Refractions and Reflections

 ---1---   First things first: in case you didn't already see this all over Facebook, last week at this time it was SNOWING. In MISSOURI. In MAY!! For like two days straight, and big flakes! Not much stayed on the ground, but it looked pretty heavy-duty.     ---2---     Also this time last week, I had some visitors in town from Atlanta. My friend was graduating, so she and her husband stayed at my apartment for the gradution. Friday night we went out to dinner before I had to go to work, and we chose a Brazillian restaurant called ReRico . If you are ever in the Springfield, MO area, I highly recommend this place (though it will cost around $30 per person). If you have never been to a Brazillian steakhouse, let me tell you how it works. Well, at ReRico they start by bringing you 4 or 5 different appetizers, including spinach dip, a California sushi roll, some kind of cheese-filled biscuits, and soup (there might have been more, but that's...

  ---1---   This is my last Quick Takes post to take place during the A to Z Blogging Challenge ! That means the theme of this post will correspond with my letter of the day, which is W. This week I undertook a lot of extra activities, so I am going to report here on my Week of Wanderings! (Note: I haven't posted "V" yet! So this is out of order, and a day early, but I will post V later tonight - it actually isn't officially "late" yet!)    ---2---   Weekend Wayfaring: This weekend held two firsts for me.   1) The Farmer's Market ! Believe it or not, I did not buy any vegetables at the farmer's market - only meat (red snapper, ground buffalo beef, and pork steak), lye soap (that smells heavenly!), honey (Mennonite-made), and, well, a buffalo horn (because it was cool!).   There were a lot of great booths, including an organic soup booth which I somehow missed but will make sure I hit up on my next visit! Als...

--- 1 ---   T his month I am participating in an A to Z Blogging Challenge , and today’s letter is K. So today's Quick Takes will have themes that begin with...[drumroll, please]... K !  (...Some of these will legitimately start with K and others might be a little forced.... But it's my blog. I can do what I want. Ain't nobody the boss of me, and all that jazz.) Please note: I realize my type style/size/color is all messed up  and inconsistent in this post. Still figuring out the formatting...please overlook it this time! :) --- 2 --- Kanine Update: Want to know what I find funny? My dog likes things that smell good. I bought some new vanilla verbena bubble bath and used it today and he would not get away from the tub, and kept whining wanting in. Then he kept sniffing my hands afterward. I think he likes it when I burn candles, too. He also went for his first walk last week. At first he did not like the leash at all, but I left it slack and ca...

--- 1 --- I have been following 7 Quick Takes for several years now and intended to participate for some time, but this is my first post! So exciting. --- 2 --- Today we preached the second sermon in our series in my homiletics class. The series is on Revelation. In this video, first is my series introduction, then my second sermon (I was not in class the day our first sermons were recorded). Some of you had requested the videos, so here is one! Remember we had a time limitation (15 minutes for the sermon); and also, I hear the camera adds about 60 pounds. I think my biggest self-critique would be that I smiled entirely too much - gotta work on looking more serious! ;) --- 3 --- If you are going to be reading my blog, perhaps you would like to know a little more about me. This would be a great place to introduce myself! I am a seminarian and will be finishing my MDiv this year. Next? I am not entirely sure. Possibly, I will study History at Missouri State University, but ...

In my Homiletics class this semester we are preaching from the Book of Revelation. Today was a preaching day, in which several of my classmates orated their sermons to the rest of us. One of them in particular gave me some clarity on an issue I've been struggling with lately having to do with the relevance of preaching on sin. Basically, my struggle has been with the judgmentalism I have perceived in Christianity. MANY times I have needed grace, and many times I have needed time to overcome certain sins in my life. I think I owe others the same grace. And often, I have been condemned and judged by well-meaning Christians for things the Bible does not label as sin; basically, people demand that I live by their personal convictions. And of course, being the stubborn girl I am, I refuse to give in to their demands. Not only this, but I see in Scripture an emphasis on loving God and one's neighbors. I think many/most sins are rooted in the fact that they hurt God or other peopl...

I have always loved the Book of Jonah. Every time I read or think about it, I realize something new. Other times, I have been able to deeply identify with the screaming emotions exhibited by this ancient man of God. To give an example of one of the things I have learned from Jonah, I have always thought his story resembled that of Saul/Paul in Acts 9:1-19. Both were on their way to do their own thing, believing they were servants of God, when the Lord intersected their path and dramatically changed their mission to proclaim His message to people whom each prophet loathed. Both were schooled in obedience. Both were granted special insight into the wondrous grace of God. Today as I was sitting in church listening to the Easter message, I again thought of Jonah, and this time in a new way. The Assyrians, the people to whom Jonah was sent, were the epitome of barbarism in the Old Testament. They were utterly cruel and oppressive and powerful. All others would agree, the Assyrians were ju...