A New Way To Learn Gratitude

My third snowy winter truly began this past Friday, and this one got me. After spending all day Friday watching the snow, on Saturday I had things to do. I went to yoga, I got groceries, then it was time for me to head to church. On my way to my car, I slipped on the ice and landed on my arm. I hurt, but didn't think too much was wrong, so I went on with the evening. Unfortunately after icing it for a couple of hours at home, it had gotten to the point that I shrieked every time I moved my arm, so I could tell something more was wrong. So, I called a woman on my support committee for a ride to the hospital. Turns out, I've got my first broken bone: my left radial head - my elbow. So now I'm in a splint and a sling and I'm typing this one-handed.

Despite this rough weekend, especially to my elbow, I'm finding myself grateful. Maybe because it's almost Thanksgiving and we celebrated gratitude in church this weekend, so my mind is there, but I'm pretty happy about it.

I am grateful that I fell on my left arm instead of my right, so I still have a lot of ability to do things. For the smallness of the fracture that will hopefully heal quickly. For people I can call at 10 at night who will wait with me at the hospital until 1:30. For people thinking of what I may need before I can and offering help. For an opportunity to learn to receive help. For the ability to write and color since I can't knit or crochet. For a fiberglass splint that keeps my elbow still and free of pain. For bodies' amazing ability to heal themselves if we let them. For a cat who refuses to let a thing like a splint and sling get in the way of cuddles. For my situation moving me forward in my hopes for my sermon preparation and delivery. For a good reason to practice self-care by going to a salon and having someone shampoo my hair on a regular basis. I am grateful for these and so many other things.

It's been a good week.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to worship with a congregation within the walls of a women;s prison. I love the fact that congregations like these exist, allowing people in prison to form their own communities, just like the ones we form and I work with. The women I met were kind, and deeply engaged in being the church. I was incredibly happy to have a chance to be with them, to share in prayers and communion with them.

Advent is beginning soon, it is a new church year. It's a Luke year (in the gospel readings) which makes me a bit nervous, because I find Luke a little difficult, but this will give me more ways to grow in this role. The church is blue and beautiful, it's time to decorate for Christmas (yes, I do that in my home during Advent) and I am very happy. Keep looking around this season, there are so many reasons to develop a grateful heart.

May God's peace be with you all.

Snow Day

My long vacation was supposed to end today, so I got all ready to start the day with morning prayer at 7:30 and just before I left my apartment I discovered an email saying that campus was closed due to some pretty impressive snow we got last night. So, one more day of vacation, and a very productive one at that.

I have been spending my last few days getting my apartment organized and my school things in order to get ready for the semester. I've sorted through all my craft projects - I have more than I thought - and gotten them into a system in which I can actually find what I have going and maybe finish some of my projects. I bought yarn and fabric in the past month, and I won't let myself buy anymore until I get a few things done. One thing I started this week is a shawl that can be worn many different ways, and it's going quickly, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes.

This Sunday I went to All Saints, my MIC site for all three services and I was introduced to the whole church as their new MIC student. It was quite a morning - I met a bunch of people, and mingled between services. By the time I got home, I was rather tired. I opted to only stay at the seminary Superbowl party for a bit, and then I came home and watched the rest of it with Silas on my computer and some knitting on my lap.

I was actually a tad bit disappointed in the snow day today, just because I am looking forward to getting started with my classes this semester. I spent a fair bit of time this morning putting my assignments for three of my classes into my calendar, which is one of my favorite beginning of the semester tasks.

Tomorrow though, after my morning classes, I should be picking Silas up at the airport for a visit here. I'm really looking forward to seeing him again, and that is why I'm writing this blog on a Wednesday. We'll be celebrating Valentines Day and my birthday this weekend.

Next week I'll start my classes in earnest, and I am looking forward to what this semester will bring. I'm moving into more interesting classes and I think I'll enjoy the semester. Then we'll just have to see how George deals with my being gone more often - he tends to demand immediate cuddles when I've been out of the apartment for a bit. That will be a nice thing to come home to.

Hoping everyone is staying warm!

The End of the Semester

It is officially my last week of the semester.

I came back to Ohio last week to finish up  my semester with just a week and a half left of school. It's been a relatively easy semester, especially compared to my classmates who are middlers or seniors, and I have appreciated the chance to get used to the seminary with a semester that is not awful. I'm already looking forward to my next semester, except for the fact that I have classes literally all day Tuesday - 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.!

On Monday last week, we had a yoga teacher come in and teach a restorative yoga class in our smaller chapel. It was absolutely wonderful, except for the fact that I had to go to class afterward. I am trying to add more yoga into my life, because as a graduate student I spend the vast amount of my time sitting, and I am nearly desperate for activity and some time to get out of my head. Yoga offers both of those, and I don't have to wear shoes to do it!

The rest of the week went perfectly smoothly, and it is interesting to be wrapping up each class. I am so excited that next semester my only evening class will be Spanish, which is not a traditional class. I have such a hard time engaging in evening classes, especially during winter when the sun is already set, and I am looking forward to that change next semester.

This weekend was full of snow and time with friends. At common meal on Thursday, those of us who were sitting around the table got into a lively conversation about the merits of various Doctor Who companions. The fact that this is the kind of conversation I can engage in here makes me very happy, this place is full of the best kinds of nerds, me included. Saturday, I went out to watch the OSU v. MSU game with a few people from the seminary. It was great fun, partially because I didn't really care about the game. I rooted for MSU with my table, of one actual MSU fan, and two people who cared even less than I did. We had a good time being one of the odd groups out in the bar, which was of course full of buckeyes.

It snowed quite a bit this weekend, which I have found probably much more exciting than most others here. It's beautiful, and has given me great reasons to wear my cloak. It's getting a lot more use up here than it did in Texas or Oklahoma. I went to work and a faculty meeting on Friday and had a great time watching the snow come down from the windows, and then I stayed inside most of the day Saturday. I have spent a large part of my weekend working on Christmas gifts, which have to remain secret for now, but maybe I'll post a picture later.

Sunday I also went to my official Ministry in Context site for the first time, which was really great. I like the church and I really like the pastor, so I think it'll be a good place to spend the next year and a half. It's a shame I got assigned so close to the end of the semester and I'm leaving town, but I'll get properly settled there as the MIC student in January.

Now as I finish my last two days of the semester, I am getting ready to go home and spend a lovely Christmas there. I can hardly wait to spend a bit longer at home and have a proper rest between semesters. My blog might be a bit more sporadic, but I'll try to check in. I hope everyone is staying warm!

Snow Dust

I've been having a really happy week or so, and it reminded me of this poem. I thought I'd share, and hopefully it'll bring a smile to some other faces too.

-Kat