Hebrew Hysteria

For some students, taking Hebrew at Luther Seminary is worse than dental surgery, worse than rush-hour traffic in August with broken air conditioning, worse than cleaning all the bathrooms in Grand Central Station with nothing but toothbrushes. For some Hebrew is tortureous. Students shed monsoons of tears over the enigmatic script and syntax of this ancient speech.

"Why? Why do I need to learn this &*#%! language?" they plead with me, their Hebrew teaching assistant, "Why must I do this to be pastor?"

Teaching assistants are hand holders, the "good cop" to the professor's "bad cop". We're there to see they make it through relatively emotionally unscathed. During this mid-term season, a student in the Hebrew class with which I help came to me in the Olson Campus Center asking that I allow her to retake the vocabulary test right there before chapel. She started to recount her exam schedule and work load, her eyes beginning to water.

I hesitated at first because I was in the middle of getting things set up for worship and just generally busy myself. I could have forced her to wait until one of my appointed tutoring times, holding her to the plumb line of my schedule. The plumb line, however, can be the hangman's noose.

"I just need to finish this now!" she blurted out.

Now, at this juncture I had two options.
1. I could announce cheerfully, "Buck up, soldier! It can't all be that bad. You'll get through it. Nose to the grindstone."
2. I could just give her the test then and there.

So, I gave her the 10 vocabulary words and she passed just fine. No problem. Done.

To her, however, an immense weight had lifted. Her life could go back to plan and order was reestablished.

Sometimes the simple things make all the difference. Sometimes what's right is not what's best.

People are talented!

I love learning about people's passions. Seminarians here at Luther (and I'm sure everywhere) have such a variety of talents and gifts, many of which can be quite unexpected. So it's been fun to see how my classmates use their unique passions as a way to connect with others. For instance, one of my friends loves puppets so she started a puppet ministry for children in her home church. Another friend of mine has a passion for scrapbooking and meets a lot of people by going to a scrapbooking club. I have a love for knitting that verges on obsession from time to time. When I meet someone else who knits, we always have an instant connection.

Then there is always the gift of music. Luther seems to be filled with amazing musicians of all kinds (like that awesome saxophone in worship last Wednesday!!!) Many musicians participate in the seminary choir (like me!). But many others share their love of music in other ways as well. For instance, on Friday night my husband Kevin and I joined our friend Jillian to watch her friend (another) Kevin play with his band, Greenview, at Dunn Bros. I had seen Kevin around before, but I had absolutely no idea what a great singer and guitar player he was! Who knew? It was great to see a side of a classmate that doesn't normally come out in class or in meetings!

I guess these are just a little reminder to me that God calls all kinds of people into ministry-- people who make this kind of work unique and interesting. It makes me thankful for the time we have to learn from one another as students, as well as future collegues.

P.S. If you have a unique passion and would like to connect with others, or would like to share it with the seminary community, the Dean of Students Office has a process for becoming a recognized student group on campus. Community building grants are also available!

From the Church in Minneapolis to Paul

Dear Paul,

Greetings from the believers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a big city on a continent and in a time far, far away from you.

We heard of your labor of love in Jesus Christ all over the Mediterranean world (we even have a copy of your letter to the Thessalonians) and despite the vast temporal and geographic gaps, we wanted to write you to ask you for help with our work of faith today.

How did the message of the Gospel come in to power and in the Holy Spirit so that the people received it with full conviction? You write that people became imitators of you and the Lord. How long did that take? Was it an immediate reception of the Holy Spirit? I am discouraged in my present situation because the people with whom we share the gospel treat the message with little regard. Is it us, the leadership, that hinders them from receiving the message? What kind of persons should we prove ourselves to be among them for their sake? The Word of the Lord has not in turn sounded forth from the few people who have come to hear our message about Jesus Christ and they certainly have not changed their lives in any dramatic way, turning from idols or waiting expectantly for Jesus’ return. What should we do? Am I being impatient?

You characterize your conduct among the Thessalonians as without trickery or flattery, innocent as an infant. What does that mean? We pronounce the gospel of Christ in such a way that today Jesus Christ himself hardly gets mentioned. We are afraid that people will become offended and reject our message offhand if we sound or look too much like the old temples. Is that the type of behavior you had in mind?

Concerning the behavior of the folks among whom we work, we do not make nearly any demands. We certainly do not urge, encourage, and plead with them to lead lives worthy of God, as you did with the Thessalonians. They barely know God and have hardly encountered the Holy Spirit in such a way so as to regard sanctification as even a possibility. Is persecution of some sort necessary for the believers to uphold a new manner of living?

We do need Timothy to come to encourage us and bring back to faith those who have fallen away. Though, they have not fallen away because of outside persecutions. In my observation, they feel as though they can pick up and lay down faith and a sanctified life whenever the mood strikes them. Is this because the Holy Spirit has not come upon them in power? Do they need to first belong to our community to receive the Holy Spirit or when they receive the Holy Spirit will they then cleave to the community of believers?

You wrote in your letter, “For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord,” [3:8]. I sharply understand how you could make such a statement. When folks with whom we have shared the Gospel remain steadfast in their faith, their new life spills over into my life giving renewal in the Holy Spirit. Their hearts changed by Christ is “our glory and our joy,” [3:20]. Conversely, I, myself, as one of the leaders of this little community feel death and despair when those with whom we have shared the Gospel, for many reasons, including my own ineptitude, turn a deaf hear and fall away. Pray for us so that we may earn the esteem and respect of those brothers and sisters with whom we labor. Ask God to give us patience and love abundantly so that our work here will not be in vain.

Send our greetings and thanks to your fellow laborers in service of Jesus Christ.

May the grace of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit keep your heart and mind in Christ.

My heart's in Wisconsin, but my lungs love Minnesota

It used to be a familiar question: "Smoking or non?"

When I heard it for the first time in several months on Friday night after entering a Milwaukee-area restaurant, it was suddenly jarring. Without realizing it, I had become accustomed to not having that choice. And remembering that most metropolitan areas in Wisconsin still allow smoking in restaurants; having that choice again was kind of disappointing.

What's worse was that on Friday night, as my wife, her family, and I sat down for my first dinner back in my home state this semester, there were no non-smoking tables available. For the first time in months, I had to breathe cigarette smoke.

I don't want to get too preachy about this. "Thou shalt not smoke" is not one of the Ten Commandments, and I know the recent wave of smoking bans nationwide has created some headaches for smokers and particularly for bar owners whose businesses have been hurt. But for a guy whose asthma has put him at odds with cigarette smoke since childhood, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are a dream come true. Smoking bans for bars and restaurants have taken effect in both cities within the past two years — St. Paul's came just a few months before I moved here to attend Luther Seminary.

As I've grown up, various rules have clamped down on smoking more and more. Many restaurants and other businesses have gone smoke-free on their own. I first experienced the smoking-ban phenomenon while visiting my best man last fall in Madison, WI. Sitting down and watching a Wisconsin Badgers game at a major sports bar on State Street without any smoke in the air was surreal.

It was likewise remarkable a month or so ago to walk into a St. Paul bar that was not only filled with Green Bay Packers fans but also devoid of any smoke. More importantly, it's just really nice to be able to go to any restaurant and know that wherever I'm sitting, I won't have to taste smoke along with my meal.

So consider my disappointment to once again butt heads with my old nemesis not only at dinner on Friday but also at the wedding reception that my wife and I attended elsewhere in Southeastern Wisconsin on Saturday. It's amazing how five months in the Twin Cities can spoil a person.

To cities like Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Madison and to counties and states that have done the same; to business owners who have obeyed the new laws despite whatever inconvenience, and to smokers who have either had to adapt or (better yet for your own sake) kicked the habit, I thank you from the bottom of my lungs.

Small Acts of Kindness

How many of you have ever experienced something like this?

My morning begins with my alarm buzzing in my ear at 6:45 am. Even though I know that I am supposed to meet my friend at the gym at 7:00am, I hit the snooze. Ten minutes later, the snooze again...and again...and snooze...again, until it's all of the sudden 8:30! How did that happen??? So I rush out of bed and hurry to get ready because I'm supposed to be to work at 9:00am! Not only did I miss my workout, I also missed my 8:00 class. So I rush into work 15 minutes late and feel pretty harried. I am so FRUSTRATED with myself! Why didn't I just go to bed last night when I started feeling tired? Why did I stay up late sending emails and posting comments on my friends' myspace pages??? I didn't even finish all of the projects I had planned for the evening! Now I'm running late! I can't help but think to myself that today is not going to be a good day.

My supervisor and I start with the usual small talk, though I am not feeling as social as I normally do. Then she hands me something. It's the new Bob Dylan CD...the Bob Dylan CD that I have been searching for all over the Cities since it came out in September! And then she tells me that she remembered me making the passing comment that I couldn't find it, so when she saw it at Target in the Celine Dion section (Definitely the LAST place I would have ever looked!) she thought of me and picked it up for me! I'm speechless! I didn't do anything to deserve a present, if anything I feel quite undeserving. It's about the most thoughtful gift I could possibly imagine in that moment! All of a sudden, not only is my day not looking bad--it's looking really good! I'm feeling much better.

It made me realize just how much small acts of kindness can mean for someone, certainly for me. A smile, taking an extra moment to stop and talk, sending a card, or picking up a CD for someone, these might seem like no big deal, but sometimes these small acts can speak volumes.
We believe that the Holy Spirit gathers us into community so that we can care for and support each other every day. Even though I was not by any means facing a crisis, this little gift was a nice reminder of the greater gift God gives to us in each other and what a pleasure it is to be able to say thanks!

I Heart New York

I know that "Reading Days" are technically supposed to be exactly what the name implies-- days for reading. But my husband and I had 2 free airlines tickets that we needed to use, so instead we spent our reading days in New York visiting our friends Megan, Donald, and Pollie and having an all around good time. I love visiting Manhattan because it is kind of like a fantasy land. It's a magical place that we see on television and read about all of the time, but for people like me who only visit every few years, it's almost like visiting another planet. I still can't get over the fact that the lights of Times Square can be seen from space for instance!

Anyway, we spent Saturday visiting The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church. (Last time we visited Union Theological Seminary on the first day of our trip, so it is a continuation on a theme.) The grounds of the seminary are actually locked up and surrounded by a cast iron fence. We had to hand over our driver's licenses just to get it. It was quite spectacular! All of the buildings seemed so old and stately.

We saw my friend Megan perform in the show she is in called The Awesome 80's Prom. We also saw the off-Broadway production of Altar Boyz, based on our friend Donald's suggestion and the price at the TKTS booth. The play actually very funny--it's about a Catholic boy band named the Altar Boyz. We finished off the weekend with a mini-walking tour of northern Manhattan and an exremely long layover in Milwaukee. All in all, not too bad for being there less than 60 hours! Although we were very tired when we got home, it's always invigorating for Kevin and I to visit a big city and spend time with good friends. Now maybe I should finally get to that reading...

A glimpse into the world of “Thankathon”

“No thank you, we are not interested” and “We really cannot give this time” are the two most common things I hear even before I get a chance to say thank you. As a Thankathon caller, I am expected to make contact with up to thirty-five people per night of calling, and express my gratitude as a student for the donations they have made to the seminary. Now, like most people, they typically assume that I am asking for more money. Once, I convince them that I am simply saying thank you they are a little more willing to chat for a few moments.

Thankathons happen twice a year, once during Fall and another during the Spring. Many students enjoy this opportunity to meet other students, chat with people about seminary, and make a little extra money on the side. Even though this is done through the Seminary Relations Office, we really do not ask for more money. To the many people on the other end of the phone, they are floored by the fact that we are only thanking them for money, and are OK if they never send any money ever again (“OK”, may not be the best choice of words. I think someone in the financial gifts office may be a little concerned with my general comment). Even during my first orientation meeting, I was waiting for the part where we were asking for more money; I thought the thanking part was just a ploy to get us students roped into their scheme.

As you walk through the Sem. Relations Office on a Sun, Mon, Tues, or Thurs night during the six-week period, one of the most common phrases you will hear is, “yes, we are just calling to say thank you…..nope, we are not asking you to send any money”. I personally have had the opportunity to call and thank faculty members, members from my home congregations, and past alumni. I have heard numerous stories of back in the day when seminary did not cost anything to attend, along with people who have been blessed by a church leader who had come from Luther Seminary.

As a Thankathon caller, I have a greater appreciation for how much time and energy goes into trying to show the outside church community the importance of supporting the seminary educational system. Whether it feels like it or not, there are a lot of people who are financially supporting our education-it is not just our own pockets and the government. Above all, I enjoy the stories of how people really do care about the Lutheran church and the future leadership of the many ELCA congregations. It is nice to know that there are many who are supporting us and thinking about us students on a daily basis. This is my third time as a Thankathon caller and I am looking forward to our Spring run. How great it must be to be on the other end of that phone call, and to have someone express some gratitude for their efforts. What a blessing it is to be the one who can bestow that gratitude!

Free food (for thought)

I picked a good day to not bring a lunch to seminary yesterday. I had forgotten that it was one of those "free lunch" days. And it was a particularly good lunch, with a sandwich, potato chips, fruit and a cookie.

As we are all told, there is rarely, if ever, such a thing as a free lunch, and there was indeed a catch: Once we sat down, we were expected to discuss some important church-wide issues. This came on the heels of a Friday-morning session, which I had missed, with Ken Inskeep, director of research and evaluation for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This was all tied into the seminary's strategic planning process, which is probably too exciting for me to explain in this blog. The basic goals for the lunch were to identify challenges facing the seminary and the church at large and to look toward ways to address them.

Coming in a bit late to the lunch, I ended up at a table with a particularly interesting group of people. There was Dean of Students Patricia Lull, Mr. Inskeep himself (I gave him my cookie) and Assistant Professor of New Testament Matt Skinner, who teaches my Synoptic Gospel course, and who apparently keeps track of when he is mentioned in my blog. But the one who made some of the most striking comments during our discussion was a student named Ioan.

Ioan made an observation that seemed to sum up one of the biggest challenges facing the Christian church and one of the biggest reasons I determined to pursue the ministry. He argued that our piece of our generation — basically the just-out-of-college bunch that stretches into their 20s — is a group largely defined by its apathy. He questioned what it would would take to change that apathy and just how many decades it might take.

This was the first time since I came to Luther that we at the church-leader-factory really dug into the problems of reaching the outside world. We focus a lot of our studies on how to become churches where God's mission to the world is the heart of everything we do, but here we were coming to terms with our disconnect with where the world is heading.

As we discussed at our table, the Luther Seminary community does not reflect the mindset of much of our culture. And I think apathy is a big part of that outer mindset. It often takes a good deal of caring — about both one's self and about the people who surround him or her — to make someone appreciate God or even want to believe in God. There also seems to be a general lack of initiative in our society to serve the greater good. I have a number of good friends who don't see much reason for seeking something better, much less seeking something better for others.

These won't be easy issues to solve, but there's some agreement that we as the church need to come to a better understanding of people outside our congregations. At my beloved hometown newspaper where I used to work, we had a corporate-wide initiative called "Real Life, Real News," in which we sought to better understand what our readers wanted. It seems we at Luther Seminary could be headed toward something along the lines of "Real Life, Real Church." If so, I hope they come up with a better catch phrase.

I realize that not a lot of people respond to my blogs. Assuming that people at least read them once in a while, I'll ask you in this entry: What are your thoughts on the challenges and needs that the church faces outside its congregations? I know I've only scratched the surface on what has been discussed and what needs to be discussed far into the future.

You may be wondering what the picture of Ronald McDonald with my wife and me has to do with any of this. This picture is from my other free meal this week — at the new Farmington, Minn., McDonald's community sneak peek. I suppose I could make some connection about how we as Christians should be as energetic and friendly as Ronald McDonald or as obvious about what we represent. But the truth is, he just looks more interesting than anyone at the Luther lunch.

Note: Please click on "comments" below. Someone hit me with a good argument. Feel free to continue the discussion.

Gospel in purest form

The last ones

If any of you are a fan of the show “Extreme Home Makeover” on ABC, you may have caught this week’s episode featuring a family from Minot, ND. The family was chosen based on the needs of their 14 year old son, who has a very limiting form of Cerebral Palsy. His mother was responsible for all of his daily needs, including bathing, monitoring him for seizures as he slept, and lifting him in and out of his wheelchair. The design team’s focus was to make the house more accessible for the young man and create ways that made caring for him easier for the mother and the rest of the family.

One of the special projects was for the design team to make some improvements and enhancements to a baseball field, where a baseball team of youth with special needs played; this team was started by the mother. She wanted a place where her son and others could play baseball together. This was the part that caught my attention. Towards the end of the show, the design team was seen playing a game of baseball with the team. One of the team's members had tears in his eyes, kneeling on the ground and was receiving a hug from a little girl with Down Syndrome. He commented on that baseball game being one of the best he ever played in his life. As I reflected upon those words I was reminded of an event that I attended at a local church.

Last week during one of my shifts at a group home, I had the privilege to attend a ministry event with one of the residents. I was not sure what she was going to be doing and, in fact, neither was she. Once we got there, I realized that this was a ministry event geared for individuals with disabilities and special needs. There were about 25 participants and they were grouped up with volunteer leaders. Their time together began with a craft of creating a card for a member of the group who had recently passed away. They then broke out into small groups, shared a little about themselves with each other and discussed the gospel story in Mark 10:13-16 (The little children and Jesus). There was one individual who was not verbal, yet, she made it very clear that she wanted to light the candle for this week. It is amazing the way the light of Christ can transcend communication boundaries.

What amazed me was that these individuals, considered less than perfect by society were able to understand the Gospel in it’s purest form. Many were able to understand that Jesus loves them, and wants to bless them, just the way he blessed the little children. After the small group study we gathered for some singing. I would bet that only about 10% of that room was able to read the lyrics to the songs. Yet, that did not stop 100% of the room from making a joyful noise. Those who were unable to sing, or did not wish to sing were given instruments to play. As I was singing along, I can honestly say that never before have I felt the spirit as strong as I did that day, as I was surrounded by the voices of God’s children.

One last thing that caught my attention was as they were talking about their friend who passed away, they were not focusing on how sad they felt, but rather how happy they were that their friend was in heaven. You see, even with their limited intellect they understood that heaven was a place where there was no pain, and no seizures and no medication. They expressed joy for their friend rather than sorry for themselves.

I am convinced that God has plan for all of us. For these individuals, and for all of those who may be disabled in some fashion, I believe that their plan is to bring joy to those around them. Here is one of my favorite songs. As I attended the ministry event with the resident, and watched extreme makeover, this song , by Matthew West, kept coming to mind. I pray that you have the opportunity to be blessed by one of these last ones in your coming days.


The Last Ones
Lyrics by Matthew West
Music by Matthew West and Jason Houser

My friend Taylor she's an angel Ten years old and beautiful She's a living, breathing miracle And she proves it everyday 'Cause the odds were stacked against her from the day that she arrived here And the doctors told her mom and dad she'd always be that way And I confess when I first met her I was thinking life's not fair But then she wrapped her arms around my neck And it all became so clear

God bless the last ones

One day Taylor sent me a picture from her Special Olympics race And I could tell just by the looks of it she was coming in last place But she crossed that finish line with a smile upon her face as if to say

God bless the last ones

Maybe the last ones are the lucky ones The ones who got this whole thing figured out 'Cause when they go looking for something beautiful They start looking from the inside out

On our way into the restaurant we passed a homeless man He was half drunk and half asleep with a paper cup in his hand And I confess when I first saw him I was thinking life's not fair But then Taylor reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck And it all became so clear

God bless the last ones

I wish we could all be the lucky ones The ones who've got this whole thing figured out Maybe the next time we go looking for beautiful we'll try looking from the inside out

God bless the last ones
(c) 2005 Word Music, LLC/Westies Music Publishing, admin. by Word Music, LLC; Songs Of Extreme/Cedar Sides, admin. by Cedar Music Publishing (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Used by permission. International copyright secured.

The Church's Feminine Mystique

Next time you attend a worship service, look around you. Do a quick census of the men and women around you. How many of each gender do you count? In many places in today's congregations women outnumber men 2 to 1. Where are the men? Men make up fifty-percent of our population yet are under represented on Sunday mornings. A recent article in the Washington Post, "Empty Pews: Where Did All The Men Go?" talks about this phenomenon.

Although anecdotes do not prove points, two stories from my growing up in the church come to mind. First, during my stints in the Lutheran Youth Organization and the Lutheran Student Movement, my female peers always made up the majority of those attending leadership events. Second, working at camp, I witnessed the difficulty our director had finding male staff. He always had to turn away several female applicants but had to search diligently for young men to fill the counselor positions. Where are all these men?

Are men perhaps turned away by the feminine mystique of worship? Flowers on the alter, worship leaders in "dresses," and talk about how a man unconditionally loves you might not be that appealing to the masculine mind.

When I was in Egypt, I saw paintings of Saint George upon a white horse slaying the fiery dragon of sin in nearly every cathedral, church, and monastery. What happened to the fight against sin and the marching of Christian soldiers battling the forces of evil? Can this imagery be rescued from those who would use it to demonize and persecute rather than defend and build up? What about the self-discipline such imagery might entail? Ought we not raise up such examples as models of self-control and service?

I know for me personally the idea of the band of the crusaders known as the Knights Hospitalers (see the article at Bartleby.com) has great appeal. Originally they aided pilgrims with hospitals and protected them on the routes to and from Jerusalem. How might telling the stories of these vigorous faith heroes affect how men see their lives in the Body of Christ today?

Attention surplus

As a lifelong Wisconsin resident, I expected my wife and me to be at least a little lonely when we moved to Minnesota in June so that I could attend Luther Seminary. On the contrary, thanks be to God, we have been met with an almost constant flow of attention from people — family and friends both old and new.

First of all, the Twin Cities weren't unfamiliar territory for me. My mom's family lives west of Minneapolis. And with that, I had family here to lean on. Tracy and I have had many meals and outings with my Minnesota family since we moved. Meanwhile, I have made a bunch of new friends at the seminary, some of whom have become friends to Tracy, too. We have also reconnected with some old friends who have likewise made their way to the Twin Cities. And our family and friends from Wisconsin have visited often.

Lately, we've had people visiting almost every weekend. Tracy's mom, sister, and aunt were all here three weeks ago. My friends since grade school, Scott and Sonya, were vacationing here last weekend for their anniversary and brought along their 1-year-old daughter, Clarissa (we're all pictured here at the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory). And this weekend, Tracy's friends from grad school at UW-Milwaukee are visiting. The attention we're getting at our new home is tremendous. It's wonderful.

I thought about attention a lot during the past week. Some people appreciate attention more than others. When we're getting enough of it and when we're busy enough that we don't feel like we really need it, it can be easy to take it for granted.

Hanging around with little Clarissa last weekend, I got to see over an extended period just how much a little attention means to a little kid. Every time you'd smile at her or play along with her game of peek-a-boo, she would be overcome with joyous laughter. I started to wonder what it would be like if adults appreciated each other's attention so much.

Then there's people on the other end of the age spectrum. Tuesday, after I determined that my homework volume was probably going to be at its lowest point in weeks, Tracy and I took the opportunity to pick up my Grandma and go out to dinner. (If you've never been to The Pizza Ranch, you need to go there ASAP. It will change your life.) I should tell you that my Grandma Alice is one of the most incredible human beings on the face of the planet — so generous, selfless, and loving that she should be on posters for the Lutheran church.

I'm lucky enough to still have three wonderful grandparents (all of them terrific Lutherans), and moving to Minnesota has offered me a chance to finally see almost as much of my Grandma Alice as I had for years seen of my Grandma Gladys and Grandpa Don in Green Bay. Yet taking the time to drive out and see her is tough, and finally doing so for the first time in more than a month was really rewarding. We had a great time talking and enjoying all the delicious buffet items. And 87 years Clarissa's senior, my grandma, who has lived alone for six years since my Grandpa Dick died, appreciated it to no end (so much so that she not only paid for the meal but gave us gas money and bought us a few groceries).

I hope that at whatever age I am, I'll appreciate people's attention — and God's — as much as I do now and not take it for granted. I'm going to try to keep that in mind.

Now if only I can keep all this attention from taking too much attention away from my studies.

A Trip to the Theatre

One of the many joys of my job as student life coordinator at Luther is getting to coordinate fun, community building events- like film showings, or team sports, or bowling nights, things like that. One of the events that I recently planned was a trip to the Theatre de la Jeune Lune to see their production of Moliere's The Miser. Eighteen people went, including myself, and it turned out to be a great night. The acting, directing, and set designs were all creative and well-crafted. What was even more exciting was the way that the show seemed to engage the entire audience. There was also a group of high schooler, and a group of student from St. Olaf (my alma mater!). You know a theater production is good if it can hold the attention of teenagers, Oles, and seminary student alike!

The show was thought-provoking, funny, offered scathing social commentary, and even made me squirm in my seat a time or two--you know the old saying, "I laughed, I cried," etc. Basically it was everything a night at the theater should be. What's even more exciting for me then were the conversations with my classmates that followed the next day. Everyone got something different out of the show, everyone experienced different emotions, and identified with different characters. The more I talked with other Luther students who saw The Miser, the more I like it. I think it is so wonderful how the arts bring people together in such a unique way! At any rate, everyone I spoke with agreed that this is a show worth seeing!

Film Recommendation

When my husband suggested that we take some friends to see the movie Half Nelson, starring Ryan Gossling, over the weekend, my initial response was, "That's not a movie about wrestling is it?" He had heard a rave review on the radio the other day, and though the rest of us knew next to nothing about the movie, we all decided to take a chance to go and see it. It ended up that our car was divided on the way home, my friend Andrew and I LOVED it! However, Kevin and Andrew's wife MaryEllen were not so sure.

The movie is actually about an inner city middle school history teacher and girls basketball coach, Dan Dunne and his severe drug problem, as well as his unlikely friendship with one of his students- a young woman named Drey. Dunne is a man torn between his addiction and his belief that he can make a difference in the lives of young people, specifically in the life of Drey-- a person on the fringe of falling into the world of drugs herself. Dunne teaches his students an untraditional, yet seemingly effective approach to understanding history through the philosophical theory of dialectics (opposing, yet interdependent forces). Dunne is likeable, intelligent, and charismatic, but at the same time heartbreaking and frustrating.

As the viewer, I felt hope drain out of me as I watched his addiction take over more and more of his life and slowly suffocate his abilities and dreams. He is the essence of the Lutheran belief that all people are simultaneously saint and sinner. As a teacher, Dunne is a saint-- you can almost visibly see the positive impact he has on his students. As a person, Dunne is a disaster-- making hurtful, life-threatening decisions over and over again, even when he tries to will himself to do otherwise. What seems to be even worse is that Dunne knows what he is doing to himself, but is powerless to change it. Yet, Dunne's friendship with Drey plays an essential role in keeping him from spinning completely out of control.

As it turns out, the film was aptly named because it is about wrestling, or at least the idea of the human dialectic. And as the viewer you are forced to wrestle the fact that the stories of suffering depicted in this film reflect the real life experiences of people-- the messy, agonizing, gut-wrenching reality of drugs and self-destruction, of families and broken relationships, of poverty and racism, of the human potential to choose both good and evil.

So it is not a light film by any means, but it is a challenging one that I believe is worth watching. (As a warning, the scenes where Dunne is using drugs are graphic in nature.) At the same time, this is also a film about the glimmer of redemption and hope that we can offer each other in times of hopelessness and despair. I would also recommend if you see the movie to go with people who are up for a discussion afterwards, because it will most definitely inspire conversation.

A Reflection Upon Nature at Luther

What a gift it is to walk from the OCC (Olson Campus Center) to Northwestern Hall. The trees, as they prepare to lose their leaves for the winter, put on a beautiful display of color. Since, I have been in MN for a year now; I have come to realize that this period of artistic splendor does not last very long. The leaves start changing and within a week or so they start falling to the ground.

I cannot help but be in awe at the majesty of God’s creation during the fall season. Even a simple drive to Target has turned into a feast for my eyes. The oranges, golds, reds, greens and browns highlight the diversity of nature. In the summer time, many of the trees appear to be the same species, yet once fall arrives the diversity of God’s workmanship is illuminated. The oaks stand out from the maples and the birches stand apart from the evergreens.

The beauty about humanity is that we are constantly on display with our fall colors. Each and every day as one walks down the street they are presented with a multitude of colors of the human species. I pray that you have felt the presence of God during the fall season, whether it be in the trees or within one another.

No need for alarm

About a half hour ago, I was sitting at a computer station on the bottom floor of Gullixson Hall and translating some Greek for my Synoptic Gospels course when, unable to wait any longer, I caved in and went to ABC.com to watch the beginning of last night's episode of "Lost." (I had fallen asleep after dinner yesterday, the effects of a very late night/morning of homework on Tuesday, and although my wife woke me up just before the start of the big season premiere, I was more than a little groggy for a few minutes.)

Well, as soon as the episode started playing on my workstation, this loud, awful series of three buzzing noises filled my ears. "Dang," I thought, "These little computers can crank out some sound." Then I realized that, although loud buzzing noises are characteristic of "Lost," this noise was not coming through my headphones but from somewhere else. Those of us sitting at our computers looked up to realize it was the fire alarm — a very loud, annoying fire alarm.

I knew that every once in a great while, fire alarms go off for a good reason, and I packed up my stuff and walked outside. Other people weren't as concerned — or more notably, not as annoyed. The other students stayed at their computer stations, and custodial staff continued to polish the beautiful golden handrails near the main entrance (I always give them a lot of credit for that job).

I had sat outside for five minutes or more while trying to get some reading done when one of the women standing outside came to the conclusion that although many students, faculty and staff had exited, nothing was happening. She got out her cell phone and called the seminary's information desk and found out no one had reported the alarm yet. This woman, as she later told me, is a Luther graduate and was in the building this morning on a visit to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Eastern Minnesota Resource Center. She was (1) a firefighter for five years in Kansas and (2) knew the number for the seminary information desk offhand because she worked there when she was a student. If we didn't have this perfectly qualified individual in our midst, who knows how long it would have taken for someone to finally report the alarm.

A couple more minutes passed, and then seminary maintenance staff arrived and turned off the alarm. Then we all stood around for another 10 minutes or so until the same graduate — who in the meantime took on the task of keeping people out of the building — once again took the initiative and asked the investigating maintenance team if we could go back in.
Sure enough, they said we could.

It's a funny thing about people. Some of us can't put up with any annoyance. We'll complain about everything. Others of us will sit around and listen to a fire alarm until our ears bleed. The more effective people are somewhere in between — those who are not about to badger someone with complaints but also aren't comfortable with things not getting fixed.

Speaking of getting things fixed, I never actually got any sound out of my headphones on this computer. I suppose that given the lesson I just learned, I should have probably asked someone if there's a way to fix that. And I would — if I didn't still have a Greek translation to do.

Cross-Cultural Experiences = Good

One part of the curriculum here at Luther, and at all of the other ELCA seminaries as far as I know, is to spend a January-term (or some equivolent) participating in a cross-cultural experience either in the US or abroad. I can't say enough how glad I am that the seminaries do this! These classes add such a rich depth to the seminary experience. Even though I studied in Ecuador in college, I was really glad to have another opportunity to take another school-organized international trip. I think it is fair to say that going abroad often causes people to get the traveling bug, so I jumped at the chance to spend my first J-term at seminary in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala! (I'm actually in this picture, but you can only see my blue, T-shirt clad shoulder in the second to last row.)

Our trip was absolutely amazing--worth every penny and dose of Pepto Bismol! (Traveling doesn't always agree with my stomach.) We were there for a total of a few weeks, but because of the way that we were so warmly welcomed by the people there, you would have thought we were all long-lost family. We shelled soy and coffee beans, and helped build a playground. We went to neighboring towns to learn about the history of the area and hiked in the surrounding mountains. We worshiped with the community there and we got to spend a lot of time just getting to know people and listening to their stories. We also learned of the many struggles that San Lucas is facing because of social and political unrest, as well as the violent history that this community has lived through because of civil war. I also had the amazing experience of being one of the translators for the group who tried to express these stories for my tripmates. It certainly wasn't easy, but it was moving and meaningful for me to be able to do so. (I tried to spend a lot of time with the children because they spoke more at my level, but in the end we all seemed to get by just fine.)

It's hard to express in any succinct way just how important this experience was for me because it impacted me is so many ways and on so many levels. The faces of the people I met are etched in my memory. What I feel most strongly is a deep connection with the people of San Lucas as my brothers and sisters in Christ. Even though we come from extremely different backgrounds, we are united in worship of Christ as the savior of the world. I would challenge those of you who are able to take advantage of one (or more) of these amazing cross-cultural trips. It's true that you will probably have to step outside of your comfort zone, but it will be worth it and I guarantee that you will remember it for the rest of your life!

Break Dancing Luther Style

In my former summer existance, before these hectic days of picking up dead bodies, setting up communion, and delivering the mail, I mowed lawns with the grounds crew. (If you don't believe me, I have a t-shirt to prove it.) Schedules being what they are, however, I have had to leave my custodial friends and participate in their endeavors solely through appreciating the fruits of their labor. (The flowers are spectacular, aren't they?)

Back when one could still find me chipping ice on crisp winter mornings, the whole maintenance staff and I would take breakfast/coffee break at 9:30 am. We would trundle into the Olson Campus Center cafeteria and grab ourselves coffee or tea from the supply provided us by the seminary. Being a newbie, I once stumbled into another room set up with beverages thinking they were for us. I later discovered they were for another segment of the Luther Seminary community. "Hmm," I thought, "Why would we need two set-ups for two break times? Why wouldn't we all just take a break together?" I have also witnessed folks coming into the grounds crew staff break time, located a dining room with plenty of chairs and tables, taking their beverage, and then retiring to another adjacent room. "Why wouldn't they want to mingle with their fellow seminary workers?" I wondered.

Sometimes in smallish communities such as ours, we turn little habits into big deals. So maybe I'm making a tempest out of some tea and a catastrophe from coffee. But, as one of my professors likes to say, let's wonder together about how we set up our lives together so as not to divide but to bring together and build up. Sometimes coffee and tea and a friendly word is a big deal to your fellow worker. Part of the the Lutheran revolution was to make the mundane sacred, that is, plumbers and electricians have an equal role building up God's people as, say, preachers and organizers. How may we be uplifting or dismissing that precept with how we take our breaks?

Sexuality at Seminary

Ok, I am going to out on a limb here and bring up a topic that is not usually discussed here at Luther-sexuality. Well, it usually is not discussed, unless it is the determination of whether or not someone should be ordained. I am discussing it, because the topic came up last week in one of my classes. I was sitting in my “Ministry to Young Adults” class discussing the attributes of young adult lifestyles. Love and sex were among the topics. Our professor began to ask what some of the euphemisms that were used to describe the sexual side of young adults. Since the majority of the class falls within the age range of 22-35 we were a good group to discuss this topic with.

However, no one was really quick to discuss their sexual side. Even those who were married were not rushing to volunteer their information. After a few moments of candor, and being probed into discussing what is talked about on campus, we watched a clip from RENT. It was the scene where they are all dancing around, and on the table singing about how they love their crazy Bohemian life. The illustration was to see how different they all were from each other, but still had found a community within each other.

The clip also illustrated the diverse sexuality within their social group. But what about our social groups here on campus? Whether married, single, divorced, partnered or widowed, we are all human. As a Lutheran community we generally believe that sex and sexuality are gifts from God. So then why is there such a threat to openly talk about the topic? I bring this up as a thought-provoking question, rather than an answer-seeking question. I only know from my perspective, it was very freeing to be open to the idea of discussing sexuality in a graduate level academic setting.

Who Needs Sleep? I do.

Eight hours of sleep a night is not a luxury; it's a necessity. We eat three meals a day. We carry around water bottles to keep ourselves hydrated. But when it comes to sleep, we keep chipping away the hours in quarters and halves until we reach that fuzzy nugget of "just enough to get by". Why do we kill ourselves in such a way?

Seminarians are certainly not immune to the disease of sleep-deprivation. I myself am afflicted with bleary-eyed days due to six-hour nights. I've packed so much into my life that I can't lay anything down, not even myself.

What is it about managing our time that seduces us so much in America? We want to bend and scrape everything into "our time". Fast food and all-night drive-thrus let us get food when we want. iPod's give us music when we want. On my floor in Bockman Hall, we all are watching some television show on DVD because we can watch it when we want.

But are we an iPod that we can say to ourselves and our bodies, "Sleep!" or "Wake!"? Are we computers that we can put ourselves to sleep or awake ourselves with the push of a button? Can we transcend our sleepy selves with technological solutions, caffeine or other worse pharmaceuticals?

We are our bodies. Our bodies need sleep. I need sleep to be myself. When I am not rested, I am not myself. When I do not sleep, I do not sing. I do not greet people with smiles but with scowls. I cannot think or recall quickly. When I stay up late, I become less of the person I am.

Let us belong to the day and to the light. Let us accept the appointed times for sleeping and working so that we will be ready to face the challenges of the devil and the opportunities to love our neighbor each morning.

Every Year I Get Older (Birthday Thoughts on Parents)

Every year that I get older, my parents get one year smarter. This started my freshman year in college. I think for many of us, our parents' intelligence is best appreciated after we've left home. They seem to us as dense as doornobs in junior high and high school, but then we're away at college and some minor tragedy occurs, mom or dad are the first on the line. It's not that they're smarter. We're more cognizant of all the wisdom they have and how we need it.

My birthday present this year exemplifies my new sensibility regarding my parents' wisdom. I got a big box of socks and underwear. It's just what I wanted and I'm not joking. At 15, clothing of any sort purchased by a relative was automatically suspect, but now at 25, I don't really mind my mother buying me some new drawers. I'm cheap. I don't get stuff I don't really need, especially stuff that nobody sees anyway. So, when my mom gets me some socks, something I wouldn't really get for myself, its really cool. It shows that she's really thinking about me.

I chose Luther Seminary partially because it sits within a one day's drive of my hometown. If I need to get home, as in the case of my grandfather's death last winter, I can get there relatively quickly and inexpensively. It's not burdensome to go home to be with my folks and intentionally so. As we become more and more mobile, pushed about by the needs of the church and the forces of capitalism, I realize that my parents are some of the few folks who have remained steady for me and I thank God for that blessing on my birthday.