Expedition LIFE: CHANGE

Dear friends, I know it's been a while since my last post, and I apologize. It seems like I feel like I have so many things I haven't shared with you while I've been here, and everything keeps piling up in my head. So, I'll go backwards a bit, most recent first.

I stand in awe of the recent election. I didn't really know if we were ready for this, if Americans would actually vote for Obama, the rock star of political life. I'm excited to have a President whose worked with the poor, been involved in community organizing and understands the forces that fight against the common man. I just hope people stop calling him "The Black People's President" and start calling him "Our American President," being that he represents every part of the American Dream--a son of a single mother, coming from a mixed background, breaking through the barriers of society to follow his heart. [I sure did enjoy impersonating my look-a-like Sarah Pallin on Halloween with Tim acting as John McCain.]

Flanking this idea of our change as a nation, my surroundings burst with change as well. I have greatly enjoyed watching the trees nonchalantly changing amidst our comfortable sun and mildly chilly, damp air. I love Atlanta. And behind these visual changes hide the changes within the people around me.

Seminary becomes not just a graduate school, but also at times a wilderness, a battle ground, a treasure island, a boot camp, a summer camp, a mountain. I watch my friends wrestling with scripture, with the church, with each other and, more often than not, with God. God has called us all to be here, but many of us like Jonah, need a whale to get us to do and go where God wants, or like Paul, need to be blinded by God so that we may see, or like Moses, have seen our burning bush and heard the voice of God, preparing to share our calls and visions with God's people and the Pharaohs of our world. Just like the trees seem to be "in working progress", so are our lives and our faiths as we work with theology, seeking God's identity, so that we might find ourselves in God's image.

I feel like Policka took me through the wilderness, searching for ways to define the Czech culture and find God in CZ. As I got to know the people around me, I learned more about myself and my own culture. I'm coming to Seminary after I've already spent my time in the belly, after my eyes have already been opened, and after I found my voice to speak to the people. So if I've already come through the wilderness, why am I here at Seminary? Why am I returning to the mess of confusion, risking that I lose my way, be blinded a second time, and only run into more burning bushes and strange dreams?

Seminary may not be a whale or a desert throwing me into darkness, but it is definately the promised land of God's covenant with me. I'll say again how much I love the community around me. I'm still enjoying my classes. Old Testament and Hebrew make the Word of God and God's people fresher and deeper in my life. Elective classes that have me experiencing and thinking about church life and social justice. Social Activities that teach me about being a friend, being a counselor, being a listener, and being a prayer partner for my friends, my family, this seminary, this community, and the world. In fact, I know this is no excuse, but I feel like the reason I haven't been posting, is that I haven't needed to define the culture around me or release frustrations or explore my feelings. And yet, I'm missing out on the opportunity to take these steps again becoming closer with myself, my God, and my community. I want to continue with this blog to keep all of you informed with my life, but most of all I intend to share what I have been discovering about life, so that I can absorb the richness of these experiences and continue sharing them with you. Thank you for your patience and I hope all is well with you, for here All is well, all is well, and all matter of things are very, very well. Peace be with you!