this is what my cat must be thinking!

my cousin just sent me this cartoon...

my cat linus (the big orange one) has developed a habit in the last couple months of sleeping right on my head or right next to my head. usually he tries to lick my head at some point. now, i like a nice warm kitty to cuddle with as much as the next person, but not on my HEAD! not when i am trying to sleep. i believe i have uttered the words in the comic strip.

so laugh at this cartoon: too much coffee man

weird.

ummm. may i just say that it is really weird to be listening (well, trying to) to the state of the union address and realize that i could WALK to where everyone is gathered. ummmm. just a little odd. maybe people get used to it. it just is strange to be that close to power. and then to see on the little tv screen folks that were in my little church just a couple months ago.

okay. i am going to just go sit and feel weird.

chiapas...

for half my life (yes i am that young), my parents have had a chiapas travel fund. i have known the image of sub-comandante marcos for many years. my parents made sure of that. the mexico trip was another one of those moments when i realized how odd my childhood was. most people's parents did not dream of visiting the zapatistas.

it was good to learn more details about the zapatista movement while i was in mexico. it was good to learn about my brothers and sisters in chiapas.

here is a link to the sixth declaration. i encourage you to read it.

when they speak of good people and good governance, i am reminded of a dakota friend at the division of indian work. he would say that we always want to make sure things are done in a "good way". i like that. have we done our tasks in a good way? i don't know. i hope so.

a fantastic ordination!

And for the final installment of my most recent travels.

unfortunately there aren't any pictures that i took...plenty of pictures that were taken by some very fancy photographers though.

i went to my mentor, jen nagel's ordination! it was about time she got ordained and it was fantastic!

it was exactly what i would expect her ordination to be like. everyone involved, as many ecumenical people as possible. and fun.

it was just wonderful. i had a vision of what the kingdom will be like. lots of laughing. lots of people. always room for one more. and food. plenty for everybody. people rejoicing at all those who travelled from afar for the joyous occassion. now, doesn't that seem like a good kingdom to be headed for? it does to me. it just seems warm.

it was very cold out, but salem english lutheran church was warm inside. there was so much love. so much goodness.

the preacher was amazing. she spoke about being prophetic on the margins when jerusalem doesn't want prophets. let me tell you...i needed those words. i am in jerusalem. i have a tendency to the prophetic. jerusalem is where prophets go to die. i needed that gospel.

it was my first time vesting (wearing the clerical collar and the robe) in minnesota. it felt good to have it be at my mentor's ordination. to be surrounded by my colleagues on the extraordinary lutheran ministry roster. i felt like it was a good moment to begin assuming the marks of the office. it was right.

mexico, the photo round!

diego river murals in mexico city. i LOVE diego rivera. this was one of the most exciting places for me to go.





me and quinn hanging out with frida and diego.



an obsidian block that the aztecs used for human sacrifice. so glad we don't do that (okay, so we just had one really big human sacrifice that we talk about alot!)!




a bunch of lutherans drinking a little tequila...in moderation!



the shroud that guadalupe appeared on. i did not realize that the picture of her was so perfect. this is the actual cloth that she came to juan diego on. it was so amazing to see.



a bunch of lutherans visiting the basillica of guadalupe.



the pope mobile...outside the basillica of guadalupe! oh, you know i took lots of pictures!



the pyramid of the sun...it's big. trust me.



BEFORE we climbed the pyramid...me and my new found friend amy.




YAY! I made it to the top of the pyramid...we don't need to mention how sore i was the next day...



just some lutheran kids hanging out at the lutheran center in mexico city.

Mexico, Round 1

Well. I am back in DC. Back in the belly of the beast. And i missed the excitement of...Iowa, New Hampshire...and countless other states that help determine the fate of the beast as well as the other creatures that the beast tends to terrorize.

sigh. i wonder what the next few months will bring as i watch politicians scramble to hold onto precious jobs. welcome to planet earth.

i was sent to mexico city by the congregation i am serving for internship. not a bad deal. january in mexico. i did the jterm program that the seminaries offer. it was two weeks of learning about liberation theology and economic structures in latin america.

ahhh. my heart was happy. topics that i love. i got to hear about working with local farmers and how to subvert dominant trade structures. it was heart warming after my time in dc. it was good to be back in a place where people do not hold onto the ideals that hegemonic trade structures work.

i fell in love with mexico. i wish i could have stayed. i never thought i would fall in love with mexico. i am a francophile by nature, but i found myself in love with mexico.

the two pastors in mexico city were wonderful. they were just what i needed. it can be lonely as an oddball seminarian. it is good to find alternative pastors that are able to survive the church structure. i hope my path crosses their's again.

i came back to america for a delightful ordination...but, that will get its own post.

enjoy some photos.