Everyone seems to be outraged by this proposition and while I want to laugh at their arguments against the Mosque, I can't help but weep at their ignorance. If only these critics could understand that the people responsible for the 9/11 attacks were extremists who are about as good a representation of Islam as the Westboro Baptist Church is of Christianity. Not a fair representation of the religion at all. And yet our society is so quick to fear and hate anything possibly associated with this "evil" religion. This week polls show that 1/5 of Americans believe President Obama is Muslim. He is in fact not Muslim and even is he were it doesn't mean that he would be in cahoots with the terrorists lurking out there in the world.

So what are we (as Christians in particular) to do about this situation and the many other conflicts in the world? The last portion of the lectionary passage is telling: Christ calls us hypocrites because we know how to predict the weather better than we know how to interpret the present time. I have to chuckle at this passage because even with all our amazing technology, we still can't predict the weather with 100% accuracy. Perhaps if we stopped relying on the computers and radar and such, we'd be better in tune with what the weather is going to do by stepping outside and taking a look at the skies. In the same regard, if we stopped relying on what all those Foxy people on TV are telling us about Muslims and terrorism, we'd actually give ourselves the space to listen and understand what it is that our Muslim brothers and sisters are all about. And then maybe, just maybe, we'd have the chance to love our neighbors the way Christ calls us to.

Update: Check out John Shore's blog for a really great post about Christian/Muslim relations and how we all love Jesus.

Full on Double Rainbow!

Just took test #5 for Greek and am now in the home stretch with one week to go. It has been a marathon of a summer...full time in class + 38 hours/week at work = little to no free time. If I haven't called you or acknowledged your existence in a while, don't take it personally! I barely have time for anything else these days and if I do have a spare moment, it is in the middle of the day when all of you grown up people are at your grown up jobs.

I've come to rely on 4 things to sustain me through the past 5 weeks: power napping in the afternoon. McAlister's Sweet Tea. My TA, Anna's patience with my lack of Greek skills. And this video. Just to warn you, the audio is a bit awkward, but hilarious. I think it has about 1.5 million views as of this posting and I can proudly say that I've contributed about 12 of those.





Now, I've seen double rainbows before and they are spectacular. The last time I saw one was in Rocky Mountain National Park when I was in the depths of despair. I have to admit that seeing that rainbow brought on a huge sense of comfort and made me realize that I wasn't alone then. But I didn't react like this dude.

Fun with the Bible

I’d like to respond to an email forward that has found its way into my inbox (twice) entitled “Should Christians Respect Obama?” The text of the forward can be found at this page.

Now, I’m not usually one to ruffle feathers and I hate to argue with people, but it has come to my attention that those of us “social justice Christians” all too often remain silent and allow too many dangerous statements to go uncontested. So here is my attempted rebuttal to this email forward. Mind you, I love both people who sent it to me and I greatly appreciate the fact that they care enough about me to pass along thoughtful emails like this one. And I certainly enjoy reading them because it is good to remember what folks on the other end of the spectrum are saying/thinking.

I have to lay out a disclaimer before I begin: I have one year of seminary education under my belt (well almost, I still have 1.5 weeks left of Intro to Greek). This is a very dangerous stage to linger in because I’ve been exposed to just enough theology and biblical studies to get me into trouble. There’s a reason the Master of Divinity takes three years to complete, and I’d even argue that my theological education will be ongoing as I embark in ministry. So with that in mind, here are my thoughts about David Barton’s statements (if they are even his, because truthorfiction.com claims that this interview is a fabrication, so take that with a grain of salt).

I’m not very familiar with David Barton, but from what I gather he seems to be a key player in Texas politics. Time magazine even named him as one of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America. The email refers to him as “Dr.” but his wikipedia page only shows him receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree, so I wonder what his credentials are to make him a “historian.” I appreciate the fact that the email acknowledges that he is not a Biblical speaker (meaning expert?).

I don’t have the time or the energy to touch on each issue that is mentioned in the email, so instead I’ll play devil’s advocate by highlighting a few challenging words from the Bible (since Barton proclaims the authority of Scripture).


Barton is not “uniting behind Obama.” Okay, I have no problem with this statement because I took the same stance when President Bush was in office. I respect his opinion and anyone else who agrees with him. Just give me some good arguments to support this reasoning...

Obama’s abortion beliefs: he seems to be leaning pro-choice which Barton & Co object to. This one is tough. The Bible doesn’t seem to say anything blatantly regarding abortion, but there is a tricky passage in Psalms 137 that says “Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!” Yikes. What do we make of that? The Bible seems to applaud baby killers. But then Matthew 25 says “whatever we did to one of the least of these...you did it to [Jesus].” Talk about ambiguity.

Or how about Obama’s radical Marxist concept of re-distributing wealth...and raising taxes for those making $150,000+. The Bible is full of all kinds of crazy notions regarding money: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains” (1Tim 6:10). Or how about “you cannot serve God and wealth” (Matt 7:24). What about “...none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions” (Luke 14:33). I’m not really sure how all of these prosperity gospel folks justify their claims, but it seems to me Jesus was all about humble living. He even led by example as a homeless itinerant preacher who relied on the generosity and hospitality of others for survival.

This next one baffles me: “his view of amnesty and giving more to illegals than our American citizens who need help.” What exactly is an “illegal” anyway? My friend and respected peer, Sudie, is always quick to point out Exodus 22: 21 in response to the immigration debate: “You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.”

“Views on homosexuality and his definition of marriage.” Oh, hello can of worms. Here are a few Biblical men who had multiple wives: Abraham, Gideon (who was a man of God by the way), Elkanah (father of Samuel), David, Solomon (who had 300 wives and 700 concubines making him one busy man). So what is the Bible’s definition of marriage? A man can marry as many women as he wants? We seem to condemn polygamy today and yet it is plain as day in the Bible. Makes me wonder about those passages referring to homosexuality, and whether or not they should be taken literally.

“...views that radical Islam is our friend and Israel is our enemy.” What was all that stuff Jesus said about our enemies? “...love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...” (Matt 5:44). “...love your enemies, do good to those who hate you...” (Luke 6:27). Oh, right.


I admit that this has all been a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I’m just playing the same game that Evangelical Christians do: taking Scripture out of context to support their claims. Picking and choosing the words that we like to hear and twisting them to make them say what we want. The Bible is a powerful and beautiful book. But is is also a dangerous book that has been used to justify slavery, racism, genocide, crusades, gender oppression and colonialism. That’s why I think every Bible that is published should come with a warning label on the outside, urging readers to employ extreme caution. Should the Bible be taken seriously? Yes. Should it be taken literally? Well...let’s just acknowledge the fact that everyone reads the Bible from a specific social location which heavily influences their interpretation of the words. David Barton comes from the privileged white, male, heterosexual, American, probably wealthy (I don’t know his economic status) which is the same social location that has dominated the field of Biblical interpretation ever since the beginning of biblical interpretation. In these postmodern days, their status has become threatened which is understandably upsetting for them. But for the rest of us on the margins, we are finally given voices and permission to give our input. And that is something to celebrate.

The Oil Spill

BP has launched a $50 million PR campaign to try and restore their image in the eyes of the public. My reaction? What a sad waste of money. Why is it that they dump millions of dollars into a shallow attempt at making us like them again, when really they should be pouring that money into fixing the problem. A lovely commercial starring Tony Hayward doesn't fix things for the fisher put out of work desperate to pay the mortgage and the bird slathered in crude oil desperate for a breath of fresh air.

But then, is it fair to point all the blame at BP? Sure, they're the ones at fault for this particular situation, but aren't we all enablers? Our oil addiction has caused this mess and perhaps it is time for us to reevaluate our habits. Jim Wallis has some pretty potent words to say about the matter, calling us (the community of faith in particular) to take a stand.

There have been a lot of interesting reactions to this situation, from Spike Lee's typical anger, to Sarah Palin blaming the environmentalists. Amidst all this anger and simplistic arguments, I appreciate Obama's response to this issue. The media wants a sensational reaction of emotion from him, reminiscent of Jesus overthrowing the tables in anger. But Obama isn't yelling. He isn't letting emotion hinder his quest for a solution. I just hope he is doing something to solve this problem. I think we would be wise to follow his lead by avoiding bouts of rage and instead maintain level heads. Yes, this catastrophe is unfortunate. Yes, we're in a heap of trouble. So what are we going to do about it?

How did they make those eyebrows so expressive?

Final exams are this week. I think once I've had a chance to process this semester, I'll share more about how things went from February to May, but for now I'm focused on cramming my brain full of Hebrew paradigms and theologians and books of the New Testament. As I've been preparing for two questions on the Book of Revelation for our study group, I've needed a little inspiration to get my thoughts going. For some reason the finale of the show "Dinosaurs" came to my mind. The last episode of the series was somewhat of a crap way to end the show, but I've found it amusing as I gather thoughts about eschatology. Here is Earl Sinclair's apology speech about how he destroyed the world, bringing about it's distinction. Kinda relevant for where our reality is heading. I can imagine the BP execs giving this speech to their families...

Earth Day 2010

My favorite lens through which to view all this "God talk" is liberation theology which exams what God is up to based on the experience of the poor, oppressed and marginalized. Another concern of this field is ecojustice and looking at how we should be treating the world we’ve been blessed with. Sometimes I forget that not everyone in the world is as environmentally conscious as my family and community back in Colorado, but I've run into some folks who are flat out against recycling, Christians and non-Christians alike. I remember talking to people in Colorado Springs who stated that there is no need to take care of the earth since it is just a temporary habitat for us, while our true home is in Heaven with Jesus. One of those folks from my college days was kind enough to remind me of this viewpoint in her Facebook update (which basically hated on Earth Day).

Their argument kind of seems legit, but here's the thing I'm hung up on: Creation matters to God and it should matter to us. Why would God go through the trouble of creating such an intricate and beautiful world and give us permission to destroy it? I think most would agree that we should take care of our bodies, nourishing them and avoiding harmful toxins. I haven’t heard any Christians encouraging the use of drugs or saying that obesity is a good thing. Why is there an embrace for taking care of our bodies but such a stigma attached to concern for the environment? And also, it seems like a lot of the damage we do to the world, directly affects those marginalized and impoverished people who are stuck living in the filthy urban mess we create. In Galatians, Paul tells us that we are mutually indebted to one another and that means we must consider the needs of others above our own. I don't think we (America in particular) are doing a very good job of that.

Never before have I been so aware of the footprint I’m leaving on this earth. Perhaps it is the Michael Pollen books I’ve read or documentaries I’ve seen or just the fact that I’m from Colorado where there are still bits of undeveloped, unpolluted paradise. I feel like my eyes have been opened to this major problem that I and everyone around me is guilty of contributing to. I’ve become inspired by a few friends who are incredibly concerned for the environment and I’ve followed their lead by making a few small changes in my habits, baby steps if you will. I don't like to brag, but I'm going to anyway: I'm much "greener" this year than ever before and damn proud of it!

I’ve ventured over to the dark side and I fear there is no turning back. I am a vegetarian. I didn’t really mean for it to happen, it just sort of did. I heard the reports about how the meat industry is the largest contributor to greenhouse gases and was appalled. So I gave up buying meat to cook at home. Then I gave up ordering it at restaurants. Now I don’t think I’ll eat it at friends’ houses. The Hebrew word for flesh is transliterated as “basar” and the way that I remember the translation is that it sounds like bizarre as in “how bizarre to eat flesh!”

I’m riding my bike more. I hope to start riding to work now that the weather is nice and it is getting dark later. Last week I rode it to the grocery store, then to dinner with a friend and then to the pet store to buy dog food. Turns out it is really hard to ride with a 40 lb bag of dog food in the crate, but I managed to make it work after three failed attempts. To those who were watching me in the parking lot: you’re welcome. Glad you found my stupidity entertaining.

I am now a proud owner of the Wheatsville Co-op, a local alternative to the big box grocery stores. They promote environmentally conscience shopping and buy from local vendors. Can’t wait to start going to the Farmer’s Market. I’ve decided to use reusable bamboo towels rather than paper towels. No more using the dishwasher, disposable feminine hygiene products and incandescent light bulbs. I hope to wean off of the clothes dryer, but that is tricky living in an apartment complex with limited space to hang clothes to dry.

With all of these positives, it is hard to believe there are consequences. I realize that a lot of “environmentally conscious” actions have negative affects as well. For instance the organic bananas may be better for the earth, but they and other organic products could potentially be harvested by slave labor to counterbalance the cost of production. And while it is great to buy fair trade or fair trade plus in order to ensure fair wages for the farmers and growers, it is nicer on the environment to buy locally. So what is to be done? How do we decide between which “cause” to support or protest? I don’t have any answers other than ones that are extreme and unrealistic. It seems like the best solution is for all of us to do the best we can to make small changes that will make a huge impact.

Who knew there were that many flavors of Pringles?

I have a post I want to write, but no time/energy right now thanks to Hebrew. Here is a teaser for what is to come...

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