A Husky Far From Home: February 2008

Friday, February 22, 2008

Hmmm...

Typhoid vaccination, Malaria Pills, and why does the word 'recommended' make me just want to put off a visit to the doctor? 2 weeks to go, perhaps I am becoming a little afraid for my health. Well, we do have the option of DEET and mosquito nets, so fingers crossed and prayers answered, all should go well. We only have two more Nicaragua meetings until take off! I feel slightly unprepared and curious about how this whole thing will work out, but overwhelmingly excited for this travel opportunity. I can't believe it's down to two weeks.

Speaking of weeks, I sure had a heck of one. I had the privilege of speaking at the INN on Tuesday - I get to do one talk a semester, so bingo, it came and went. I haven't had the chance to hear it yet, but feedback has been really encouraging. I think the best comment was that I sounded like myself, which is what I was hoping for. I like it when speakers seem like real people, and seem like the person you talk to face to face. I think that's one reason Rob Bell is so effective. But I feel like when I gave the talk, it didn't really flow naturally - a little nervous about making the good points that I'd prepared on paper, and not talking too fast. That one always gets me - to the point now that I'm paranoid about how fast I talk, and at the end of my talk I could've sworn it was only 5 minutes long and figured I should pray extra long to make up for not talking long enough, but it ended up being ~22 min so that's an improvement!!

I think I might be slightly addicted to caffeine ... the looming headache in the morning was the tip-off, as well as it's quick disappearance over coffee dates. Well, you win some you lose some. In this profession I feel it may be an unavoidable condition. Or I could be making excuses. One or the other. But conversations have been rich, I talked about all sorts of topics this week, phenomenal.

But one that seems to resurface again and again is the issue of church. 'I haven't found one I like' or 'There aren't any good ones' or 'nothing like my church back home'. It kind of gets on my nerves, because I think it leaks into this mentality saying, 'I should get what I expect out of church, I want it to be preached like this and to worship like that, and I will see God working in this way and this way only.' Well, maybe that's a little harsh, but it's not too far from the truth. I feel like sometimes people aren't willing to see how God is at work in a body or community with open arms, and get put off when it isn't familiar or 'powerful' enough for them ... honestly, you could probably grab something from any sermon you hear that is a personal call to your life if you really put your mind to it. And isn't church more than just sermons and worship anyway? A congregation of fellow believers dwelling together for one cause, Jesus. Where do we get the high and mighty opinion that things should always be 'my way'. Not that I don't share that mentality sometimes, I guess it just means that sometimes I and my generation make myself sick.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Makings of a Wha ....

When snow DOES get turned off, it gets slushy and dark from street gravel and all splattery from cars as they drive down the street. I didn't think about this ahead of time, but I don't want the snow to be turned back on, I just don't want to be splashed by it when I walk to Starbucks. Tastes a little salty, I think.

The countdown is now less than 25 days ... Nicaragua! I've never really been to Central America before. I say 'really' because I've done Tijuana, Mexico - you're average house-building-teenage-mission trip, which gives you a spoonful of church community with a pinch of culture thrown in (I may or may not have just made a slight reference to Bride and Prejudice there, you decide). Either way, I'm pretty excited. I'd better make sure I've got all my shots in order. One of our students came back from visiting the doctor for that very reason, and I have never seen someone so stricken with a fear of needles - pale, on edge, doesn't want to move his arm for fear of feeling the medicine seep into his body, needed to take a time out on his rocking chair to gain some comfort. Goodness gracious. But otherness to look forward to is playing worship with one of our students! We're gonna practice weekly leading up to it, and that is just fantastic because there's nothing like playing music. NOTHING.

I'm feeling a little down/up at the moment in retrospect of the INN last night - it was a great INN. I did the announcements with one of our students - who's never done it before, yeah for integration! And there were many people, great conversations and just a good atmosphere. The thing is I didn't really make any one-on-one dates, but in an odd way felt okay about that. So I've got this balance of down/up syndrome (not to be confused with up/down syndrome, of the 'Winnie the Pooh' Variety) - down because there wasn't great individual contact, but kind of 'up' because it makes me think about what my goal is as being an intern. Yes, there is the definite need and blessing of being in relationships with students (don't get me wrong, I'm meeting with students this week, I just didn't force my calendar on anyone last night), but also the fact that I'm only here for a year is coming into focus a little more. I'm connecting them to the ministry, not just myself. I'm connecting them to each other, not just to me. That has to be a HUGE part of why I do what I do - these students are here for 4(+) years, and are often searching for community and a good social scene. I can give them a friendship that will last ... a year. I mean, some will last longer than this year for sure, but really they need to be connected to something that is consistent, and offers a solid something for their time in college, not MY time at WSU. And perhaps this is also helping me (and them?) gain a broader perspective on connecting to Jesus, that people come and go, that experiences last for a few years and then change. But God is everywhere. He is consistent. He is everlasting. And although I may change, He will not. Although I may become distant, He will not (it might seem like it's Him at times, but it's probably me). It makes me feel like 'intern' should have the label 'connector' or 'novice networker' because really, we're always trying to connect them to something bigger than themselves, whether that be community or a relationship with Jesus. So even though I feel a little bummed that I'm not trekking to Starbucks 3x later this week, or camping out at the bookie, I'm okay with the fact that students know students, and students know Jesus. It was cool to wander through the chatting groups of people last night seeing who now knows who. But anyway, back to my job, anyone want to go grab some coffee?

P.S. I made another video for our ski trip this weekend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl2yP9p_54s

Perhaps this pic is an accurate down/up representation?

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

You Can't Stop the Beat

I love music. I love dancing. So naturally I love musicals. Thus the quote from 'Hairspray'. Winter Retreat fulfilled quite a bit of those areas, in that the worship music was fantastic, and we had a dance party on Saturday night. I mean the rest of the retreat was amazing as well, but as I have found that I'm pretty influenced by music in my life, it was simply fabulous in that respect. But really, what a great weekend. It was an experience for sure - a melding of my current ministry and past ministry - a weird spot to be in because I want to connect with old friends but also make it a memorable experience for current students from WSU. It was overall fantastic, being able to introduce my students to friends from UW, and see the cross cultural interaction. Alright alright, not in your average cross cultural experience, but it really is if you think about it.

It's also weird coming back from a retreat - technically I worked all weekend, but does it feel like work? Not so much. But perhaps that's because I'm doing something I love - I mean I'm going to want to enjoy my job no matter what I do. Is that a high expectation to have? It seems to fit so far. I just have to make sure I separate life from work sometimes - which is extra hard here because even having fun outside of normal work is still hanging out with students, they just also happen to be my friends. Does this sound complicated? Moving on ...

As part of my job this past weekend, we did a broomball event. Yes, again, I love my job. But here's the kicker - we had about 20 people show up to be a part of this! Took me by surprise. Here's why. I decided to make it an event on Monday, advertised it at the INN Tuesday, and it took place Saturday. Seemingly short notice. I always have people asking me 'who's going to be there' or saying 'I don't know I might be busy' but there was just something about Broomball that I just had to make it happen. I mean, I've really only played this sport with Jr. Highers before, what oh what would it be like with adults?! (or almost adults ... and it's really just the same as playing with Jr. Highers, only probably hurts more ... ). So I'm basically overwhelmed with happiness that so many people picked up on it and came out for Broomball! Perhaps I set my expectations a little low on this one, but it does leave me feeling pretty good in the end, so low expectations here I come! A couple bruises, broken toenail and solid hour of fun on the rink later, what a great time. Just having fun. Hanging out. Hitting some people in the shins. What could be better?

And please, can someone turn the snow off? It's really making things difficult.

I dreamed a dream ...

This is ridiculous. I have the weirdest dreams, and mostly just lately they've gotten weirder. Ranging from being Harry Potter in a Gwen Stefani music video, to helping Rori Gilmore hunt down vampires, I think it might be time to keep track of them ...

4/20
I dreamed Princeton got a hold of me and told me they were making me vice president of some main student organization there ... it was all very flattering and important stuff, even though I felt I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And then I was already in the moving process, and our dorms were literally hobbit holes in the sides of hills. Don't get me wrong, those are pretty fantastic, but hobbit holes? At Princeton?

4/10
So my house is really a part of a large mansion, and we have decided to hold a great formal dance - everyone from the INN is coming, and I think it's the day of so everyone is kind of rushing around getting all the last minute preparations ready. I come home carrying a LOT of stuff, and as I head into the house I realize that there is an elevator where our actual office is, and since I need to get to the fourth floor, I start going for it. As I pass Mae, I ask her why she never told me about the elevator before, and she said (rather truly) something to the effect of, 'you never like taking elevators when there are stairs readily available/accessible.' So I proceed to the elevator, which is more of a warehouse elevator, and I end up having to share it with another lady from our church who's packed 4 shopping carts onto it, along with a lot of red lead paint ... this is a culmination of so many things ...

4/8
I was at some music practice in the church, playing guitar with a college aged choir, and I hear one of those high pitched noises, you know the ones you get in one ear and you try to shake your ear a bit to get rid of it - kind of like the high pitched noise the tv makes when it's on but muted. Anyway, I start thinking it's coming from one of the strings in my guitar, but it isn't, and we realize that it's coming from the piano. So we go to look into the piano, and suddenly the piano is now a separate room that we have to walk into. Each piano key is actually linked to multiple bags of bells (approx. 5 bells per bag) which are all hanging in rows from the ceiling. So we start searching the bads to find the bell that is making this noise. Side note - the bells don't look so much like bells as they look like old school microphones and kazoos, but they all sound like bells ... We find the bag that holds THE bell, and in the same bag is this other bell that when you ring it, it cuts out all noise ... very eerie. So I take the bag of bells with me and walk into town (I have no idea what town, I just know I'm supposed to get rid of the bell bag). As I'm walking along, I see this man up ahead who is half man and half bear (werewolf style). I duck into the nearest shop which happens to be a bakery, of the style of the 13th century or something. I see a friend of mine and they say to me, 'you know why that man's a bear-man? it's because of that bell!' and so I realize I have to destroy it! So I throw it into the oven in the bakery, and when I go back outside the man has turned back into a man.

2/26
I am addicted to avocados. I literally dreamed about them last night. In my dream I was on some sort of retreat with some friends, and there was a little grocery mart we stopped by, and bought 3 avocados. We were going to eat them, but put them on a counter in the kitchen, and next thing we know they are gone! I finally find some of my other friends in another room saying they NEED the avocados to help them get better - some sort of health/medicine recipe which stated that avocados have some sort of special healing natural ingredient in them (I wouldn't be surprised, they're so DELICIOUS!!). So I finally convince them they can keep the ones they took (they'd already skinned them, and I prefer to eat them out of the skins) if they agreed to by us new ones to replace them. So they agreed, but when we went back to the store, they were sold OUT!! I know, when did this dream turn into a nightmare!?! Then I woke up.

1/9
Wow. So my friends and I have discovered a way to get into literature ... literally. We have figured out that in pieces of artwork representing novels/fiction we are able to jump into them and become part of the story. We can't change anything, but we become side characters that witness the things that happen. BUT we THEN find out that under the right circumstances (like, when there's lightning) we can jump in and substitute a character - they end up in our world and we end up in theirs. And then we CAN change the fate of the book. So we get to it - a certain book we have read, we figure has a terrible ending so we orchestrate when and how to change the story so that it ends better. But it's all secretive because we have to work around curfews because apparently I've reverted back into high school. Hey, this could make a pretty sweet movie.

1/7
I'm getting picked up from Tully's by my dad in the good ol' Garfield Mini-van. I think I may have stolen a cup, but it's one of those mugs you get at retreat centers, and Tully's doesn't really have those even for purchase, so I'm gonna go ahead and say I didn't steal it. Anyway, he picks me up, we drive off in the direction of capital hill (it's all snowy too) and as we're heading up some hilly parts, I ask him, 'where are we going' and he replies 'oh, you'll see' and all of a sudden, we taken off into flight. The mini-van flies. We are free wheelin' through the clouds and off into the blue. It was fantastic.

12/27
All I remember was that I was on a mission trip with some people I didn't know, and we were on our way home, talking about how God had been so powerful in placing us on this trip. But one of the guys was mentioning how he used to be a dog and ended up coming on the trip, and everyone oooh'd and awweee'd at how God had orchestrated the whole thing, and then I just had to ask, 'How did you sign up for the trip if you were a dog?' because he had literally been a golden retriever. Well, let's just say the question was a moment killer. Apparently no one else was as curious as I.

12/9
Wow. So I dreamed that in my past I sold marijuana and never got caught for it. But then after I had turned my life around the police started coming after me, and my family and I decided it would be better if I ran. So they bought me a car - a really old buick or something, which I had to pick up at a Safeway. So I was on my way out of the parking lot and I had to slam on my breaks at some point and since they were less responsive than I was used so I ended up slamming into 2 cars instead. Finally I'm on my way (after instant car repair? and no insurance questions?) and headed out of town which is somewhere in the middle of Iowa. I think I had another dream in which I was on one of those ridiculous reality dating show. The whole time thinking 'I can't believe I'm on one of those ridiculous reality dating shows.'

11/11
So I'm in a grocery store, something like a Fred Meyer, lined up with the rest of the marching band. I come out to start a bit of drum majoring to lead the band in '76 Trombones Led the Big Parade ...' from the Music Man, and as we weave our ways through the aisles it also becomes a scavenger hunt for my sister. We are now rushing around in hot pursuit, but she has disguised herself with strange clothes. She does speak though, and I recognize her and find her. Then she and I shop for a bit but decide we'd rather take a walk to Fremont and so we do. I think I miss my sister.

11/8
Okay, it's been awhile, mostly because I haven't been remembering large chunks lately. But huzzah! I'm in a shopping mall, and I've decided to take my purse and bags and place them next to a wall in some main hallway with my thought process being 'I hope no one steals my stuff...' only to have that answered by a guy coming up and snatching my purse. So I start running after him, and I think to myself, 'man, I canNOT run in HEELS!' so I proceed to remove my red stiletto heels I'm wearing (I know, what?!?) and chase him down. I'm pretty fast, so I catch him in the parking lot and start beating him with my shoes. Then he takes a stiletto to the face, and it pretty much lodges inside his face. Like all the way in. And then we're really just standing there and he's like 'dang it!' and I'm like, 'well, that's what you get for stealing my purse.' And I take my purse back and walk away.

10/17
So, I'm robbing something. I can't remember if it's a bank, but seeing as the getaway vehicle was something close to a semi truck, we could have been stealing something huge. I'm with a bunch of people I don't know, and a few that I do, and we're sitting in the Semi on our way out, and I turn to a friend and say something to the effect of, "You know, I'm speaking at the INN next week, I really shouldn't be doing this. I mean, I'm going to be talking about obedience and I don't think this is at all what God had in mind ..."
--- can you believe that? a moment of reality within my subconscious. Good grief. And I really am speaking at the INN next week, you can be in prayer. Thanks!

10/11
1. First, I had a dream about the BEST used bookstore I have ever experienced. Makes sense it was in a dream. Seriously, I got this giant Beatrix Potter compilation of stories book for like, $1. Sweet.
2. I don't remember how we got to this point, but I and a few friends were back home, were in charge of a few very large versions of Pocupines we had on leashes (they were very sweet, just difficult to pet ...). We were tooling around town looking for something, and ended up back at my house. And then it got very 'Back To The Future' - we each had our place on a part of a miniature train set, and we had to speed up to a point on my front lawn that was lit up by sparklers so that we could jump into the future, porcupines in tow ... yeah, I have no clue ...

10/6
I dreamed I had tickets to go see Rent, the musical, live. In Bremerton of all places. Dreams are weird. Anyway, my whole family was also going but we didn't have enough room in one car (did my family expand? I thought they were shrinking ...) but it was okay because I was going to travel with a friend. But said 'friend' called me and said they couldn't make it to the show, but AFTER my family had already left - WHAT?!? I just remember it getting closer and closer to showtime and I had no way of getting across the water. AGONY.

9/28
First, if you've read my 9/30 post, you'll see this was partially due to A Thousand Splendid Suns. But it also was because of the movie Because I Said So because it had a lot of weddings in it. My dream was I was getting married - but it was arranged. Didn't know the guy, he was also already a father, and the dream felt kind of real. I just remember getting used to the marriage idea, trying to get to know who this guy is and who his family is, etc. It was strange, but wasn't scary, and was kind of an interesting challenge.

9/23
I took a nap, and dreamed that Toby could speak. Like, full sentences. Here's how it went - I sat down on the couch next to Alex and Toby, and Toby starts mumbling baby-like stuff, and then I realize he's talking. I say, 'did he just say candy?' and he had said 'I would really like a piece of candy' only it was mumbly. But then I said to him, do you know english? and his eyes got wide and he smirked, and then I asked him his name and he shyly replied 'Toby'. That's pretty advanced for 6mo. When I woke up I was kind of suspicious but I'm pretty sure he can't talk ... yet ...

9/18
Dream #1: Kate Maxwell has decided to move from Seattle to Minnisota, and plans to travel there on horseback, since she owns a horse (no i don't think she really does), and plans on camping places along the way. I and several friends meet her at the end of her journey to find riding on something more similar to a donkey, and she's been mugged, so she's broke. :(
Dream #2: I and several friends are rushing around looking for cobwebs so that we can coat ourselves in a sticky exterior in order to better catch the villains we are after. And no, I don't think my subconcious has very good ideas for catching villains.

A Husky Far From Home