one of the best.

if i have to back-it-up (no pun intended) and watch it again, then it's a dance that has really caught my attention. there were several from season 6 of sytycd that did just that, but here's one that really made my jaw drop during the finale. when jakob does that double-fist punch to the ground, i kinda' lose it.

live in the present moment.

"I try to live in the present moment, to accept reality as it is - the reality of my body and spirit, the reality of my community, the reality of creation and of our world. Today, it is sunny and cold; yesterday, it was raining and cold. Accept each day, each moment as it comes - the different seasons..."

-- Jean Vanier, Founder of L'Arche

this is eurasia.

we wanted to 'go out with a bang' for our final project with the eurasia communications team.
so here it is: our stop-motion project to show not only the diversity of eurasia but also the ways in which youth from every field are participating in the Kingdom.



it was true collaboration.
quite the labor of love. but so worth it in the end.

our deepest humanity in waiting.

If it is true that God in Jesus Christ is waiting for our response to divine love, then we can discover a whole new perspective on how to wait in life. We can learn to be obedient people who do not always try to go back to the action but who recognize the fulfillment of our deepest humanity in passion, in waiting. If we can do this, I am convinced that we will come in touch with the glory of God and our new life.

-- Henri Nouwen, The Spirituality of Waiting

soup weather.

this soup was perfect for the cold and rain (and the little bit of snow we saw!) this week. and the leftovers tasted even better than the first meal... when spices and flavors have more time to soak in to the veggies, it is a beautiful thing.

Spinach-Zucchini Soup

advent is here.

“We are all meant to be mothers of God, for God is always needing to be born.”

- Meister Eckhart (13th century Christian mystic)

real ones.

"It is the sweet, simple things of life
which are the real ones after all."

- Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House in the Ozarks by Hines)

soon it's gonna' rain.

and actually it's already begun. i think it rains here more than it stays dry. in all four seasons.

today is especially dreary. it needs the right accompaniment to fully hone in to this kind of weather.

today is the kind of day where i would normally put on one of my barbra streisand records and let it be my soundtrack for the afternoon.

so, since i don't have my vinyl right now, youtube will have to do.

here is barbra singing, soon it's gonna' rain from the fantastiks.


and here are the lyrics:

Hear how the wind begins to whisper
See how the leaves go streaming by
Smell how the velvet rain is falling
Out where the fields are warm and dry
Now is the time to run inside and stay
Now is the time to find a hideaway
Where we can play
Soon it's gonna rain, I can see it
Soon it's gonna rain, I can tell
Soon it's gonna rain, what are we gonna do?
Soon it's gonna rain, I can feel it
Soon it's gonna rain, I can tell
Soon it's gonna rain, what will we do with you?
We'll find four limbs of a tree
We'll build four walls and a floor
We'll bind it over with leaves
Then duck inside and play
Then we'll let it rain, we'll not feel it
Then we'll let it rain, rain pell mall
And we'll not complain if it never stops at all
We'll live and love within our castle
Hear how the wind begins to whisper
Feel how the rain is falling now

apple-cinnamon bread pudding.

i've been buying a bag of apples each week (for only 2 francs!) from my neighbors, just around the corner, and am now finding new ways to bake with these fresh-from-the-trees green apples. they're delightfully crisp and perfectly sour. but baking with them is a treat too.

similar to the system with the pumpkin & squash stand, this apple & flower stand isn't manned (or womanned, for that matter) by anyone. instead, there's just a little jar to put your coins in and the honor system really works. ya' pay for what ya' pick out. it's a beautiful thing.

so, here's another in-season dessert recipe for you... happy green apple time.

Apple-Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 4 cups soft cinnamon bread, torn into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup raisins or chopped dried cranberries (optional)
• 2 cups milk (try vanilla soy milk with it!)
  
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

Butter an 11x7-inch baking dish. Heat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine bread, cinnamon, and apple slices, and raisins or chopped dried cranberries, if using; toss to mix.

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, brown sugar, and butter; heat over medium heat until hot and butter is melted.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with vanilla. Quickly whisk in the hot milk mixture then pour the mixture over the bread. Stir to mix well.

Pour bread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Set a jelly roll pan or large shallow baking dish in the oven. Set the bread pudding pan inside the larger pan. Add very hot water to the outer pan to a depth of about 1/2-inch. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.

still wanting to live as an ordinary radical.

i just had a great reminder about the kind of person i want/hope to be.
yes, the person i hope to become. but also the person i hope to be today, even now. through sharing life with other people. no solo trek here.

loma invited shane claiborne to share (preach? speak? story-tell?) about some of his convictions and practices with the campus yesterday, and the audio file from that chapel is already posted online. some eunc (european nazarene college -- where i presently live) friends and i gathered just now to listen to it together. good, good stuff. always more to dialogue about. and live-out. so let me know if you were at that chapel (or the monday evening q&a!!), if you listen to the file linked below, if you're still wrestling/processing/continually trying to apply convictions and practices that were provoked/inspired by reading the irresistible revolution: living as an ordinary radical, or if you're just wondering, 'what the heck is this all about?'

let's share.
together.

to listen to the chapel audio file, go here: http://www.pointloma.edu/CampusLife/Chapel.htm

Instructions: Find the chapel date you would like to hear [November 9th, 2009 - Shane Claiborne] and simply click the title to start the player. To download a copy of the mp3, click the download button next to the chapel title or double-click the title and select "Save File".

To filter the list, select the year and semester you would like to view. To filter by a particular speaker, type that speaker's name in the box.

a nun's life

the lastest intriguing blog that i stumbled upon:

http://anunslife.org/

i like what i'm reading. thanks sisters!

do not let your love be a pretense.

this says everything. i have no words to add. but an amen.
and a so be it.

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans:
(Romans 12:9-16)

Do not let your love be a pretense, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as sisters and brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.

Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied.

all saints day.

remembering those who have gone before.
a great cloud of witnesses.

Grant us during our pilgrimage to abide in their fellowship,
and to become partakers of their joy.

squash it good.

the third recipe from the same butternut squash was also prepared last night. turned out great. autumn baking with grace in europa gets two thumbs up.

SQUASH SPICE BREAD
Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 medium buttnerut squash, halved and seeded (1 1/2 lb.)
  
• 1 Tbs. maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. chopped walnuts, divided (optional)
  
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup plain (unsweetened) soymilk
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Place squash halves cut-side down on baking sheet. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until soft. Cool. Scoop flesh from skin, mash with maple syrup, and set aside.
2. Coat 8- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, sugar, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in large bowl. Lightly beat eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in oil, soymilk, and vanilla until smooth. Fold squash into liquid ingredients with spatula. Stir squash liquid mixture into flour mixture.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan, and sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbs. walnuts. Bake 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes on wire rack, then unmold and cool completely.

all things anderson.

so i stumbled on this blog yesterday, and i couldn't resist sharing it.
i'm a big ac fan, but this tops everything.

http://www.allthingsandersoncooper.com/

still squashin'.

tonight grace and i made our second meal, from the same butternut squash, mentioned in the previous vegetarian cuisine post.

CURRY SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. canola or olive oil
  
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 2 small or one large butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 2 tsp. curry powder
  
• 1 tsp. paprika powder
• 1 cup rice (totally optional)
  

Preparation:

In a large soup pot, sautee the onion and garlic in the oil until onions turn soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 3 to 5 miutes.

Add the squash and stir just to coat, then add the vegetable broth, curry, and paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a slow simmer. Allow to cook for at least 25 minutes, or until squash is soft.

Cook rice separately. Once it is ready, add to soup.

Stir in the soy milk and season to taste.

taizé day in stuggart.

on 10 october, we took the baden-württemberg regional ticket (up to five travelers covered for € 28!) up to stuttgart for:

Prayer and meeting in Stuttgart:
The communion of the Church: going towards one another

we joined our voices with fellow brothers and sisters who had also made the pilgrimage for this gathering. the article linked above highlights all of the youth that came, but i really saw all ages present. making our song one. a beautiful picture of the Church in deutschland.

this prayer (from the most recent taizé newsletter) is being echoed by brothers and sisters on all continents. may we join too. in both word and deed:

Christ Jesus, seeking to follow you, we understand that you call us to forgive, again and again. And faithfulness to your Gospel can kindle in us such a passion for forgiveness.

squash season.

grace is visiting (yay!) and we wanted to cook seasonally, so last night we sawed into the butternut squash that has been adorning my kitchen table for weeks now. i picked it out from the squash stand on the side of the road to get me in the fall mood last month. it's a hefty squash and it'll make many a dish, but we started with this one:

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO WITH PESTO
Serves 6; 30 minutes or fewer to prepare

Ingredients:

• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  
• 1/4 cup prepared pesto, divided
• 1 cup chopped fresh onion
• 1 1/2 cups rice for risotto
• 3 cups cubed butternut squash
  

Preparation:

1. Bring broth and 2 cups water to a boil in large saucepan; turn off heat.
2. Heat 1 Tbs. pesto in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in rice, followed by 1/2 cup hot broth. When rice has absorbed broth, add another 1/2 cup. Continue adding broth in this manner 5 minutes.
3. Stir in squash. Resume adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time until rice has absorbed all liquid. (This should take about 15 minutes.) Remove from heat, and stir in 1 Tbs. pesto. Spoon risotto into 6 bowls and top each with 1 tsp. pesto.

Tip: Add fresh garlic to the onions. Top finished dish with grated parmesan cheese and halved cherry tomatoes.

la posada.

While skyping it up with my sister last night, she reminded me of the beauty of La Posada ('The Inn'). Please read this short article.

As we begin to look towards the approaching Christian New Year, which begins with the season of Advent, may we also remember this annual gathering of brothers and sisters. May we too be sowers of peace... even, or maybe especially, in the face of messages that don't speak of love. And may we love there too... where it is perhaps most difficult to love.

amen and amen.

laura veirs is my new favorite, favorite, favorite.

obsessed. i'm obsessed with laura veirs' new album, 'july flame'. it's not out yet (coming january 2010). but she's so cool to offer two free tracks. and they are so good. like i can't get enough of them, i play them on repeat all day, so good. i think this will be one of the best albums of the year. you have to hear for yourself. please download. and then leave a comment if this post was helpful to you. because i'm really sharing some love here. after all, music is for sharing. and this, here, is an honest form of sharing. so go.for.it!
this album is too.wonderful.for.words, yes?
this is what good music is supposed to do to you.
it does something to me.
bah-rilliant.

why go veggie?, dos.

vegetariantimes.com has a wonderful and compelling list that responds to the question, 'why go veg?' all good reasons; you should read the full list. but here are my main motivations:

• You’ll help reduce famine. About 70 percent of all grain produced in the United States is fed to animals raised for slaughter. The 7 billion livestock animals in the United States consume five times as much grain as is consumed directly by the American population. “If all the grain currently fed to livestock were consumed directly by people, the number of people who could be fed would be nearly 800 million,” says David Pimentel, professor of ecology at Cornell University. If the grain were exported, it would boost the US trade balance by $80 billion a year.

• You’ll save money. Meat accounts for 10 percent of Americans’ food spending. Eating vegetables, grains and fruits in place of the 200 pounds of beef, chicken and fish each nonvegetarian eats annually would cut individual food bills by an average of $4,000 a year.

• You’ll help reduce pollution. Some people become vegetarians after realizing the devastation that the meat industry is having on the environment. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), chemical and animal waste runoff from factory farms is responsible for more than 173,000 miles of polluted rivers and streams. Runoff from farmlands is one of the greatest threats to water quality today. Agricultural activities that cause pollution include confined animal facilities, plowing, pesticide spraying, irrigation, fertilizing and harvesting.

really it's about solidarity. and it's about not contributing to these systems. one happy veg at a time. : )

wisdom.

i've loved this song for about six years now. which is some time to let it really settle in and take root in my prayers. it speaks time and time again. i'm reading about wisdom again these days. with a proverb a day. also soaking-in some nouwen [here and now: living in the spirit] to accompany this song. grateful for reflection. and grateful for the pursuit. of making wisdom the first step and the last thought when the day's done.

Humble yourself before the Almighty
That’s where you find true wisdom
Make it your first step, make it your last thought
Lying in bed when the day’s done

Hear it calling out your name
In the busy streets, in the center of town
Who will turn their face to truth and then live it out

Wisdom is greater than any fleeting
Pleasure that money brings you
Answers will come to those who pursue
The pathway to life that few choose

Hear it calling out your name
In the busy streets, in the center of town
Who will turn their face to truth and then live it out

Knowledge awaits you filling your arms
With more than they ever could grasp
Blessed are you who hunger for truth
And keep your eyes fixed on what lasts

Hear it calling out your name
In the busy streets, in the center of town
Who will turn their face to truth and then live it out

love of an orchestra.

this song is making me particularly happy today.
it's new from 'noah and the whale'.
check it, yo.

i especially like these lines:

i know i'll never be lonely
i've got songs in my blood
i'm carrying all the love of an orchestra
gimme the love of an orchestra...

although, i must say, i find it difficult to understand why they're releasing a new album titled 'the first days of spring' right as the thrust of autumn is taking shape. it messes with my season mo-jo.

fresh produce for all!

this is great. always happy to see the growing support for local, farmers' markets. but to see this pilot project developing makes me extra excited.

from npr:

The Obama administration wants Americans to buy more locally grown food. Problem is, the way we grow food today means that local is sometimes more expensive, so farmers markets can be cost-prohibitive for lower income families.

But the White House farmers market and a handful of others around the country are part of a pilot project. This market accepts food stamps — and those stamps are worth twice as much here as they would be elsewhere....

cool, yeah? no more 7-11 diets for those in inner-city areas! fresh produce should not be reserved for only the wealthy. let's rally to see more farmers markets accepting food stamps. it only makes sense.

full story linked below:

Farmers Markets: Fresh, Local, Government-Approved

by Guy Raz

no strangers anymore.

while updating my couchsurfing [cs] profile this week (elle & i are trying to score a place to stay in prague in two weeks time!), i decided to fill in the cs field that asked:
'personal philosophy: what is your personal philosophy? why do you live your life? feelings? thoughts?'

whew. i could write a novel. we all could. but this patty griffin lyric came to mind instead. it says so much. in so few words.

...and we'll grow kindness in our hearts
for all of the strangers among us
'till there are no strangers anymore...

-- Patty Griffin
(song: 'No Bad News' from the album 'Children Running Through')


so for now. that is my philosophy.
on life.
on community and humanity.
on sharing and travel.
on hospitality and embodying a spirit of 'welcome'.
on listening and learning from one another.
on movement and growth.
on love in action.
and on and on...

well, have you?

and, have i?
have we?
.smiled.

[foto circa june 2008: stockholm, sweden. click to make bigger.]

known by her name.

i love taizé. love, love. two different visits, in opposite seasons -- summer and winter -- have shaped me. tremendously. in following the updates from taizé sites around the world, i came across this beautiful portrait of community. read it. soak it in. such truth about humanity! and sharing life! may we too live in such a way... wherever home may be.

One of the brothers living in Bangladesh writes:

"When we as brothers welcome others, we welcome a great diversity of people. Little by little, we have learned to understand that we are not welcoming "the poor", "the disabled", or "a beggar"; we are welcoming persons. We are not welcoming "a station boy", but someone, and he is happy when we call him by his name. A woman who comes often, who can hardly walk, and who begs, is not "a beggar". She is "Mrs so and so". She is happy when she is known by her name.

And when we eat together - it is often at the midday meal that we welcome - each person introduces himself or herself. Sometimes there are thirty of forty of us, and we pass the plates, and one or two decide how much to put on the plates. And when everyone has their plate in front of them, sitting on the floor (we eat with our fingers), those who do not belong to the fraternity or to the group of young adults who live with us, introduce themselves, and give their names. Little by little we have discovered that these moments when each person says their name are moments of joy, moments that are quite different from times when we do something for others, or when we speak. It is someone who says, "I am so and so", and we are sitting here together."

we are sitting here together.
thanks be to G-d.
joy indeed!

crepes perfected.

if you want to enjoy some sweet or savory crepes, then follow this link below.

basic crepes, baby.

i've perfected this recipe in the last year, and the only substitution that i recommend is vanilla soy milk instead of dairy milk. it just gives it this subtle little yum! believe me.

i also like this recipe because you can adjust the measurements (u.s. or metric) based on which continent you're currently crepe-ing-it-up-on. in addition, you can adjust the servings amount, and it recalculates it all for you. easy-peasy.

for savory ingredients i typically go with: onions, garlic, mushrooms, & eggplant sautéd in olive oil (add some spice too!). then add to warm crepe, along with your favorite shredded cheese.

for sweet ingredients: nothing beats nutella and bananas. but jam, honey, peanut butter, or other fruit varieties are good too.

bon appétit!

meatless meals.

must give a shout-out to the september issue of real simple. they're featuring a story about the benefits of eating meat-free (such as: the health risks associated with meaty diets, how much money one family could save by replacing a meat-focused meal with beans, etc.) really yummy recipes are featured too. besides following the link below, be sure to check out the hard copy where they go into more detail about various protein sources for vegetarians. way.to.go real simple!

6 Meatless Meals for Meat Lovers
By Virginia Sole-Smith
Simple, hearty vegetarian dinners that will satisfy even steak-and-potato stalwarts.

a time to love.

i think we could all benefit from takin' a look
at the times which presently surround us.
the u.s. news is chalk-full of stories about
so.much.name-calling.and.bickering.
and.finger-pointing.and.blame-gaming.
just all-around negativity goin' down.
my daily podcast reel (thank you AC360)
continues to show how divided people are.
on all fronts. on all issues. on all 'isms'.

but stevie is here to remind us (& ms. india.arie backs him up)
what time it really is.
please read. and ponder. and act.
let's.act.in.love.
it's the time.

We have time for racism
We have time for criticism
Held bondage by our ism's
When will there be a time to love

We make time to debate religion
Passing bills and building prisons
For building fortunes and passing judgments
When will there be a time to love

At this point in history we have a choice to make
To either walk a path of love
Or be crippled by our hate

We have time to cause pollution
We have time to cause confusion
All wrapped up in our own illusions
When will there be a time to love

We make time to conquer nations
Time for oil exploration
Hatred, violence and terrorism
When will there be a time to love

At this moment in time
We have a choice to make
Father God is watching
While we cause mother earth so much pain
It's such a shame

Not enough money for
The young, the old and the poor
But for war there is always more
When will there be a time to love

We make time for paying taxes
Or paying bills and buying status
But we will pay the consequences
If we don't make the time to love

Now's the time to pay attention
Yes now is the time... to Love...
A time to Love... Love...
A time to Love
Please, please won't you tell me
When will there be a time to Love...

-- Stevie Wonder, "A Time To Love"

i want to be.

...a better blogger.
it's true.
also.
...a more intentional foto-sharer.
...a more driven language-learner.
...& a more consistent letter-writer :: snail mail, baby.

what i'm looking for is a bit more.
structure.more discipline.more routine.
which kinda' goes against my nature.
and while there is something terribly appealing about routine,
it also scares.the.spontaneity.out.of.me!
nonetheless, i think i am seeking new rhythms, please.
if i say i am going to do something, i want to do it.
follow-through.
and through.

will you help me grow in these aforementioned areas, dear ones?
i know it'll take some help from friends.
keep bugging me. reminding me.
merci. merci.

a.path.about.love.

thanks goes out to my dear friend soph who reminded me of the brilliance that is bell hooks. here's what bell hooks (her name is intentionally spelled without capital letters!) has to remind us all about today,

"If I were really asked to define myself, I wouldn't start with race; I wouldn't start with blackness; I wouldn't start with gender; I wouldn't start with feminism. I would start with stripping down to what fundamentally informs my life, which is that I'm a seeker on the path. I think of feminism, and I think of anti-racist struggles as part of it. But where I stand spiritually is, steadfastly, on a path about love."

word sister.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judi-jennings/womens-rights-and-human-r_b_269775.html

"

g-funk will always be home.

coming back to my ultimate home sweet home is just.so.good.
something about it fits juuust right.
much like the old pair of birkenstocks
that i haven't worn for nearly a year.
when i slipped my feet into them this morning,
the shape still fit like a glove. a glove for my toes.
it felt like, aha! -- this is what i've been missing.

.deep gratitude for stateside travel.
.and brothers and sisters throughout my lil' u.s. tour.
.but also deep gratitude to be back in colorado.
.even if just for a week.
.i will treasure this fit.

i dig these fresh beats.

i just can't get enough of this live set from the oh-so-delightful esperanza spalding. she tore it up at the newport jazz festival last month. she's been one of my new fav women of jazz/soul/rhythm [she plays the upright bass and sings!] ever since i discovered her music last winter, but this live set has been quite the show-stopper to top all that i've heard from her so far.

please listen in. all the way through. and then repeat.
she's great. reeeally great.
as always, thank you npr for providing such treats and sweet jams. you're my favorite.

a brilliant recycle dude.

you simply have to check out the fotos linked below:

Home & Garden

The Recycled Houses

Michael Stravato for The New York Times

Published: 02.09.2009

A few of the homes in Huntsville, Tex., that Dan Phillips has built using old picture frames, wine bottles and other salvaged materials.

i love that the new homeowners are a part of the building process.
so very empowering.
and every home is just so brilliant. and be-a-utiful.
what creativity. what ingenuity.
three cheers for dan phillips, the brilliant recycle dude.

i love it. love it. love it.

pale september.

my oh my.

how on earth is it september already?
to where has the time gone?

i'm a bit sad to see summer and sun and heat being ushered away.

"the embers of the summer lost their breath and disappeared..."
-- pale september, fiona apple

but anyone who knows me, knows i relish in the changing of seasons.
and i especially love the start of autumn.
it is nearing. i feel its presence.
like fiona, apple that is, i'm excited about a pale september.
i'm eager to discover what lessons and new growth will come.

afterall, there's still growth in the fall;
it just looks different than the spring and summer.
time is ordered differently in the autumn months.
and i'm so ready for new rhythms to take root in my life.

pale september, i wore the time like a dress that year
the autumn days swung soft around me, like cotton on my skin...
-- pale september, fiona apple

mmm-hmmm.
it's prose like these that get me extra excited about this time of year.
.happy to enter into a new season.

the whites of their eyes.

there's this revolutionary war quote about 'not shooting until you can see the whites of their eyes.' know the one i'm talking about? well i recently heard a much better take on that idea. except i don't know the exact phrasing, and i've been waiting to write some sort of post on here about it, and i don't want to botch it up. but here it goes anyway.

while visiting san diego last week, my dear friend and one of my mentors from loma, syl, shared this quote with me. we had a heart-to-heart chat, an absolutely life-giving conversation, over con pane sandwiches. --> which i boldly stand by the claim that thier veggie cobb is my favorite sandwich (specifically in the category of cold eats) in the entire world [avocados, roasted roma tomatoes, gorgonzola cheese, bean sprouts, red onions, romaine lettuce, and yummy spread on either rosemary or whole wheat bread]. um, yum. it's to die for. i'm not exaggerating when i say it's my favorite cold sandwich in the whole wide world. if you're ever in san diego, pleeease try it.

but, back to the quote. syl told me something she had recently heard from one of her friends, and it has continued to resonate with me... i just don't remember how to phrase it properly and accurately. the gist of it is this:

we need people in our lives both who know us and who can see the whites of our eyes.

amen and amen. ...except that it was phrased much more eloquently than that. i will try to update this once i have the whole thought spelled out a little more richer. the principle of the idea is still there though.

as i travel through different states, visiting friends and family (and friends who really should just be called 'family'), i am reminded of how true this concept really is... i am very thankful for my life in the büs, but living so far from all of the people that i love can take its toll. skype is a wonderful invention, but i don't think we can really see the whites of one another's eyes through technology. we need people whom we are actively journeying with who will know when we are hurting because they can see it in our eyes. in person. that has largely been the gift of my six-week break in the states: being with people who know me, who get me, who can see where i am at, and how i am really doing, based on the whites of my eyes.

is this echoing with anyone else? because i think it largely defines true community and what the church is to be. to and with one another. sharing life.

so as i have been with family and friends in colorado, california, idaho, minneapolis, and soon on to wisconsin, all i have is gratitude. your hospitality, authenticity, and your willingness to both open your homes and your lives speaks of real sharing and real love. it is a gift, a true gift, to be able to really see the whites of your eyes. thank you for seeing mine as well.

-------------
an amendment to this post:

my aforementioned friend and mentor, sylvia cortez, had this fuller and richer statement to add when i asked her to remind me how this idea was spelled out...

"We all need people in our lives that we can go to when we are really struggling, when we need to process, or when we are not doing well. These people need to be friends whom we can trust, who won't be judgmental, or advice givers necessarily, but who will simply listen to us and who know us in deep ways. Given the transitory nature in most people these days, many of us have these kinds of friendships with people who live in different parts of the country or world even...not necessarily in our own community. However, it's essential that we have a person or two within our community -- we need to be in relationship with people whom we actually see on a regular basis -- people who can see the whites of our eyes and because they know us well, are able to know, before we even tell them, that something is going on, that we need to talk, or that we need their presence."

amen and amen. so be it. that is my desire for life... that wherever i may be, there too will be such friendships.

that is good stuff syl. thank you for your words, and thank you for your presence in my life. thank you that even though we live on different continents, when we are back together, it is so rich....

...there is a real sharing.
and seeing.
and being.

always learning this one.

less.
really.
is.
more.

and.that.is.easier.said.than.done.
but.i'm.still.trying.

food for thought. pun intended.

today i woke up at 6:30am with no alarm. but this is actually an improvement from waking up at 4:30am yesterday and 5:00am the day before. oh the joys of jet-lag. actually, i kinda' like jet lag at this time of day when i feel super energized in the wee morning hours; my dad is already off to work, but the rest of the house is still asleep...

once i'm awake, it's hard for me to go back to sleep, so yesterday i enjoyed a colorado sunrise with my favorite morning treat: vanilla soy milk and 'special k fruit & yogurt'. the simple pleasures of life. today i warmed up (colorado has been rainy and cold so far -- not the july i was expecting after leaving the same rain and cold in the büs) to green tea and one of my favorite reads from last summer: 'take this bread' by sara miles. ahhh, so good. after i read a chapter or even just a page or paragraph or single sentence, i have to pause and reflect. her story woven into the greater story of sacrament and action gets me excited about life. about calling. about people. about food. about bodies. about sharing. about learning. about faith.

there are too many excerpts i would choose to include in this post, but here's one to savor for now, from the prologue (xv-xvi):

"...at the heart of Christianity is a power that continues to speak to and transform us. As I found to my surprise and alarm, it could speak even to me: not in the sappy, Jesus-and-cookies tone of mild-mannered liberal Christianity, or the blustering, blaming hellfire of the religious right. What I heard, and continue to hear, is a voice that can crack religious and political convictions open, that advocates for the least qualified, least official, least likely, that upsets established order and makes a joke of certainty. It proclaims against reason that the hungry will be fed, that those cast down will be raised up, and that all things, including my own failures, are being made new. It offers food without exception to the worthy and unworthy, the screwed-up and pious, and then commands everyone to do the same. It doesn't promise to solve or erase suffering but to transform it, pledging that by loving one another, even through pain, we will find more life. And it insists that by opening ourselves to strangers, the despised or frightening or unintelligible other, we will see more and more of the holy, since, without exception, all people are one body: God's.

This theology isn't mine alone. It comes from conversation with other believers, tradition, and Scripture; books and prayer and liturgy. It comes, even more, from my years outside church: from unbelieving and unbelievers, from doubt, from questions that still echo unanswered for me. Faith, for me, isn't an argument, a catechism, a philosophical "proof." It is instead a lens, a way of experiencing life, and a willingness to act."

whew. such good stuff. i affirm so much of this. i want to eat it up. and i presently am. miles' book centers on Eucharist: on food as gift. thanksgiving. of broken bread and poured wine. after walking into a church and joining in communion, miles' own life became embedded in the breaking of bread as well as the sharing of bread with her neighbor. in her mind and experience, the elements were inextricably linked to feeding people. She writes,

"The mysterious sacrament turned out to be not a symbolic wafer at all but actual food--indeed, the bread of life. In that shocking moment of communion, filled with a deep desire to reach for and become a part of a body, I realized that what I'd been doing with my life all along was what I was meant to do: feed people," (prologue, xi).

along the same thought-track, i've been researching everything i can about the 1987 danish film babettes gæstebud (known as babette's feast to english speakers). while enjoying npr in the car on tuesday, i caught a story titled food on film: the famished and the feasts. npr describes this film by saying,

"It's a French cook's extravagant "thank you" to a tiny church congregation that has sheltered her as a refugee in frigid Denmark for years. The problem is, the elderly congregation believes in self-denial — believes that pleasure must be reserved for the hereafter. So while they agree to eat the meal so as not to hurt Babette's feelings, they vow to each other that they will not enjoy the meal, or even talk about it.

This is much to the astonishment of a visitor, who can't believe what he's tasting — genuine turtle soup, great wine, and all around him, the congregation is silent. From the embarrassment in their expressions it's clear the others, despite their best efforts, are enjoying the meal, but no one in the congregation will admit it...."

... it's "all tied up in the spiritual: food as a gift, specifically Eucharistic in nature, for a religious community that has denied itself pleasure for decades.

And it is transformative: old loves are rekindled, long-simmering feuds are forgotten, redemption has a seat at the table."

npr says 'fabulous' and i agree. so has anyone seen babette's feast? tell me if you have. i can't wait to watch it soon and to keep thinking about food and the sharing of it as well as the savoring of it... with it all wrapped up in gift, gift, gift.

party like it's 2100.

i fell in love with travis wall in season 2 of sytycd.
and i've been so happy to see him as a choreographer now.
so.happy.
i love his non-verbal response to ellen's costuming comments.
classic.
and i love the dance too. the song really drives it.
mia's right; travis does have it going on.

.reflecting on six months' time.

'my heart is just getting used to the idea of mercy...'

-- aaron strumpel

'Thy mercy my God is the theme of my song
the joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last
hath won my affection and bound my soul fast...'

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

'Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
which wonders to feel its own hardness depart
dissolved by Thy goodness, i fall to the ground
and weep for the praise of the mercy i've found...'

-- john stocker (published in 1776)

'i do not at all understand the mystery of grace -
only that it meets us where we are but
does not leave us where it found us.'

-- anne lamott (from traveling mercies)

wait, do you live in germany or switzerland?

the answer would be both.

are you scratching your head over that one?
believe me, i've tried my best to understand this conundrum
in the past six months that i've called 'the büs' home sweet home.
just read the wiki description about büsingen here.
it explains it way better than any of my attempts.
although the fotos are helpful as well.

die schweiz.
dann büsingen in die mitte mit trauben (grapes).
und deutschland.
so.happy.together.
and who whadda' thunk?

for now, i am taking a six-week break from the büs.
a vaca' from europa as well.
here they call this a 'holiday'.
which is actually a much better term.
the focus then is not on what i'm vacating,
but rather on where i'm journeying to...
which would be the states.

the büs wishes all travelers a 'gute fahrt.'
go ahead, laugh it up. at least giggle.
definitely one of the funnier deutsch phrases.
it means a good drive. a good ride. a good journey even.
all.of.the.above.
and everyone's heard 'auf wiedersehen', right?
but this phrase, too, is much richer than simply 'goodbye.'
it literally means, 'until we see again.'
now isn't that nice?

[notice how the german flag is surrounded by the swiss flag... real clever design.]

dear lil' village,
thanks for letting me live in two countries.
simultaneously.
i've carved out somewhat of a life here.
which i'm very grateful for.
and although you've gotten under my skin,
i'm still ready for holiday.
but don't worry --
i'll.be.seeing.you.
soon.
auf wiedersehen.

deine (yours),
marte

stay bewildered

Stay bewildered in God and only that.
Those of you who are scattered,
simplify your worrying lives.
There is one righteousness.
Water the fruit trees and
don't water the thorns.
Be generous to what nurtures the spirit and
God's luminous reason-light.
Don't honor what causes dysentery and
knotted-up tumors.
Don't feed both sides of yourself equally.
The spirit and the body carry
different loads and
require different attentions.

-- Rumi

The Ecstatic Faith of Rumi
Krista Tippet's interview with Fatemeh Keshavarz

Yesterday, I entered into one of my favorite Sabbath rhythms. When I'm not traveling or out of town on the weekends, I love listening or even re-listening to my favorite Speaking of Faith sessions. Sometimes I read along with the transcript of the program, sometimes I sit still, sometimes I cut vegetables, and sometimes I think about how much I miss my art supplies, namely mod-podge and paint. I like being able use my hands while I soak up good words. But I try to listen, and I try to reflect... as well as learn how to stay bewildered.

the subject of mushrooms

Last summer when I returned from Europa, Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life both challenged and inspired me to live more local with more sustainable eating practices no matter where I may call home. [Note to prospective readers: at points you have to push yourself to keep reading, since Kingsolver can and does spend pages just describing asparagus, but the journey with her family to deliberately grow/eat locally for one year is absolutely worth it.]

Now, after living in Europa for the past six months, I've returned multiple times to a Speaking of Faith interview where Krista Tippett talks with Barbara Kingsolver about this year of food life. Such good stuff. Here's the full podcast, if you want to listen in for yourself: The Ethics of Eating

Below, taken from the podcast, describes a bit of what I love about Europa -- just one of the things I hope to glean from my time spent here...

Barbara Kingsolver: It's so interesting to me when I'm in Europe and spend time with my Spanish friends or Italian friends, and they are working people too. They're women who are working in offices or, you know, they're editors or are laboratory scientists. And as soon as they're out of work, they head straight for the market. And they go down to see what fish has come in or what greens do they have now at this season. And even at high-powered business lunches with editors in France — this has happened to me so many times — these women in their fashionable shoes and business suits will stray from post-colonial literature over to the subject of mushrooms. And, you know, there's no shame in their enthusiasm for cooking. They feel that cooking for their families is a really important part of who they are. This, I think, is that, at the heart of the problem for a lot of us, anyway, I think I belong to the generation of women who grew up thinking that walking away from the kitchen was walking away from some kind of slavery, you know? It's how we think about it.

Krista Tippett: Yes, you're right. If we thought of cooking as this great pleasure that we could look forward to at the end of the working day, I suppose that would change it.

Barbara Kingsolver: If we look at it as family time, as entertainment, as a spiritually enlightening even, you know, if we look at it as a destination rather than a rock in the road, I think we would do more of it. And not every day, maybe not on Monday nights, OK, but definitely on Saturday.

ruby blue

my favorite dance from this week's show (way to go wade robson!)
also. brandon and janette are true performers.
they commit to their characters all.the.way.
and. i like this roisin murphy song too. it's a good one.
another and. i love wade and amanda robson.
one of the cutest couples ever. ever.

dust jacket project

i've been meaning to put a link on here to joel p west's dust jacket project for nearly a year now. so now i finally am.

a very inspiring project. believe me, you'll thank yourself for looking into it and for participating in it yourself. share your art and receive some of joel's music. all for free. a brilliant exchange of created goods. beside's the album being wonderful, the blog is updated daily with each new submission, so that is always a treat to look through. enjoy friends.

we want you!

Look how cool our Eurasia Communications team is... don't you want to join the fun? We need more volunteers and soon. Steve is done, so we actually need more males at this point. I mean I love Amy and Simone with all my heart, but we could do with some added testosterone in the office. You feel me on that one?

Here's our new flier to recruit more volunteers. If you click it, it will get bigger and you can even distribute it around. Please do actually! Thanks, thanks. Seriously let me know if you, or someone you know, might be even slightly interested... Switzerland is calling your name. I can hear the cow bells ringing now.

i'm missing mj too.

with all of the memorable mj tributes that i could post (where to begin?!), i am thankful for this fellow stevie fan who recorded stevie just being himself at one of his concerts last week. mourning but also celebrating the brilliance that is michael jackson. this is the total essence of stevie live but taking a break to remember a friend.

on stevie's left is his daughter aisha (as in "isn't she lovely" -- love her!) and then my faaaaav stevie back-up singer is on his right: keith. he's rocking, as usual, the silver music note earring that i kept trying to convince cody to also rawk last year. but to no avail.

like the rest of the world (quite literally) i'm missing mj too.

get.high.like.planes

meet my sweet swinging friend from bangalore.
just a lil' taste of an indian side street for you.
not too busy, but luckily you get some flava' from the rick-shaws, cow cameo, and passers-by.
love.love.

fahrrad!

[along the rhine with junior, circa february '09]

today i get to say goodbye to 'junior'...
and let's be honest, jr. really wasn't all that good to me.
jr. was two sizes too small.
jr. left me stranded on the side of the road while
amy and i had to yank his chain back into place.
we had to use rocks and sticks and our she-power to do it.
it was no easy task; jr. could be pretty unaccommodating.
jr. wasn't open to change; when i tried to up the gears
upon approaching an incline, he threw a fit.
click-click-click, click-click-click. no luck.
oh pah-leaze jr., grow up! but he just wouldn't budge.
in the end, all the greased-up promises and perpetual coaxing
got us nowhere. -- nowhere, i tell you.
needless to say, i was left feeling pretty glum,
ride-less and depressed.

• ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ •
but then someone new came along.
daaaaaaaang. oh, no he di'nt.
could this be what i've waited for?
everything i've dreamed and hoped for?

saddlin' up... giving him a go.

oh, boooyyy. -- mmmmm-hmm.
you betta' believe it.
pure and total joy.
i didn't know it could be this good.
built-in headlight, complete with a generator.
a jolly lil' bell to greet friends or passers-by.
an added shelf for groceries, picnics, books or treasures.
and just my size. just.my.size.
'yazoo'. he's foreign.
ya-zoooo, hunny.
we're gonna' live it up here. here, in the büs.
what grand adventures lie in store.
this one's made of love.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

why go veggie?

Taken from Eating for Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh
"Mindful eating can help maintain compassion within our heart..."

"...UNESCO tells us that every day, forty thousand children in the world die because of a lack of nutrition, of food. Every day, forty thousand children. And the amount of grain that we grow in the West is mostly used to feed our cattle. Eighty percent of the corn grown in this country is to feed the cattle to make meat. Ninety-five percent of the oats produced in this country is not for us to eat, but for the animals raised for food. According to this recent report that we received of all the agricultural land in the US, eighty-seven percent is used to raise animals for food. That is forty-five percent of the total land mass in the US.

More than half of all the water consumed in the US whole purpose is to raise animals for food. It takes 2500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat, but only 25 gallons to produce a pound of wheat. A totally vegetarian diet requires 300 gallons of water per day, while a meat-eating diet requires more than 4000 gallons of water per day.

Raising animals for food causes more water pollution than any other industry in the US because animals raised for food produce one hundred thirty times the excrement of the entire human population. It means 87,000 pounds per second. Much of the waste from factory farms and slaughter houses flows into streams and rivers, contaminating water sources.

Each vegetarian can save one acre of trees per year. More than 260 million acres of US forests have been cleared to grow crops to feed animals raised for meat. And another acre of trees disappears every eight seconds. The tropical rain forests are also being destroyed to create grazing land for cattle.

In the US, animals raised for food are fed more than eighty percent of the corn we grow and more than ninety-five percent of the oats. We are eating our country, we are eating our earth..."

...while many go hungry.

mutter-vater, vater-mutter

i know, they're the cutest ever.
and lookin' so good after half a century! work.it.'rents.
[downtown l.a. -- november '08]

Sunday Magazine

Motherlode: Changing the Language of Fatherhood

By By Lisa Belkin

Published: June 13, 2009

In a guest blog, Paul Hankes Drielsma writes about words -- the ones we need to stop using, and the ones we need to use more.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
i just read a good, thought-provoking blog (found on the nytimes home page, linked in the title above) about fatherhood and motherhood. and the language we use when referring to each role. it's written by a dad who really is embodying an equal share in parenting but also admitting the obstacles he's up against when it comes to the way our culture views dads. this is actually feminism here. it absolutely is. because to seek equality between the sexes, marriage and parenting must be examined; they're both essential to the human condition. for true partnership to exist, there must be a sharing of responsibility and care. this dad gets it. he says he's not trying to play the 'woe is me' card, and i'll admit some of his concerns do borderline 'woe is me', but he's got a point. a good point. language absolutely shapes us. in every way.

my dad stayed home (while my mom worked full-time) with me during some of my most formative years. the same with my sister. it was kinda' just normal to us. and believe me, as i've gotten older, i've realized what a gift that was/is. my parents made a partnership in marriage just seem like the way marriage worked. there were times where they even shared a job; one taught classes in the morning while the other taught classes in the afternoon, and then they stayed home with their daughters during their off hours each day. they shared. truly shared responsibility and care.

but, one thing our family still had to learn was the way in which we referred to my dad's years of being the full-time, at-home parent. we called him 'mr. mom.' (he called himself this too) when telling a story from those years. and there 's the best of intentions in that terminology, but i think i see now (thanks to a conversation last year with melissa burt-gracik) that such a title belittles my dad's service to his family. such a title makes being a 'mother' the normative experience as a parent. that's exactly what this blog is talking about. why is mothering viewed as parenting while fathering is, at best, viewed as babysitting? such good questions to examine.

my dad is mr. dad. and as a stay-at-home dad, he did everything a stay-at-home mom typically does, but he did it as him. as a father. so as my parents celebrate 29 years of marraige today (congrats mutti und vati!), i must thank them both for the true mutuality, shared responsibility, and real partnership they've shown to me and my sister through the years.

one week from today, much of the western world will celebrate 'father's day', and that's great, but let's be mindful about how we speak about fathers and their roles in families (of course, same goes for mothers). may we not trap our sons and our daughters into set ideas of what a dad does as being so different from what a mom does. let's exemplify in our relationships and in our language that moms and dads are both parents... with both playing an equal and active role in their child's life.

thanks 'rents; you're the best. i'm celebrating with you both today even though there's an ocean and some land between us. i sure do appreciate you. the you that is you both: together. for life. all my love.

deine,
tochter nummer eins

spring's wonder.

Before summer begins officially (that is, the northern hemisphere summer solstice), I must give thanks for the gift that spring was this year.

Thank You,
Giver of All Life
who alone
brings new
seasons
to pass.

I remember when I returned to the Büs in mid-April, after having spent the end of Holy Week and beginning of Easter in Spain, Portugal, and France, it was like I was returning to another world. Spring had exploded. There was no other word to describe the color and blooms and blossoms that greeted me from every corner of the earth. Lent had ended. Spring had come. Easter was here. Glory be.

It felt like this:

Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.
-- Rainer Maria Rilke

mmmm. hmmmmmm.
most recklessly.

Who better to quote from than Rilke? I have fallen more deeply in love with him the past few months.; Living in Europa makes his words come to life all the more. Standing in places that inspired him are sacred. I get to journey with him here. I keep hearing about more and more people who studied Deutsch just so that they could read/translate Rilke. That's what he does to people.

I like this too.
a lot.

Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.
-- Rainer Maria Rilke

thanks be.

india elects first woman speaker

The elections recently wrapped up in India, and the new Speaker is a woman. Meira Kumar is not only the first woman to occupy the Speaker of the House seat, but she is from a lower-caste, Dalit background.

The BBC article (linked below) says this, "Observers say her election improves the Congress party's image as pro-women and a supporter of the lower castes."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8080474.stm

Read it all for more info. This sounds like a pretty significant step for India -- for women, for Dalits, for all. I can't wait to see what comes of her new position...

tomaten.

Ode To Tomatoes
by Pablo Neruda

The street
filled with tomatoes,
midday,
summer,
light is
halved
like
a
tomato,
its juice
runs
through the streets.
In December,
unabated,
the tomato
invades
the kitchen,
it enters at lunchtime,
takes
its ease
on countertops,
among glasses,
butter dishes,
blue saltcellars.
It sheds
its own light,
benign majesty.
Unfortunately, we must
murder it:
the knife
sinks
into living flesh,
red
viscera
a cool
sun,
profound,
inexhaustible,
populates the salads
of Chile,
happily, it is wed
to the clear onion,
and to celebrate the union
we
pour
oil,
essential
child of the olive,
onto its halved hemispheres,
pepper
adds
its fragrance,
salt, its magnetism;
it is the wedding
of the day,
parsley
hoists
its flag,
potatoes
bubble vigorously,
the aroma
of the roast
knocks
at the door,
it's time!
come on!
and, on
the table, at the midpoint
of summer,
the tomato,
star of earth, recurrent
and fertile
star,
displays
its convolutions,
its canals,
its remarkable amplitude
and abundance,
no pit,
no husk,
no leaves or thorns,
the tomato offers
its gift
of fiery color
and cool completeness.

bike it baby.

Hello all. Please read this nytimes article (shout out to Meg & Bridge for passing it on to me) about a German town (only a few hours from where I live) that has decided to forgo all automobiles. Bikes only. Pretty sweet. People are living intentional. I really applaud their efforts. I probably should take a journey up to see the town for myself... not in a car, mind you. : )

In German Suburb, Life Goes on Without Cars
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
A young development in Vauban illustrates a trend of planning communities to thrive without automobiles.

you can't do it all alone

don't push so hard against the world, no,
you can't do it all alone
and if you could, would you really want to?
even though you're a big strong girl,
come on, come on, lay it down
the best made plans
come on, come on, lay it down
are your open hands
are your open hands

-- deb talan

a good day.

Afternoon on a Hill
by Edna St. Vincent Millay

I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.

I will look at cliffs and clouds
With quiet eyes,
Watch the wind bow down the grass,
And the grass rise.

And when lights begin to show
Up from the town,
I will mark which must be mine,
And then start down!

you've got to be kidding me.

My dear friend and brotha-from-anotha-motha', whom I affectionately refer to as Hencky-Pencky, has a current facebook status that reads, "Andrew Henck: apparently is the newest heretic in town."

and then he has this link in his status:

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=1438&more=1&c=1

oh.my.word.

Who runs this blog? I'm stunned and amazed. Who seriously spends their time and energy with this? Everything they bemoan has largely informed who I am... all of the authors and the practices -- especially brother Roger and Taize. whew. big frustrated sigh. Why do we so quickly point fingers within the Body of Christ and make accusations and live in fear when perfect love drives out and has already driven out fear...?

This article just makes me sad. They're missing the point of all of these authors and the friends mentioned in it who have been shaped by these authors.

...love.

And so too I'm challenged to love even (and especially) those I disagree with here... but I gotta' say I'm still frustrated about it.... I mean come on.

you can dance if you want to

So my mom just sent me the link to this video, and I immediately knew it was worthy of posting on here. We've all seen the group-choreographed vids' on youtube, but this one has found a special place in my heart. It's especially pertinent because:

1. I'm becoming more and more convinced that my one constant these days is a train station. I live in them. I even stopped at the very station that this video takes place in while passing through Belgium last summer. Euro train stations are always a-buzz, always a-flutter, and this video does the atmosphere, my seemingly one true constant, justice.

2. I'd say the number-one reason why people knock musicals is because they argue that "it's just not realistic to have people spontaneously breaking-out in song and dance". Oh contraire. After watching this video, you'll see why the ol' "realistic" argument is just rubbish. Rubbish, I tell you. It's obvious that song and dance, whether choreographed or spontaneous, is simply a normal part of life. I know it is for me.

3. Um, hello -- this is the Sound of Music! Do.rey.mi.fa.so.la.tee.do in Europa! And to top it all off I'm going to Austria this weekend! I'll be in Vienna and then Salzburg... I'll be standing (and of course dancing) in the very places that made this song so beloved, so treasured. Life-long dream being fulfilled here... after having the line about 'my birthday being on Tuesday and wanting a pink paracel' and all that jazz quoted to me too many times to count, it's about time I explored Salzburg first-hand.

Here I come!

all around us

there is so much i want to share on here. so much to say. and so much to catch up on. but for now, this will have to suffice:

more and more, i am seeing the truth that there are saints all around us... everywhere you go. living in a million and one different contexts. but living such real and full and bold lives. i was able to see and simply be with such people this past week.

there's the two sisters in lisbon, portugal, age 50 and 60, who decided last fall that they wanted to open their home up to the kids in their neighborhood... teaching them in creative ways and loving on them by simply sharing life. these kids probably wouldn't be inclined to step into a church building, but they're experiencing community through the intentionality of these two sisters.

then there's the volunteers i met in madrid, spain; one from tijuana, mexico (we know the same people from there!) and one from nicaragua. both women, in their mid-20's, moved to madrid for a two-year commitment to build relationships in a totally new place by partnering with a local church and various community groups in the city. yes, they both were spanish speakers, but they entered a totally new cultural context in spain and have learned and loved with such openness and humility and grace. they both just love people. period. in word and in deed. they refer to their work as, "the gospel of friendship." amen and amen.

and then there's my new family member; my sister francine. francine opened up her home to my friend jenna and i while we spent time in montpellier, france. what rich hospitality. it's difficult to formulate into words how much her life and her creativity sparked something in me. francine shows me what i want 60 to look like: sanding a table and then repainting it eggplant purple, picking up fresh bread from the nearby bakery for guests, an ever-eagerness to hear someone's story, long walks in the cool of evening, allowing myself the grace to still take risks... francine is planning a solo backpacking trip in the states for the late summer - i reeeeeeally hope we get to see each other in colorado! francine loves. that was a complete thought there. she loves. loves being alive. loves tapping into creative energy through her artwork. loves her church. loves sharing her story. loves listening to other people's stories. loves helping. loves sharing. loves the creator, the sustainer, the giver of all life.

i realize now that the three examples that came spilling out were all from women; of course i don't espouse that one gender has more to offer the church than the other, but i guess for me, i seem to connect most quickly with women who are living lives of risk and purpose and even adventure in their local context. i love seeing that age is no issue for them; there's no thought of, 'oh, i'm too young to be doing this,' or 'i'm too old to be doing this.'

they just live life. and love life. and love people. deeply and truly and beautifully. if you look, really look, the saints are all around us.

knie: deutsch for 'knee', except this is a circus

An afternoon with the Swiss National Circus in Schaffhausen = sehr fantastisch!

After a semi-traumatic experience at the Wringley Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus in San Diego a few years ago (all of the PLNU RA's were required, yes required to go), I swore I would never go to a cirucs again. But then I heard from some Swiss locals how incredible their National cirucs was, and they were right! Amy and I scored tickets in the cheapest seats, and it was totally worth it. The acrobats were absolutely phenomenal... like blow-your-mind unbelievably good.

I think my jaw remained dropped through most of the show. It was pretty unreal. And the poster advertisting this year's show is a pretty sweet design too, no...?

piece o' couch will do.

It's official.

I'm a real couch-surfer now. My new travel friend from work, Amy, and I joined the couch surfing community a few weeks ago in hopes of scoring a place to stay when we flew up to Berlin for Bob Dylan. And after a lot of searching and what felt like endless requests (Berlin has more users on couchsurfing.com than any other city in the world!), we found a place to stay -- and just in the knick of time. The place we found was not your standard house/apartment but really more of an intentional community; intentional in the sense that they want to practice real hospitality. And they really do.

At 'Project Volunteering', it was more like your typical hostel experience where you're sharing living quarters with strangers (but soon strangers turn to friends -- well that's the hope anyway); I think we had about 12 people crammed into every imaginable space on the floor/mattresses/couches in the living room of a Euro-style flat. The photo above is what the living room looks like without anyone in it. So you can use your imagination to creatively fit 12 travelers into that space. : )

As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed in by our contact and literally told to "make ourselves at home". So we tried our best to do just that... The permanent members of the home are friends from various countries who wanted to create a shared space that would always be open to travelers by offering the true gift of hospitality... like 365 days a year. Read all about their efforts and their dreams by going to the Project Volunteering web-site; you'll definitely want to peek at their ideas and practices described on each page. This is a real community of hospitality... I've never seen nor experienced anything quite like it.

Word to Berlin. Word to experiencing hospitality from strangers. And word to couch-surfing (look into it yourself -- no matter what corner of the globe you may find yourself in; of course be wise and be safe, but be adventurous too!)

I can't wait to keep this up in my travels... no hostel fees and new friends in new places... why didn't I use this site before now?!

wasabi soy almond, anyone?

So the way to this girl's heart is through an assortment of flavored nuts. Whoa, that sentence sounds a bit weird. Eh, I'm not going to delete it. You see, I received the best care package ever today. Ev-er. And nestled among all the lil' treats was a new treat: wasabi soy alonds. Um, yum. These are dang good. Good call Mom and Emi!

The rest of the parcel was jammed-packed with love notes and things that make me happy and colors that make me sing.
All good things, such as:
textured.tights.and.family.photos.and.itunes-moolah.and.gold.earrings.
and.manhattan.plumb.nail.polish.and tapatio.(big.yay.).and.tabasco.too.
and.corn.tortillas.(mexican.food.is.sorely.missed.in.deutschland!).
and.a.'pegasus.crossing'.sign(not.lying.--.thanks.meltita!).
and.even.a.funky.vintage.ring.from.my.grandma's.jewelry.box. <-- [that may be my favorite surprise out of everything].

Plus, if that all wasn't enough, there was this major outpouring of love from family and friends and friends who really should just be called 'family'. Thanks to all! Seriously though, your notes (and good taste in stationary!) made my month. That's right. They didn't just make my day. They made the whole month shine brighter -- and it's already been a very bright month. And, it's not even over yet...

I might not be able to share my wasabi soy almonds with you, but I do send my love and gratitude and good thoughts through this blog. I'll write back to ya' now too -- hooray for new pen pals and the best birthday package ever.

Vielen dank'!

twelve-foot mountain trolls

I recently began reading "Harry Potter" [hopefully you inserted a British accent as you read his name] on my lil' trip to London -- a fitting place to delve into the series, wouldn't you agree?... Yeah, I know, I'm lagging over a decade behind on this one... no time to start like the present though, right? Especially when the present (at this particular juncture in life) means I have the freizeit (free time) to generally do as I please and read each day simply for leisure... because I sure do like a good read. : )

Everyone who has recommended the series to me since middle school is right; these books are quite good! J.K. Rowling is such a clever writer; I especially enjoy (what I would interpret to be) her definition of what it means to be family, to be in community with one another:

"From that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them."

-- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, pg. 132

Even pulling that quote out of context still does it justice, because it's true.

We often make the assumption that those who we share very little in common with/those who might tend to annoy us (like in the case of Hermione & Harry) can't really be our friends. I know I've had that thought before. But, after walking through a particularly difficult circumstance together, (for instance, knocking-out a twelve-foot mountain troll), we end up not only tolerating each other but we even like each other.

And isn't that a good and right thing?