Pumpkin Time!

Katy & Erin!

Last Friday the Junior Class (us first year people) had a lovely pumpkin carving party.  Call it a study break or more procrastination, regardless, it was lovely.

Let the fun begin!

Oompa Loompa looking Katy

There were a bunch of snacks (all orange!) which made it even more of a fun time.  

Final products.

Josh's looks much better than mine.

Maggie carving and me eating.

Erin trying the pumpkin pudding!

Pre-Midterm Week and Midterm Week

Proof I am alive and well!!! (and slightly vain...)

Hello friends!  Long time no speak!  I bet you might have been wondering what I have been up to (and even if you didn’t, I like to pretend my adoring fans do!).  Let me tell you, I’ve been up to lots.  

Study break photo - Words w/ friends and my poster.

Ok, slight exaggeration.  It feels like my head has been hidden behind books for the past week, mainly in preparation for my midterms, though I did sneak a non-required book in.  This last week I also had a light bulb moment with Hebrew which was much needed and reaffirming to my studies.  Something I love about midterms- the study group aspect!  I don’t know why I didn’t have more of these in undergrad!!  It is just amazing to sit and compare notes on what we all picked up in our exactly the same class and to take it a step further (do we dare?!?) and dive deeper.  I feel very blessed here at CTS to have people willing to sit down with ADD me and work through weeks of notes.  I am very blessed.

The scripture reading today on www.d365.org ** was this:

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.

Psalm 1:1-3

 I found this ever so appropriate in my studying and taking of midterms and am ever prayerful I am on the prospering track.  As I continue to prepare for my exams, I will strive to remember the “delight in the law of the Lord” and be happy. J

What my rooms looks like from studying!
(Don't worry mom, I'm going to pick it up!)

Prayer:

Lord God, you are the Holy of Holies; you freely love and provide for us, your disobedient children.  Help us to not stray and take the path the sinners tread, even though it looks more fun, easier, and possibly even prettier.  Help us to remain with our eyes fixed on you so that we may prosper and be all that you so lovingly and fully believe we can be.

**If you are looking for a great (and easily accessible/brief) devotional, check out www.d365.org.  I’ve used it before and find myself going back!

 www.d365.org

Letter to the Church

This was an assignment for my Reaching Young Adults in the Media and Digital Age  and was a written response in our watching of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village".


(Disclaimer: In this letter, think church as in the church of the world.  Not just PC (USA), not just Catholics, and not just anyone else you would name.)

October 17, 2011

Dear Greater Church:

I recently watched a film called “The Village” that spoke to me on numerous levels, specifically on the role of the church within our world.  One might ask, “What does a suspenseful flick awaken within ones’ self in regards to the church?”  I would respond the issues presented to the church as far as religious leadership to the people and the actions it takes in living out the teachings of Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to open our doors?  Does it mean to live in fear and anxiety of the evils in the world?  Does it mean to look beyond ourselves?  Or does it mean to clearly and fully look at ourselves in the broad daylight of the world?  In a world of injustice and injury, the church’s doors should be opened with no if, ands, or buts.  We (those in the church) sometimes limit ourselves in what role the church plays.   We say it’s only on Sunday mornings the doors are open; we allow ourselves to provide open judgment and share our commentary on what our fellow believers are wearing, reading, or doing. If the church were truly living out Christ’s teachings, we would listen to his words, “Judge not lest ye be judged.” (Matt. 7:21)  Later on in that verse we are reminded the actions we show to others, in this case passing judgment, will come back on ourselves.

This lesson is shown especially in the actions of the Chief Elder Edward Walker who has let his judgment of the world skew his reality.  In creating his farce of a society and trying to keep the evils of the world out, he creates a false sense of security.  It seems within the movie that evil or sin is not just of the outside world, but is human nature.  Chief Walker himself is seen tempted in sinful ways.  The scene of him whispering with Alice Hunt seems to suggest an attraction between the two and while yes, they do deny themselves touch; it doesn’t take away from their thoughts towards each other.

The job of the church is not to scare believers into behaving.   Sin is human; evil is always at work.  It is how the church takes a stance against it.  The church should set the example of trying to live a life free of sin; the church should be opening doors to evil in a sense to show and share the light.  To some, it seems the church is not honest in displaying its character.  The church is built on Christ, yet humans are the ones running it, and humans often fall short of perfection.  As the church we should embrace that and come together in our imperfections.  The grief support group that all the Elders were a part of started in the right direction; it was recognizing the hurt and anger in the world.  Their intentions seemed to be perverted somewhere along the way in thinking they were better off without the rest of the world.   This attitude can be seen in some aspects of the church and if we are to work for the greater good and for the Glory of God, this needs to change.

The church of the future looks beyond imperfections.  The church of the future takes place not in a building and not on a Sunday morning.  The church of the future recognizes sin in the world and takes a stand to acknowledge sin.  The church of the future does not condemn but embraces; the church of the future is one of action verbs and not stuck in past tense.  The church of the future is a living thing, among its people, not deserting them in times of need.  If our church is to be this church, we could take some lessons from “The Village” and recognize actions needing to be taken.

In Him,

Katy Walters

Keep Calm...

This poster is prominently displayed in the sitting area of my room.  I joke that it is one of my mantras to say over and over when I become overwhelmed with all that is going on.  (Ex - when I look at my ever growing pile of index cards with Hebrew vocabulary...)

In thinking about this phrase, I was wondering what about it I like.  Maybe it's simplicity speaks to me in the complexity of my days.  Maybe I like how it says, "Keep On" in the message.  Sometimes just seeing words such as "calm" can slow one down and really initiate a feeling of calm.  

This poster was designed by the Ministry of Information in 1939 along with two others and was to be displayed around England during WWII in order to boost morale of the people during times of peril.  It has recently been showing up just about everywhere one looks, and in modified forms:

 I think I like most in the original form, as it seems to boost my morale.  It also reminds me of a verse that gives me the same sense of calm:

There it is in John; a reminder to not let one's heart be troubled.  I find it easy to have a troubled heart; I start thinking about my semi-insignificant challenges, then others' bigger issues, then I start on the issues and injustices within the world, and before I know it, I'm overwhelmed in trying to solve it all.  It is then where my "Keep Calm and Carry On" come into play.  It is then when I remember the words of Christ, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you".

That is a powerful message for me; Christ giving me His peace.  He even goes so far to remind that he doesn't give as the world does - Christ is no Indian Giver.  Christ freely and lovingly gives comfort to troubled hearts; what a gift.  My prayer is I remember that when I look at my little poster.

Abba Father, you give us rest when we are weary.  You offer to take our burdens from us.  Help us to realize the grace and peace we find in you.  I thank you for this world, this creation, this life you have given and pray I treat it and all it encompasses with the love and kindness it deserves.

Blind

 “Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send?  Who is blind like the one in covenant with me, blind like the servant of the LORD?"  - Isaiah 42:18-19


My eyes have recently been open here while in Georgia.  I realized I've been a bit blinded.  


Around Atlanta, you can't drive a couple of miles without seeing someone from the homeless community.  Every time I see someone, I still react in shock.  The man my father's age pushing his belongings in a baby stroller pains my heart when I see him.


So how am I blind?  There are displaced people in Dallas.  I've served them and worked with them.  There always seems to be this one guy on the corner of Forest and 75.  What makes Atlanta so different?  Have I become use to the idea that there will always be people living on the streets?  I hope not!  Have I become comfortable with my lifestyle and not lacking three meals a day?  I think so!  


This idea of being blind doesn't always manifest itself in a refusal to see; I think blindness today is more a "use to" or comfortableness within our lifestyles that doesn't keep our eyes open to the injustice in the world.

Keeping our eyes averted from the ugly in our world is comfortable.  It allows us to remember more of the good in God's creation, and not the sin happening.  I don't watch the news reports here and thus am not exposed to the violence, vandalizing, and other evil going on in my own community.  I close my eyes to the sin going on around me not because I am ignorant of it happening, but because I want to think happy thoughts.


There are numerous times in the Bible where God calls his people to stop being blind or deaf to his will.  Think of how he spoke to Jonah; Jonah had his eyes closed, his fingers in his ears and was probably singing "la la la" in order to be blind to God.  It took some dramatic actions on God's part in order to open Jonah's eyes to his calling.  In the verse from Isaiah, God is wanting his people to "WAKE UP!".  In this case, they are admiring some false gods, and if you didn't know, our God is a jealous God. 


My prayer of late has been along the lines of, "WAKE UP!"  I pray God keeps me uncomfortable so I can see the ugly injustice in this beautiful world and DO something about it.  I pray He uses me to the greater glory of His work, in whatever way that looks like.  I pray my eyes stay open.  I would encourage you to ask yourself, "what am I blind to and how can I open my eyes?"  You might be surprised at what you haven't seen in awhile, I was.  


Prayer:

Open my eyes, that I may see

Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;

Place in my hands the wonderful key

That shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for Thee,

Ready my God, Thy will to see,

Open my eyes, illumine me,

Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear

Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;

And while the wave notes fall on my ear,

Everything false will disappear.

                                             Silently now I wait for Thee,

Ready my God, Thy will to see,

Open my eyes, illumine me,

Spirit divine!

Open my mouth, and let me bear,

Gladly the warm truth everywhere;

Open my heart and let me prepare

Love with Thy children thus to share.

                                             Silently now I wait for Thee,

Ready my God, Thy will to see,

Open my eyes, illumine me,

Spirit divine!

Lost & Found

This is a true story.  (Ok, there might be some slight exaggeration on the narrator’s part, but it is done in the interest of the readers.)

Meet Stone Mountain.

Beautiful, right?

Here's another picture of it, with the carving being shown. Can you name the people?

(Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Robert (Stonewall) Jackson) 
Now for the story.  Stone Mountain is a really neat place about 20 or so minutes from Decatur.  The mountain itself could be described as a large granite hill with most of the surface being bare rock (something to do with volcanoes and magma and the rest of it being underground.)  That carving above is over 3 ACRES (bigger than a football field, right?) and is actually larger than Mount Rushmore.  I read the entire pamphlet so if you really want to know more about it without visiting, let me know.

So my friend Erin and I are walking buddies on campus and decided to up the walk and hike Stone Mountain yesterday.  We both willingly woke up early on our ONE day to sleep in to go and walk some mileage.  All for the sake of our health.  And minds.  And souls.  (If you don't walk occasionally, you really should.  I'm a fan.) I digress...So without getting too terribly lost, we make it to the mountain and found parking. After a couple of false starts and really long bathroom lines, we realize we have parked pretty far from the actual mountain.  We decide, that's ok!  We are here to get our work out!  

(cue the music that seems foreshadowing...)

The hike up the mountain was a little more hiking than I think we both anticipated.  Imagine going up a stair case, but there are no stairs.  Just giant rocks and lots of gravel.  There may have been once or twice where members of this climbing party might have made derogatory statements against the beloved Stone Mountain.  Ok, in all honesty, this member of the climbing party.  (Especially that one part where you're given rails to hang on for dear life...) It was quite a crowded trail; numerous like-minded people enjoying God's creation and all that He makes, even when it is giant stones.  We made it to the top (and gratefully ahead of the Brownie Girl Scout troop, not that it is a race, but come on...)and took some time to take it all in. 

It really was a beautiful sight to take it all in at the top.  You can see downtown Atlanta, Buckhead, and somewhere out there Decatur.  I wasn't a 100% sure of where or what I was looking at most of the time but knew it was all green and beautiful.  

The sun was out and there was a lovely breeze.  Some people were even picnicking at the top of the mountain.  (MAD PROPS to all the moms & dads who carried small children up the mountain.)  And there were cute little kids who kept yelling about the "surface of the moon"; looking at this ground, I could see where the moon picture comes in.  We toured the little exhibit at the top, got some water, and then got ready to head back down.  

I of course needed to take a silly picture before heading down.

The way down seemed a bit easier than the way up, sans the gravel and never-ending threat of potentially falling forward forever.  I like the advice I heard from some fellow hikers, "tuck and roll".  Who knows how serious they really were...

We finally made it to the bottom and we were feeling good that we could nourish ourselves before some football game involving orange and a tiger print got started (anyone ever heard of Clemson?  Don't worry, my burnt orange team had already been destroyed by something called a sooner earlier in the day.) We were walking the mile back to the car in the farthest parking lot known to man when Erin put her hand in her pocket and didn't feel her keys.

(cue again suspenseful music)

(enter this...)

No, we did not get arrested.  But WE did get to ride in the back of a police car sans handcuffs!  This awesome police officer offered us a ride to the car and to help open it up so we could at least get our cell phones.  He even let us take a picture in his car, but we promised we would keep it to ourselves and not share it with the world wide web.  I must say this young officer was such a delight to work with in this circumstances.  He made sure we had people to help us out once we got to the next step.  

The Next Step: FIND THE KEYS

I will not lie; my first instinct was to start climbing back up the mountain to look for keys.  The police officer and Erin both thought some other steps were more important (and they were right).  We were able to get Erin's spare key from campus and there was a willing ANGEL of a friend who could bring it out to us.  We DID decide to at least hike down the mountain.  

Did you know you can take a TRAM up the mountain?!?  This explained how there were so many more people up at the top.  You can even buy one way tickets!  While Erin was purchasing tickets (apparently Stone Mountain is uber popular and has tons of people coming out each weekend, especially during this fall time and it was also Rice Festival day...), I met our hunger need and got a huge pretzel.  (I think I am including this because we both were thinking our right arms looked tasty.  The pretzel was amazing, even without peanut butter.)  We finally boarded our tram and had a wonderful and quick ride to the top.

  Gerardo, our guide, really enjoyed his job and made that tram ride just about as fun as riding in the back of the police car.  We also saw the carving in the side of the mountain which I honestly had no idea existed until we were riding past it!

Oh Lordy - the climb.

When we reached the top, we found a park ranger and let him now about the missing keys.  He immediately picked up his microphone and made an announcement which just about everyone on the top and anywhere close to the mountain heard.  We then started retracing our steps and looking for the keys.  Erin and I had thought it would be so easy to spot these black keys in the gravel and pale colored stones.

Oh Lordy.

It was like a needle in the haystack come to find out.  Within the first 20 minutes of looking, both of us sent out texts/phone calls to our friends to say some prayers that we would find these keys.  

I will now share with you some of the thoughts I had while searching the mountain:

1 - Why are keys black?  I think they should be neon and obnoxious - even glow in the dark!

2 - I love God's creation.  I do not love all the nooks and crannies that are formed in God's creation when I am trying to look for keys.

3 - There truly are some angels among us and at work in this world!  So many kind people who offered to help or at least make us laugh during the tense time.

4 - I truly was praying that God would have the keys sparkle or shimmer or something for me so I could see them.  

5 - I also was praying in gratitude that it was just Erin's car key - not her room, or wallet.  BIG blessing.

6 - All rocks look the same.  Unless they have been marked with something.

7 - Those Brownie Girl Scouts probably have better tracking skills than I do.

8 - I am worthless in the woods.  Worthless in the sense of figuring out where we are, etc.  Thank goodness for multitudes of people who help guide and lead the way.  And thanks to the people who FIRST paved the path so we could follow. (Do you sense a sermon out of this one..?)

 So, we made it to the bottom of the mountain.  With no keys.  Help was on the way in the form of our willing Angel of a friend with the spare. About halfway down the mountain, we started just asking everyone on their way up to keep their eyes open for keys.  The responses were awesome ("are they key's to a Porsche?") and one group of boys seemed to take it on as their mission!  At the end of the trail you can go into a little memorial center, so we went in just to check for an update on the keys.  While there was no keys, there was the sweetest lady ever who had so much sympathy for us and was genuinely concerned on our ability to get home.  I left that building feeling a little less burdened and very happy because I had a climbing certificate!  

On our walk back to the parking lot, we found our friend who had come to rescue us.  It turns out as she was explaining at the front how she was on her way to rescue "her friends who lost their keys on the mountain" the person working the gate happened to hold something up and say, "These wouldn't happen to be hers, would they?"  The people around us probably thought we were crazy we were jumping up and giddy with joy when we saw those little black keys.  Even thinking about it now, a smile crosses my face and my heart is happy.

Erin and I dragged our sore bodies to the car where once we opened it and plopped down, realized we had been on our short walk for about 5 hours.  In looking at the map, we also walked/hiked 5-6 miles.  It felt good though.  On the way home we stopped and feasted at Applebee's.  It was so great.

Lessons Learned:

1. God is good.

2. People are good and truly, there are angels among us.

3. Nature (in appropriate doses) is good.

4.  Being with people (and being a person who remains) who are cool, calm, and collective during times of crisis is VERY good.  (Normally my reaction to anything bad involving my car is to cry. Not this time!)

5. Riding in the back seat of a cop car is cool only when it's for fun. There is absolutely no space for one's legs and I can't imagine being handcuffed.  And people stare at you.

6. You should always take time to put a penny on the rail road tracks.  (But be safe!)

7. Erin and I will tackle Stone Mountain again!

Gracious and loving God, you provide for your people.  Thank you for adventurous days and friends to share in our experiences.  Thank you for the kindness of strangers and for all who serve in our public services. Everything you made in creation IS good and beautiful; help us to keep our minds and eyes open to it all.  Thank you for able bodies that can climb and for the nourishment that sustains us.  Remind us in times of strife and struggle, big or small, you keep us in your care and provide.  What was lost is always found with You.  Amen.

Surrender

And now for the devotion part.  I actually wrote this to the Mission Committee at my home church and it has really been on my heart and mind.   We listened/watched this video and I think it is a good use of 6 minutes of your life.  Or you could always just listen to it while you are "working".  

One of my ongoing prayer requests in coming to seminary has been taking care of the financial obligations while here.  It is amazing to hear the stories of calling here at school, and like myself, many of my peers left jobs, families, and security in embarking on this journey.  One of our chapel sermons was on what does it truly mean to serve as an instrument of God and we were reminded we “surrender” all so God is able to fully use us to His great glory.  Surrendering isn’t something I have really thought much about, but upon reflecting and spending time with scripture, I realize there is much to surrender.  Sometimes it is small things such as that Starbucks latte with one splenda, while other times it manifests itself as a bigger picture – surrendering the burdens and worries of my heart.  We are reminded multiple times on what it means to have faith, and in Hebrews 11:29-31 are reminded again, “By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.  By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”  It is in surrendering all and living in our faith that we truly become vessels of 

God.

I will tell you I wake up every morning and have to remind myself to surrender all.  And before I go to bed, I write in my prayer journal (best idea ever...more on that later) and physically write out what I need to let go of.  It's a struggle.  It's a journey.  It's a process.  But it is so that God can use me.

Prayer:  Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.  (From the Book of Common Prayer)

A Vessel for God

Just a couple of notes for this quick update:  

• If you wonder why I don't post regularly, I apologize.  My life is scheduled, but not so in the sense where I can confidently say that everyday at this time I will be posting.  Part of this keeps life exciting, and in my writing, I think it helps as well.

• My Sunday - Tuesday schedule is a bit rough.  Monday and Tuesday are chock full of classes.  This is a good thing.  It only becomes a bit burdensome when all classes decide papers are due at the same time.  But that is why God invented planners and for me, post-it notes!

• If you have specific questions regarding this journey, please let me know! You can comment on here, facebook me, or email me.  I bet there are some good ones out there.  And remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question.  Ever.

Awesome God - thank you for the time you give us; to sit, to breathe, to reflect, to laugh, to love.  We don't always express gratitude for our time or even notice it.  Remind us to take time to love each other as your son taught us, to love this creation you've made, and to honor all in the world.  In your holy name, Amen.