Pumpkin Carving Victory!!

We have achieved great admiration and love of all of our friends here at MTSO. Ryan carved a very kick ass pumpkin to enter into the MTSO pumpkin carving extravaganza. Great fun as had by all and everyone won a prize. We just happened to get best over all!! SUCKERS. Just kidding, everyone did a fantastic job. I will not reveal the secrets of skill just to say it involved power tools.
What a great holiday. About half the children on campus are dressing up as witches and another family is dressing up as Susan, Lucy, and Aslan from Narnia. We will be attending a party as wet Buckeye fans, but it should be a good time.
Everyone stay safe this weekend and have a great time!

Fall here in Ohio

Yesterday was a bright sunshinning beautiful day. The color on most trees were rich and vibrant and although the ground was slightly cool I took a stroll around campus barefoot to snap some photos.
Today is a different story all together. When I left my apartment at 10:30 I was wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt and a winter hat to keep my wet hair covered. I spent a few hours workin in admissions and then went out for lunch. It had gotten slightly colder and was starting to rain, so I put on a fleece jacket and took my hat off, hair being dry. After lunch I walked back to the office and thought I was going to freeze to death. Now as of 4:45p.m. it is in the low 40s and raining. It is definatly Fall in Ohio.
I have a feature on my new computer that with one click of a button shows me the tempeture and what it's "looks like" outside. Yesterday the icon had a bright pulsing sun. Today raindrops are dripping onto my computer screen, it's rather depressing.
Regardless I have posted a picture of what yesterday looked like....because it makes me much happier than the appearance of today.
Peace and Blessings on your journeys.

The Methodist Theological School in Ohio

Awhile back Rachel asked me to write about school and I'm finally getting around to it now.
I am in my second semester at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio seeking my call into ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. I love it here, God could not have put us in a better place. Between classes and organization meetings there exists a beautiful community of people. They come from all kinds of backgrounds and have an enormous varities of interests. I found myself giving a tour today and talking about all the opportunities for families and kids, and the guy looked at me and said, well I'm not bringing a family with me. We kind of laughed about it and I related my experience of being brought into the family here at MTSO. While not every experience here is wonderful and life changing, it provides a real space to grow and learn.
Class wise this semester I am taking The Church's Educational Ministry, Introduction to Christian Ethics, Ministry For/With/By Youth, and Church History. They are all challenging, but with each class comes new opportunities.
Recently for a youth ministry paper I was required to have a conversation with a youth. We weren't given a list of questions or guidelines for the paper, simply that we listen for at least an hour. I got the opportunity to meet the sweetest kid named Steven. Steven really makes me feel great about the future. His sense of confidence, his warm smile, and his incredible work ethic was amazing to me. He has attended church off and on and he told me he likes it "if it's not too long or boring." It's cute, but it totally makes sense. The youth of today were raised with incredible amounts of stimulation present at all times: television, computers, gameboys, radios, etc... To hold any one youth's interest there needs to be a reason to be there that isn't too boring. I'm not going to give any kind of answer to what this is should be, beacuse for everyone it is different, but it's definatly something to think about. He's a good kid and I really believe he will get the spiritual guidence he needs to become a good Christian and a fabulous adult.
My biggest challenge here at MTSO has been discerning into what I'm really being called. There is no doubt in my mind that I'm truly being called to do the work of the church, but where is that call leading me. Someone told me today that God doesn't want to see me just floundering around and that I will get an answer... BUT WHEN?!
I guess that's enough about school for now. Peace out homies!

Super Crazy Weekend

This weekend proved to be an interesting one. At the same time I hate myself because I am seriously behind on all my work and stressed out. But here's how it went. Ryan and I went to a Bowling For Soup concert on Friday night at a bar called Flannigan's. It was an AMAZING concert, they played all my favorite songs, and their new album sounds like it is going to be great. They encouraged the crowd to sing along and they did. Seemed that everyone in there knew all the words. I honestly can't remember what order they played their songs in or which were the best. I just know Ryan and I had a great time, especailly singing "Ohio" in Ohio.
The bar was great too, we ate some food, drank some beer and chatted with some other concert goers. It was totally and over 30 crowd, which makes sense because the band is over 30. It just wasn't expected. This is when I realized that I would rather be in an over 30 crowd, people my age and younger tend to get cocky when in bars and at concerts. Most folks over 30 aren't trying to prove anything to anyone, which makes the show much more enjoyable for others. I spent the entire concert kneeling on a bar stool, which made my knees really sore the next morning.
Saturday, we got up early and went to the Ohio State/Indiana football game. OSU pretty much beat the pants of their opponents, but it still made for a great game. My favorite highlights were Pettrey kicking a 51 yard field goal that was perfect and my mand Teddy Ginn throwing a touchdown pass to Nicol. It was a beautiful day in the upper 50s with plenty of sun beating down on C deck. I know have a quite impressive sunburned racoon face.
After the game I changed into some concert going clothes and went to see the Indigo Girls with Michele and Jesse in downtown Columbus. I really didn't know much about the Indigo Girls and had a vague familiarity with their music, but I truley enjoyed myself. It helped that I was with two amazing girls who made the night wonderful. The opening band was different, but the lead singer was AMAZING and she even came on to sing some songs with the girls towards the end of the concert. The girls played for quite awhile and we didn't leave the concet till after 11. I had volunteered to be the DD, so I drove Michele's Honda around in circles until we found a bar called Wall Street that we got free passes to at the concert. The girl who handed us the passes advertised it as a Lesbian bar, but assured us that straight girls could go to. Teehee, it was fun to watch the look on her face when Jesse asked her if she had to be a Lesbian to go. After Wall Street, we headed to another bar that I had gone to with Michele one other time. It was completely dead and one woman insisted it was because of the Indigo Girls concert, to which we replied that we had been there. She then said that the football game probably had something to do with it, which I replied that I had been to the football game as well. Then everyone laughed at my sunburn.
Around 2 am we decided we needed breakfast and I drove Jesse and Michele on their first ever trip to Steak and Shake. It was yummy, I got home around 4 and slept wonderfully.
Sunday Sucked!! I'm so far behind on all my work and stressed out and really trying to get something done, but what is really happening is that I'm gettign nothing done. I wish I had pictures to post of the Indigo Girls or the football game, but I don't. I've posted a few from Bowling for Soup.
Peace.

I'm not surprised, I know two of them.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 670 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

My new computer

This afternoon at about the time that I realized I would not be able to attend the Michigan- Ohio State game in November, which is THE GAME OF THE YEAR!! My laptop keyboard stopped working. It was on it's way out and would not always turn on, so I bought (read: charged) a new MacBook Pro. So far so good, it's going to take a while to get use to. I got a Mac because I want to start doing some more serious stuff with my pictures. But I'm not going to write any more tonight, because I have too much to do.

The ONE Campaign

Hey Folks, Take a minute to check out this website and sign the declaration. The ONE Campaign is standing to Make Poverty History. You can find it here at The ONE Campaign.

I found the ONE Quiz particularly interesting.

Ecological Footprint Quiz

Just came across this quiz, it's very interesting. I'm definatly not as ecologically friendly as I thought I was.

Take the Quiz Here

Composting Pictures

I wanted to post some pictures of my compost bins for Rachel and Matt said that he would like to hear about my composting. So here is the deal: Both Ryan's and my families have always composted (thrown all our kitchen scraps in a pile in the backyard.) When I moved out on my own it was wierd throwing everything away, it made the trashcan smell and made unneccessary wastes in landfills. We put some scraps down the garbage disposal and it clogged often and as Rachel would say "it's not doing much good down there anyways." I see composting as a great way to treat the environment better, plus it will be great for my spring flowers and veggies. Finding simple instructions on the internet was difficult because everyone has their own ideas about what makes a compost bin and what should go in it. I consulted my good composting loving friend Rachel and asked her opinion. And this is what we came up with: We bought two Rubbermaid Roughneck 30 gallon garbage cans and drilled several small holes to allow air flow. We then spray painted our name on the top so noone was steal them or mistake them for garbage. Inside we layered torn newspaper, yard clippings and kitchen scraps (everything but meat and greasy things.) Through this process I've realized my impatience, I want it ot be finished compost now, but it will take several months before I can use it.

You Decide

I'm having a hard time trying to decide what I should write about next. Here is a list, let me know what you think:
Whitey-my dad
Environment
Composting
School
Faith
Everyday activities
Likes
Dislikes
Politics

The Body Knows

So after an incredibly busy couple of days and a really great interview this morning by body crashed this afternoon. It told me to stop moving and REST. So I did. I skipped out on Church History, while it being my favorite class I really couldn't handle it. I slept for several hours and now have a sore throat and feel like crap. Hopefully if this is an illness I can get over it fairly quickly. All week my throat has been sore but I thought it was just allergies, it might be more though. Lots of work to do this week! Hope to hear about the job soon!

I love my friends and family!

I'm home and am enjoying every bit of it. Went to Twigs, the hot spot of Tunkhannock, this evening with some really great friends. Am heading up to Ithaca for a few days to spend some time with Stacey and Johnny. Will be flying home again on Sunday, I'm a little less nervous this time. I promise when I get back I will have some more meaningful posts.

I'm flying tomorrow..

And I hate it. Please keep me in your prayers. Also I'm going to charge conference to be recommended for candidacy. So big things are happening.
Probably won't write much more htis week.
Peace

Be nice to the environment!

Just do it, it's not that hard!

I could post a link to a good artilce or a good website that talks about taking care of the environment...but really, google it yourself!
Thanks and have a nice day!

I want you all to know what it feels like

Lately I've been having issues. I am young, married, and do not have children. For some reason this seems to be a lonely place to be. Ryan and I have alot of friends, mostly married, mostly with children. We see our friends on a fairly regular basis in the comings and goings of everyday campus life. However, actually spending time with these friends is next to impossible. If you invite them to do something, they can't because of the kids, and if they are making plans to do something, it's usually with other couples who have kids. So, therefore Ryan and I are stuck with nothing to do. I love these friends, but I don't think they understand what they are doing. Leaving Ryan and I out of their lives, simply because we do not have children.

On the other hand, our single friends, who when making plans with their other single friends do not invite their married friends along...these friends will come over when invited, but you have to be able to find them to invite them anywhere, they are usually already out with other single people. Again we love these friends, but it's hard to spend any time with them.

So, Ryan and I make our own plans and go about on our own life, without any real life friends. When we are around our apartment or do get to talk to people we are referred to as "anti-social" but it's hard to be social when noone ever invites you anywhere. Come on people. This all just really sucks for us. And I want you for once to know what it feels like.

All Church People Look Alike

Mothers with tapered legged jeans and white haired women with elastic waist bands in their pants.

Confessing my love...

I want to take this opportunity to confess my love to a few people and a few things. First I suppose I should mention my husband, since we are eternally bound by the vows of marriage. I love him, he's my best friend and I don't know what I would do without him.
Second, I love Rachel Ann! She seriously has become one of my best friends and we hardly see each other. But I think she's amazing, we share a lot of common thoughts and respect each other when we disagree.
Third, God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I don't say this enough, these three (in one) completely consume me, form my life, and shape my beliefs. Because of my beliefs there a few other things that I love:
-The Environment, God's creation. I continually feel an overwhelming urge to do good things for the earth and make sure others do as well. My favorite term for this has recently become Creation Care and I plan on forming a website, company, newsletter or something around this idea.
-Others, God's children. If you know me at all, you know I'm a lover. I truly love everyone, I might get frustrated with people and irritated because they are not contributing to society the best way that they can, but I always care about them and continue to pray for them.
-This love for others also includes the "other." The minority, the oppressed, the poverty stricken, the immigrant looking for a home, and the forgotten on the boundaries of society.

Today I wish I had more money. Not to buy a new computer, which I kind of need, and not to buy groceries, which I definitely need, but to give away to the people who have even less than I do. To give to the church, who needs it desperately just to exist. To give to important political campaigns, for the politicians who are fighting for me and those that I love.

However I don't have this money because I am attending school to hopefully make an even bigger difference in the future, than that my money could make today. So I encourage you, my readers to give what you have, money, time, effort, joy, just give it and love that fact that you are doing so.
Peace.

What is family?

Right now I am seriously bogged down with schoolwork and the like. I've wanted to post all weekend, but am just now getting around to it.

My family was here this weekend, a large number of relatives even. About 15 people came in from NY, PA, MD, and VA to visit Ryan and I in Ohio.

So I've been contemplating "What is family?"
These people who came to visit aren't immediate family, I'm not even positive how we are related. Some of them are children of cousins of my grandmother. Regardless we are close and I love them. We make it a point to get together once a year. After these get togethers which always consists of lots of eating, talking, laughing, and loving I get a little depressed. They are such a wonderful group of people and we only see each other once a year.

I'm just a little beside myself right now. Must get back to work.
Peace.