goodbye 2013...

...the last fire of 2013...and so rounds out the year.  I've been looking for the right adjective to describe 2013, and I can't quite put my finger on that.  Instead, I've been focusing on all of the things that 2013 was filled with: love, generosity, service, travel, quiet, stillness, rest, growth, creativity, change, exploration, reflection, risks, vulnerability, laughter, tears, family, friends, swims, walks, yoga, hikes, disappointment, challenges, loss, blessings, revelations, good books, live music, more movies, delicious meals and exciting food creations, deepening of friendships, opportunities...and so much more.  Here's to 2014.  I have a feeling that there's even more to come - looking forward to it!

Christmas quotation

 “And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans--and all that lives and move upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused--and to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins, He came down to earth and gave us Himself.” 

- Sigrid Undset

friday quotation

It might seem cliche for today to share a quotation about Nelson Mandela - just a day after his passing - but it also seems wrong not to acknowledge him. I love what Mark Gevisser had to say as he reflected on Mandela's passing:

The words "Nelson Mandela is dead" feel strange in my mouth today, almost impossible to say, given the unique way he was both martyred and canonised during his lifetime...  He is a peak of moral authority, rising above the soulless wasteland of the 20th century; he is a universal symbol for goodness and wisdom, for the ability to change, and the power of reconciliation. 

May we all learn something from the legacy that Nelson Mandela has left us.  As a colleague said today, "we are all better off for Nelson Mandela having passed through our world.  I have very few heroes, but he is one of them." 

friday quotation

Amen.

This has definitely been a significant Thanksgiving in terms of being reminded of the many, many things for which I have to be thankful.  There are way too many to list here but health, friends, healing (internally and externally), comforters, mac & cheese, calls from family, sunshine outside, soup, graham crackers, messages from friends, mashed potatoes, care packages, cards, and popsicles are somewhere on that non-inclusive list.  Of course there are the more thoughtful ones like forgiveness, compassion, second chances, the possibility of peace, new beginnings, etc...  There are so many, many things to be thankful for.  I just don't want to lose sight of a single one of them.  

friday quotation

Today seemed like an appropriate day to quote JFK about gratitude on account of the 50th Anniversary of JFK's death and on account of our annual "I'm Grateful for..." service in chapel today. It seems like there's an awful lot to be grateful for today, and in the words of JFK: "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them." 

friday quotation

"Each of us feels some aspect of the world's suffering acutely.  And we must pay attention.  This little corner of the world is ours to transform.  This little corner of the world is ours to save." 
- Stephen Cope

back to school

Nope, I'm not a few months behind in writing this post.  This time I'm going back to school!  Purely for fun this time around!  I'm taking a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) with a favorite professor from UVA.  The course is called The Kennedy Half Century and our professor is Larry Sabato.  I had Professor Sabato for an Introductory Government class that was required for me as a history + education major.  A requirement that was well worth my time!  I was naturally interested in the topic, but Professor Sabato made me hurry to class to get a decent seat each meeting time.  So I jumped at the chance to be a student in one of his classes again - albeit an online class.  Which is another reason that I took the course.  I've been skeptical of MOOCs and their value and their effectiveness.  And as I sit here listening to my lessons (from last week...yeah, I'm a little behind), I have a new perspective on when and how MOOCs might be effective.  I don't know that I will ever think that they are equal to being in a classroom, but I do see a place where they could really be valuable.  I'm learning about a topic for which I have always held a certain interest (mostly because of the "mystery" and "awe" and "tragedy" that surrounds the story of JFK), but about which I never knew that much.  Am I being the best student?  Well, if you mean am I showing up for class each day...no, I'm not.  Have I bought the book that goes along with the class (but is not required)...no, I have not.  Am I listening to the lectures...yes, I am (even if I'm a few days late).  Am I answering the questions on the quizzes...yes, I am (and getting most of them correct - as a sign that I am paying attention!).  So I think it's a fabulous way to expand your knowledge when you don't have time to show up for a class and do mega-amounts of homework.  But I'm glad I went to school the way that I did and that I got to meet professors like Professor Sabato in person.  I think I just learn better that way.
Which brings me to my second class - a photography class at UT that starts tomorrow evening!  Stay tuned for more about it and probably some pictures from it. I'm excited to learn more about my camera - which I have neglected for too many months now.  I'm excited to see where these creative juices of mine lead me.  I'm excited and curious to see who else is in the class, what the teacher is like, and what our homework will be. 


As for accountability, with class every Monday, I have a feeling I'll be doing ALL of my homework for this one!