Good morning, everyone! I have a lunch in about 20 minutes here at the University of Houston, so I probably won't be as long-winded as usual in my post. I wanted to get this up in the morning, though, since I know some of you are accustomed to reading a new post at this time.

Last night I visited Sam Houston State University, up in Huntsville. First thing about Huntsville-- it has the largest statue of Sam Houston along the highway that I've ever seen in my life. It must be five stories tall. Apparently, ol' Sam died in Huntsville, and they're very proud of the connection. I wish I could have gotten a photo of myself with it.

Once again, at SHSU we did the Bible study on Numbers 27:1-8, the daughters of Zelophehad. I may not have mentioned that before-- if you haven't read it, you should. Usually when I do this study, I have the group reflect on a couple of questions based on Eric Law's community Bible study process:

1. How does God's response to these women transform Israel and empower them individually?
2. What is God calling you to do, be, or change through this passage?

One student, Carrie, brought up something I hadn't considered when reading this passage before with other groups-- by God telling Moses that the women in the passage should own property, God is essentially indicating that they are not property themselves. In statements of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:17), God essentially treats the wife as a piece of property belonging to the man. Yet here, God is saying women can receive an inheritance themselves and that they are equally God's children. Buried in Numbers, we find one of the first statements of God's value for women.

One last thing-- I had an interesting conversation last night. Someone asked me about NNPCW's work and why we're always talking about feminism (a question that perhaps some of you are asking). This person suggested that maybe we would reach more people if we just cut that out and talked about faith generically. What I pointed out was that NNPCW, from its very beginning, has been rooted in the justice concerns of women. What makes our ministry different from all the other ministries of the Church, whether they are Christian discipleship groups or spirituality groups for young adults, is that we choose to focus on women's lives and women's experiences in our outreach. We believe that God has something unique to say to women-- God hears our pain, God is not silent to our concerns, and God values our gifts to the Church. When we lose that focus on women and on their unique faith journeys, we lose our reason for existence. We become nothing more than a Christian girls' club.

So I hope you enjoy reading about the experiences and insights of women in Texas, and how they've encouraged me in my own faith journey as a woman. Off to lunch I go!

"And the Lord said to Moses, 'The daughters of Zelophehad are right; you shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.'" --Numbers 27:6-7

Kelsey

Leftover pizza for breakfast is not a bad thing... I scavenged a whole cheese pizza from the SMU event a couple of nights ago, and have been eating it ever since, kind of like a squirrel with a nut. Alas, I'm going to have to leave it here when I leave Dallas today, as I have no refrigeration in my car. The sacrifices of a road warrior....

I went to the Sixth Floor Museum at Denley Plaza yesterday, where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed JFK (unless you believe it was a conspiracy, a topic covered in a section of the museum). Very well done, exemplary historical presentation. Especially moving were the particular exhibits about the events themselves and the pandemonium and grief that ensued. I also took in the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, which was a great American art museum featuring works by Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, and Georgia O'Keefe, among others. Best of all, though? Three words-- no admission charge. 'Nuf said.

Lest you think I did no work at all, I also visited Texas Christian University's campus group to lead a discussion about women and faith. This group was run through the Disciples of Christ Church, which is a Reformed denomination that established TCU. So they're our cousins in the big Reformed family, but are congregationalists and have allowed women to be ordained for years. As a result, when I asked them about how women's issues and faith came together, they told me that for them, it really was a non-issue. This is a sentiment that I hear regularly from people who've grown up in mainline denominations (maybe a signal that I should stop asking them the question-- I didn't grow up Presbyterian, so it was an issue in my faith journey). So I asked them, "So if we've 'made it,' what is a woman's issue in the church?" Where do we still have to go?

I was impressed with their answers, which showed a much more acute awareness of contemporary gender issues in the church than I had expected. They mentioned the limits for women who are ordained-- the rural churches that won't actually call a woman for their own parish and the tall steeple churches where women can be associate pastors, but few are actually called to be heads of staff. They also said that women's issues in the church were a microcosm of larger gender issues in the society. In other words, we should be tending to the women in our congregations who are suffering domestic violence (and statistically, someone in your congregation probably is), giving young women in our churches opportunities for leadership, and advocating for justice in the larger society. As a church, they said, we should be speaking out about pay inequities and the need for affordable day care. The larger society's issues are the church's issues.

Here's a talk-back point for any women reading this: what would you say are the issues of women in the church today? Is it the same stuff as above? Do you have anything in particular to add to the list?

So that's Kelsey's report. Signing off from the Lone Star State....

"And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?" --Luke 18:7

Kelsey

Good morning... I'm feeling a little sleepy today, and since I gave up caffeinated beverages for Lent, no coffee is going to help me out of this one.

Last night I visited both the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University. They were two widely disparate discussions, with one relating to women's issues and the other focusing on the daughters of Zelophehed in Numbers. Together, however, what they made me wonder about was what it means to be a feminist in our society. The word itself, "feminism," has such negative connotations, as the women at UNT told me last night. Yet if you're under, say, 25 or 30, your world is what it is because of the feminist movement. We played competitive sports as children, we go to college, we seek out jobs. In 1950, for instance, these possibilities would have been much less likely for us. Even the most strident anti-feminist women have different lives because of feminism.

Many women I talk to shy away from the word as it refers to them, or are quick to tell me that they're not one of those "man-hating radicals." Nor am I. I, and most of the people I meet, instead claim the underlying values of acknowledging and respecting the equal personhood of women in the eyes of God (something that has blatantly been denied in the past by patriarchal figures in the church and society). There may be disagreements on how that plays out, but at least it is something most of us can concur with in Christian circles. From an ethical standpoint, it is as much a simple human rights issue as it is a women's issue.

Thus I would consider myself a feminist not purely for self-serving reasons, but as a point of Christian ethics. For if we are really one in Christ Jesus, if God really sees the sparrow fall, if God really is the woman rejoicing over her lost coin found, then it is my responsibility as a Christian to see that all of God's people are treated with human dignity. And as a woman, human dignity means respect for my intellect, for my talents, for my gifts to the church and society. This means a place at the decision-making tables of the church, a role in the boardrooms. This means an end, once and for all, to being shut out of avenues of power in society due to my sex.

The question I have for you is this: if women succeed in gaining full acceptance in the power structures, what are they going to do with it? In my mind, that is the ultimate question of any movement for liberation. For it is where movements seem to fail-- whether in communist countries originally espousing the values of the poor, or in corporations where women exploit others just as ruthlessly as men did. It is where women of color get caught, with both men of color and white women leaving their unique needs behind in their own quests for empowerment. Can we, as Christians, change these patterns of power?

"There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." --Galatians 3:28

Kelsey

I decided that since I was really too tired to write last night, I'll write today's post while I have some free time this morning and then update you on today's visits tomorrow morning. I should have been at the University of North Texas right now, but the campus minister there has bronchitis and canceled our lunch date. So I'm still here, hanging out on the Austin College campus. I'll probably eat lunch with my hosts here, and then head to the outlet malls before my evening program. After all, it wouldn't be a real World Tour if I didn't hit at least one outlet mall, and this looked like a really good one.

I've actually been doing other work all morning... through the miracle of e-mail, I have become a traveling NNPCW office. This morning alone, I've worked on the leadership event and my upcoming World Tour to the Pacific Northwest (so if you're from there, let me know so I can meet you!). I'm going to do some work on one of my presentations after this until lunch, and try to squeeze a nap in, too.

There really has been nothing particularly interesting this morning to talk about, except that my oatmeal exploded and almost got all over the microwave. See, here's a bit of insight into the nitty gritty of World Touring-- I buy groceries on my travels, avoiding eating out as much as possible. I've actually become quite an efficient scavenger of free meals as well-- most of my trip dates are organized around some sort of food event, so I try not to strain the meager NNPCW budget too much. And on a day when I don't have any engagements? That's right, it's exploding oatmeal and pb&j sandwiches for me. I can't buy any food that needs refrigeration, or additional ingredients, so the grocery list is rather limited. That said, I've perfected these techniques to an art on this, my fifth World Tour.

So from Kelsey's traveling office, where her exploded oatmeal sits on the desk, have a great day!

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen." --Philippians 4:23

Kelsey

PS-- My mom wants me to go visit South Fork while I'm in Dallas (she was a big fan of the TV show when I was a little kid), so I might check that out today, too, if I have time.

Good evening from Texas! After waking up at 5 am, I had a rather uneventful flight from Louisville to Charlotte and from Charlotte to Dallas. Then I hopped in my rental car (I’m still amazed that they just let me drive away with those things) and drove north to Sherman, home of Austin College. And the only calamity thus far is the discovery that I didn’t pack my business cards as I had originally intended. Drat.

Tonight I met with students at Austin College for Bible study and for the Selah spirituality group. Selah is the least structured of all the campus groups in NNPCW’s far-flung network. Tonight, I sat in a circle with a group of about ten women. We lit some candles, introduced ourselves, and then I asked, “What does it mean to be a person of faith as a woman?” The conversation, which started out as a reflection upon our childhood experiences of women in the church, eventually branched out to discussions about everything from women in professional life to The Vagina Monologues. We talked about our mothers, some of whom had to wear skirts to dinner in college and had no other professional options outside of teaching. We reflected on the opportunities open to us. Perhaps the most striking question posed, though, was whether we will really ever be able to see others for who we are, as humans, and truly overcome the centuries of oppression inherent to women’s experience.

I don’t necessarily have an answer, but I do have a piece of the discussion from our Bible study on Numbers 27:1-8 on the daughters of Zelophehad that may shed light on this question. Normally, this passage inspires me with its depiction of young women standing up for justice and demanding a place in the society. Today, though, what struck me was Moses, in a position of power, giving up his power to God in order for justice to be served. Rather than immediately answering when the women come before the congregation, Numbers 27:5 says, “So Moses brought their case before the Lord.” Moses, one who had the power and prestige among the people to deny the daughters, relinquishes his power to God and does God’s bidding.

This concept of giving up institutionalized power to God reminds me of a passage I read today about racism, one that I think relates to all forms of patriarchy and oppression. The passage is from Otis Turner’s article, “The Web of Institutional Racism,” in the Sept./Oct. 1991 issue of Church and Society magazine:

“Racial prejudice alone, however, is not racism. When prejudice is combined with power it is transformed into racism. This is a critical distinction we must be clear about.... Power transforms prejudice into racism and institutionalizes it. Racism gives shape and direction to power. It is the combination of power and prejudice that is destructive” (18).

We follow a Christ who essentially gave up all power, serving others and suffering crucifixion to affirm the value of every human. So maybe a bit of the secret to the change Selah questioned tonight lies in giving up power to God and to others in order to affirm God’s love for them and to serve God’s justice. It is a difficult concept, but one that God just might be calling us to hear as we claim space for ourselves as women and also share that space with others.

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly (and sisterly) love. Honor one another above yourselves.” --Romans 12:10

Kelsey

I got a birthday present from my roommate this year-- the book Uppity Women of the New World, by Vicki Leon. So from time to time, I'll share with you about some of the people in the book, for your reading entertainment. Today's little mini-tale is about Mary Peck Butterworth.

Mary Peck Butterworth is not a character you should emulate. In fact, for a blog like this one, she's probably not the best choice of feature. But she struck me as funny. Mary was an 18th century New England housewife with a husband and seven children to support. How did heroic Mary do this? Well... she became a counterfeiter. As the book says, "She invented the first disposable plate for counterfeiting, fashioned from the stiff muslin of her own petticoats!" (58). Using her talent for ironing, she ironed the impression of colonial paper money onto muslin and then transferred it to paper. She kept this up little operation for seven years, even enlisting help from the members of her church (so beware what you're signing up for on those little sheets as you leave worship!!). She was finally arrested, but then released due to lack of evidence.

Okay, okay, I'll give you another one. This one is Jeanne Baret, a French orphan who disguised herself as a boy and became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. An orphan whose prospects didn't look good, she managed to convince the ship's botanist to hire her as a servant for an expedition to collect plants. She managed to avoid detection all the way from France to Tahiti, when the natives picked up on what the French had not seen. By then, however, the crew had grown to like her and let her stay on as the botanist's assistant. It is even thought that perhaps Jeanne married her botanist. In any case, she did eventually return to France with the crew in 1769 before vanishing into the pages of history.

So keep plugging along, my friends-- who knows but that somebody won't feature you in a book someday?

"But Ruth said, 'Do not press me to leave you or to ture back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God." --Ruth 1:16

Kelsey

PS-- I leave for Texas tomorrow, so I may not be able to write, at least not at the time you've come to expect. Keep tuned in, though, to hear about my travels!!

Thank you, Rebecca, for your suggestion about visiting NASA while I'm in Houston. I think I'll do so, and report back to all of you about what I thought. Last night, I also dreamed about looking for your taco restaurant. Hmm....

I've been thinking about books this morning, and some novels you might find interesting for those who can find time to do some leisure reading. As for me, I'm feeling rather Miss Bates-ish today, if you've read Austen's Emma. So I'll try to avoid any garrulous digressions.

I recently read Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel, The Handmaid's Tale, which struck me as a fascinating work for Christian feminists to consider. Atwood's main character, known only as "Offred," lives in a theocracy where her primary role is as concubine and childbearer to the powerful ruling patriarchy. The rulers justify her sexual slavery through an extreme interpretation of Genesis 30, the passage where Rachel and Leah give their servants-- handmaids-- to Jacob to bear children. Atwood crafts a powerful tale, one that prompts us to think about the power of Biblical interpretation and the ends to which it motivates us. Moreover, it made me think seriously about what can happen when citizens of a democracy take their freedoms for granted.

The other book that might be of interest to many of you is Alice Walker's The Color Purple. I'll confess that it has been a few years since I've read this one, but I remember it being one of the best books I read in my Southern Writers class at Whitworth. The novel is all about a woman beaten down by abusive men, and how she finds herself through her relationship with the independent and free-spirited mistress of her husband. If I remember correctly, Walker was the author to coin the term "womanist", and the novel resounds with these themes of empowerment. This is definitely a must-read novel.

So have a great weekend! I hope you all have fun plans for President's Day, if you get out of class to celebrate.

"But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me." --Psalm 131:2

Kelsey

For those of you who don't know, another World Tour is on the horizon. This time, Texas will be graced with my presence for two whole weeks. I'll be flying into Dallas and from there, venturing all over eastern Texas to meet young women like you. In case you're a Texan, here is my tour schedule (kind of like a rock star, but not really. Although I did dream last night that I was the host of some awards show...):

Feb. 22 Austin College, Sherman, TX
Feb. 23 University of North Texas, Denton, TX
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Feb. 24 Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, TX
Feb. 25 Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX
(Tentative) Texas A&M, College Station, TX
Feb. 27 Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX
Feb. 28 University of Houston, Houston, TX
Mar. 1 New Covenant Presbytery, Houston, TX
Mar. 2 Texas Southern University, Houston, TX
Rice University, Houston, TX
Mar. 3 Huston-Tillotson University, Austin, TX
Mar. 4 Trinity University, San Antonio, TX
Mar. 6 University of Texas--Austin, Austin, TX
Mar. 7 El Divino Salvador Presbyterian Church, Dallas, TX

I would invite you, if you're a college woman or NNPCW alumna, to contact me if you're interested in attending one of these events. I am happy to give you more specific information about times and locations.

The good news is that I should have internet access while I'm traveling, which means that I will be able to update the blog. So check here for a daily update on my conversations with college women in Texas. I'm excited for our discussions!

And here's my request for those of you out there who have either visited Texas or live there: what can you do in Texas? Some of you may know about my love of cheesy tourist traps (traced directly back to my aforementioned youth in the Bavarian Village... where no, I never wore any sort of Bavarian dress or learned to play the accordian), and my educational interest in sites of historical significance. I take advantage of my free time during the World Tour to indulge this hobby-- in Massachusetts, I toured Paul Revere's house and Plymouth Rock, and in South Carolina, I strolled Rainbow Row in Charleston and visited Ft. Sumnter. My red leather shoes even took me on a nature walk in Alaska. So I would appreciate your suggestions. This is your chance for some of that legendary state pride, Texans out there. I look forward to hearing from you.

"The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore." --Psalm 121:8

Kelsey

Good news-- the poster's block is over. Maybe the dentist's drill this morning woke me up enough to write.

Or maybe it was the cover of the February 21 issue of Newsweek that I got in the mail last night that read, "The Myth of the Perfect Mother." Fascinating and disturbing articles, chronicling the intense pressure mothers today feel to be perfect mothers, wives, and workers all at once-- and how it is robbing women of their sense of self. Judith Warner says, "Nine hundred and nine women in Texas recently told researchers they find taking care of their kids about as much fun as cleaning their house, slightly less pleasurable than cooking, and a whole lot less enjoyable than watching TV" (44). Women, whether they're stay-at-home moms or working professionals, are being killed by this rat race of perfection.

Okay, okay, so most of us reading this aren't mothers right now. So what does this have to do with us? Well, when I meet young women in my work, one of the greatest concerns I hear lies in how to balance family and career. Of course, that is rarely a concern I hear from your male peers, but we'll leave that for another day. If that is an important question for you, though, what does it mean to read in Newsweek that regardless of your choices, you're still likely to lose your self-identity in your attempts to meet the demands that your families and society place on you in childrearing?

It is up to us to demand our own space for spiritual renewal, and to demand help from those around us—partners, our community, and the larger society—as we witness to the lives of balance that God calls us toward. The Ten Commandments say, “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). Are women really keeping the Sabbath when they rush from home to work and back to their homes to get dinner on the table, have the house cleaned, and spend quality time with the kids? Are women really keeping the Sabbath when they don’t work (a luxury that many working class women don’t have anyway), but spend their entire day speeding through a maze of playgroups, ballet lessons, soccer practices, and after-school enrichment programs?

The issue here isn’t whether you should work or stay at home if you have children. The issue lies in the sin of elevating society’s expectations above God’s commandment to rest. You cannot hear the still, small voice of God when you run from one activity to another all day, only to collapse in bed at night exhausted. Neither can your children, for that matter. You have to take time for yourself.

You can’t have Sabbath without help, either. The article I read argues that corporate policies need to be more family friendly, and affordable, high quality day-care should be more readily available through government standards and subsidies. And partners must take equal responsibility for the developmental and emotional well being of their children, as well as of one another. Yes, I’m talking about the emergence of “soccer dads,” men who tuck their daughters in and read them bedtime stories while Mom takes a bubble bath and relaxes. I think about the time I spent with my own dad as a kid, playing catch out in the backyard. I have no idea what Mom was doing while we were out there, but I’m sure she enjoyed the time to herself. More importantly, I now cherish those valuable moments where my father and I developed a relationship that has continued beyond his death.

So I encourage you, in thinking about the future, to prioritize your relationship with God and your spiritual well being. You may have to ask for help—in fact, others should help you. But if you take care of the spiritual first, ultimately you will be a better mother, a better partner, a better employee. And you’ll be a more joyful person.

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.” -- Exodus 20:11

Kelsey

I'm currently suffering from a moment of poster's block, if there is such a thing. So to overcome it, I'll just throw out some random comments and hope they lead somewhere.

Where did you grow up? I grew up about 10 minutes outside of Leavenworth, Washington state's Bavarian Village. What does it mean to grow up near a Bavarian village in the middle of Washington, you ask? It means lots and lots of festivals. There is a festival for everything in Leavenworth, from Ice Fest in January to the International Accordion Festival in the summer to Christmas Lighting in December. Some festivals are better than others, of course. Though I do not imbibe, many people seem to enjoy Oktoberfest, when Leavenworth rolls a giant beer wagon onto Front Street by the Bavarian gazebo.

For pure entertainment value, though, I have a soft spot for Maifest. In Louisville, we have the internationally-renowned Kentucky Derby that first weekend of May, but Maifest is special. On Maifest, otherwise very average doctors, accountants, and retired people dress up in the traditional dirndls and liederhosen of German Bavaria to dance around a Maipole for all the tourists. It is quite a sight, I tell you.

Leavenworth is also the place where building codes stipulate that all buildings in town must be constructed in the Bavarian style of architecture. The result? As you drive into town, McDonald's and Burger King are both Bavarian chalets across the street from one another. A charming wooden carved sign-- no neon in Leavenworth, mind you-- adorns the front of the local Starbucks. This is nothing short of the 8th wonder of the world. I actually went to Bavaria once, and never saw a McDonald's like the one in Leavenworth.

So this is idyllic little land where I grew up. If you're ever in Eastern Washington, I would highly recommend a visit. Just remember, not many people in Leavenworth actually speak German.

Okay, so that's my random rambling for the day. Hopefully tomorrow will be more to the point... I'll have just had my cavities filled, though, so I can't promise anything.

And now a good verse for those of you tempted to skip your morning class and sleep in:

"Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it." --Proverbs 8:33

Kelsey

PS-- My Valentine's Day pot roast turned out okay last night. The peach and blueberry cobbler also turned out well, despite my accidentally doubling the amount of baking powder needed and then desperately trying to scoop it out of the mixing bowl with the measuring spoon. Very stressful. No wonder I have poster's block.

So today is Valentine's Day, one of those holidays we always put a lot of hype into for no apparent reason. After all, if the truth were told, everybody pretty much hates this holiday. Every year of college, I wore black in protest and referred to it disdainfully as "Singles Awareness Day." Most singles share my sentiment-- many of my friends started wearing black with me.

Last year was the first time I had any significant other at all to celebrate with (as my friends on the Coordinating Committee remember ;)). Yet even now, I'm finding that the whole celebration is this agonizing thing where nobody really wants to celebrate it, no one knows what to do for it... so I'm slow cooking a pot roast today for a romantic dinner. I've discovered, though, that it isn't so romantic when you have to cook it yourself. In fact, I wouldn't recommend cooking pot roasts to anyone. Trimming the fat alone is enough to make even me a vegetarian. It took me half an hour last night to saw it off. Eeew.

Anyway, enough about pot roasts and back to Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day began as a Catholic saint day (although before that, it was a Roman fertility festival held on February 15). There are actually three early Christian saints named Valentine, but the one that started the legend was probably a prisoner of Emperor Claudius II around 270. The myth is that he performed forbidden marriages for soldiers, which led to his inprisonment. Another legend says that he fell in love with his jailer's daughter, and sent her a signed note before being led away to execution. Either way, in 496 Pope Gelasius I declared it a Christian festival. In the Middle Ages, the festival took on its present form as a day of romantic love. Finally, in the 1850s, Mount Holyoke College grad Esther Howland brought the English tradition of sending cards for Valentine's Day to the United States, mass-producing them. You can read more about Valentine's Day at www.infoplease.com/spot/valentinesdayhistory.html.

The site also says that the most likely explanation for St. Valentine's association with love is not erotic, but-- as a Christian martyr-- agape. Agape love is the love that pours out from God to Christians, and from Christians to the world. It implies wonder, a mouth wide open with awe for the divine. Agape love isn't just for one day of the year, or for people with significant others. We are called to celebrate and pass on agape to everyone we meet.

On Valentine's Day, we should remember and be aware of the agape love God has given us-- not only through life in Jesus Christ, but through the small daily things, from the encouraging smile of a stranger to the shared laughter between friends. God loves you, and it surrounds you every day. So Happy Valentine's Day, and God's rich agape love to you now and always.

"O give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever." --Psalm 136:2

Kelsey

Today is just a sleepy, no-energy day. I don't know if you're currently experiencing this, but it seems everyone in our office has the same feeling. I could easily have slept another hour this morning, but alas, responsibility calls. So thank God it's Friday. Which reminds me... did any of you watch TGIF shows on ABC on Friday nights as kids? Full House and Family Matters were big favorites in my house. Whatever happened to the guy who played Steve Urkel, anyway? I always liked him. Now those shows are relegated to Nick-at-Nite, and the Olsen Twins are gazillionaires. You never see any of the other people off those shows, though, except maybe Rebecca from Full House who is now on some UPN teen drama.

You know, I watch those shows today and are struck with how innocent and unsophisticated they seem. Kind of like I was when I was a kid-- very simplistic, very concrete. It really wasn't until college that things got abstract and confusing. Maybe that's the reason people of our generation love to watch "E! True Hollywood Story." We see all the shadows behind the idyllic little worlds created for our entertainment.

That's what is hard about college-- you finally wake up to all the shadows. Disillusionment runs rampant. I've never felt quite the same about the democratic rhetoric of my youth after finding out all about the ruthless dictators our government supported in Central America during the '80s. It isn't nearly as fun to go shopping when you think about what people are getting paid to make your clothes. And let's be honest-- eating a Super Size combo meal of chicken nuggets and fries doesn't taste so great when you know that the chickens were raised in horrible conditions and the fat might make you keel over in 20 years.

So what do we do? Should the idealistic little world we lived in when we were younger be relegated to the Nick-at-Nite of our minds, a tainted memory of a more innocent age? Should our lives become endless E! shows that seek only the voyeuristic pleasure of watching the world crumble in shadows? Do we bury our heads in the sand, or cynically accept the darkness in the world?

For me, this is where faith comes in. God challenges us to dispel the shadows with the light of God's grace and love, the light of a life of integrity. Led by the example of Christ, who could not be overcome even in death's darkness, we push forward to challenge and confront the shadows in all their forms. We expose darkness to the light-- in our world, in our local communities, in our families, in our own hearts. Our belief in this light and its power to transform allows us to acknowledge the existing injustices of the world without accepting them as immutable.

Remember this light as you go about your weekend. Bask in it during these dark, cold days of February. As the Sunday School teacher says (or Jesus Christ Superstar, your choice), let your light shine. For your light brings hope to the world.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." --John 1:5

Kelsey

I wanted to start off by thanking those of you who have written those posts complimenting the blog. Your positive feedback makes my day. And if that's you posting all those nice things, Mom, just don't ever tell me it was you.

I have next to me a copy of Marchiene Vroon Rienstra's Swallow's Nest: A Feminine Reading of the Psalms. In it, Rienstra paraphrases the Psalms in such a way as to celebrate the feminine aspects of God. She says that the result is not a scholarly translation, but "rather a devotional rendering that I hope will enable readers to begin to appreciate and pray the Psalms in a new and enriching way" (xv). Take Psalm 23, for instance, one I memorized in Sunday School as a child:

Because El Shaddai shepherds me, my deepest needs are met.
She gives me rest in the green pastures of Her Word.
She leads me beside the still waters of prayerful silence.
She restores me, body and soul.
She leads me in the paths of wholeness.

Even when I walk in the shadow of death,
I need fear no evil, for She is with me.
Her rod and staff uphold and guide me.

She sets Her table before me in the presence of my inner enemies.
She anoints my head with the oil of Her blessing.
My cup of joy overflows!

I know that Her goodness and mercy will follow me as long as I live,
and that I will dwell forever in the house of Her loving presence (26).

Now, for many people this is a stretch... we're not used to hearing God, commonly known as "Father," referred to in feminine terms. Some people would even argue that this Psalm is downright heretical, goddess worship.

Yet I think that misses the point of this rendering. The point is not to say that God is male or female, but that we are all-- men and women-- created in God's image. If this is true, then isn't the God who asks Job, "Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew?" in Job 38:28 the same God in the next verse: "From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of heaven?" What about the Jesus who prays over Jerusalem, "How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" (Luke 13:34). Jesus obviously had no problem referring to the feminine aspects of God-- why should we?

I remember visiting the University of South Carolina a while back and reading a version of the Lord's Prayer that used feminine imagery. After almost all the other students had left, one young woman stayed behind. She quietly commented, "I'd never heard God referred to as a woman before. I really liked it." It was a reminder for her that she, too, is created in God's image. It helped her connect to God's love in a new and powerful way.

When I refer to God, I generally try to avoid gender terms because I believe God is much, much bigger than the limits of "male" or "female." Yet God the Father has special significance to me-- when my own father passed away, it became inexpressibly comforting to know that God is a Father who can never be taken away. Hearing God as Mother, though, makes me think of the God who holds my hand through the darkness of life, who comforts me as my soul cries out in suffering, who heals the wounds of my spirit and makes me whole. It adds an entirely new dimension to God that is scripturally consistent, but often obscured by our own dogged conceptions of God.

Sometimes when I'm singing hymns, I'll annoy my little sister by switching the song's pronouns for God to the feminine. Still, next time you're singing, try switching them around in your head. Perhaps you'll end the song with a broader understanding of God than you started with.

"Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'" --Luke 15:8-9

Kelsey

For those of you counting, today is Ash Wednesday. Now, if you're like me, you've either never observed Ash Wednesday or you've only started observing it in the last few years. After all, Presbyterians are Protestants, and rituals such as Ash Wednesday and Lent are very Catholic things to do. I didn't hear of Lent, Advent, and other pieces of the liturgical calendar probably until high school. So what is Ash Wednesday? What is Lent?

On Palm Sunday, many churches have celebrations remembering the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem before the Crucifixion. We save the palms used in those celebrations, and on Ash Wednesday of the following year, we burn them to make ashes. When you go to Ash Wednesday service, the minister marks your forehead with the ashes. This reminds you not only of your earthly mortality and repentance before God, but also that you have been marked by Christ and will live in hope with him. It ushers in the beginning of Lent, the forty days leading up to Easter. In the early Church, Lent was the period of preparation before Easter Day baptisms. It allowed you to fast and repent before making a public affirmation of faith in Christ.

What significance do Lent and Ash Wednesday have in a Christian culture that increasingly tends toward the contemporary in its worship and faith expression? Why should we reclaim these traditions?

First, it connects us to our forebearers in faith. When I observe Lent, I bind myself in the community of faith to the earliest Christians. As I discovered at http://www.pcusa.org/ideas/spring04/faqlent.htm, Lent was the last part of an initiation period for new Christians. They practiced a variety of spiritual disciplines, including fasting. In solidarity with the new members, other Christians also fasted during the 40 days leading up to Easter. Thus, by disciplining myself to "give up" something for Lent, I act in solidarity with other Christians-- both those who have come before and those living today around the world.

Lent also causes us to reflect on our relationship with God more intentionally. This year, I hope to add a new spiritual practice to deepen my faith journey. I want to try something I did for a bit last year-- writing devotional poetry in which I notice, pay attention, and wonder about the glory of God. Whether you give something up or do something new, Lent gives you a framework and a reminder of your renewed commitment to faith.

Finally, and for me most importantly, Lent helps me to focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a time to think critically on why we believe what we believe about Jesus, and to remember how that gives us life and hope to work for transformation in the world. Lent today is one of the only Christian observances that hasn't been secularized in some way (too depressing to make into a palm-shaped candy bar), and so there is nothing to distract us from thinking about God. There is a focus in Lent that I find absent from Advent and other periods of celebration.

If you've never observed Lent, I hope you do so this year. You don't have to give something up to do it-- just think more intentionally about your faith and how you express that in everyday life. Do something new for Lent, like write, follow a devotional study, or volunteer your time to charity. Remember, reflect, and repent. Know that God loves you, and you have hope through faith.

"By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return." --Genesis 3:19

Kelsey

Well, I survived my first visit to the dentist in almost two years yesterday. Unremarkable, except for the standard lecture about flossing regularly and the news that I have three cavities. I'm just thankful it wasn't a root canal. Every time I go to the dentist, they talk to me about flossing as if no one had ever revealed to me the importance of flossing before. It makes me feel like a small child. As for the cavities, I'm supposed to go in and have those fixed next Wednesday. It must have been all the chocolate.

I mentioned Jim Kirkpatrick yesterday when talking about my trip to Mississippi. He was the plenary speaker at our retreat about finding God's calling. During the retreat, Jim made two very important points that encouraged me:

1.) Many of us do not find calling in the epiphany "burning bush" moment, but through the continual "still, small voice" that is the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

2.) Most of the Biblical figures that experience God's calling end their lives by feeling like failures.

Okay, so number two might not seem so encouraging, but let me explore these in more detail.

Growing up Pentecostal, I often expected "burning bush" type experiences from God. I wanted (and still want) God to talk to me directly and tell me what I was supposed to do. Even coming out of college, I remember saying, "God, I'm willing to do whatever it is that you have planned for my life-- just let me know what it is!" The response? Not, "Kelsey, this is God. I want you to go to Louisville, Kentucky and work with college students for the Presbyterian Church." Rather, it was a series of doors that opened. It was the strong sense that I should not move straight into grad school, and the strong peace and excitement I felt about the opportunity to take the job I'm currently doing. I know now that God was leading me, and I'm so thankful that I followed.

Now, as for the idea of Biblical figures being failures, it reminds me that God is faithful to God's promises, even when we don't see them come to fruition. I think a lot of us who feel called by God, who are called to create change in the world, get discouraged because we don't see many results. I certainly feel that way. It helps me, though, to remember that Abraham didn't see the children who would outnumber the stars, and Moses didn't step into the Promised Land. Paul was beheaded by Rome. They believed without seeing-- and Abraham's children indeed are too numerous to count, the Israelites did reach the Promised Land, and Paul's words still reach out to show all people Christ's love. And the greatest failure, a first century rabbi and prophet executed by crucifixion due to political unrest, became the greatest victory in the hearts of Christians everywhere through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we follow our callings, even when we don't see the results, that does not mean God isn't working through us.

So go about your work today knowing that God is indeed working through you to accomplish great things.

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." --Jeremiah 29:11

Kelsey

I spent all weekend at a camp with the Presbyterian Statewide Collegiate Connection of Mississippi, so today is my comp day. As such, I am under no obligation to contribute to the blog today-- but I hate to disappoint, so I will. Keep in mind, though, that I feel no urge to be insightful or meaningful, since what is a comp day for but to not think at all?

I had never been to Mississippi before this weekend, and let me say that I was very impressed. People were extremely friendly and kind, even giving me food so I wouldn't have to buy lunch at the airport! We were at a beautiful camp and conference center just outside of Oxford, MS, the home of American literary giant William Faulkner (and yes, as a good English major, I did visit his house while in town). I spoke on three separate occassions about NNPCW, PSST, REYWT, the Young Adult Volunteer Program, and the Young Adult Intern Program.

I also did copious amounts of folk dancing. The leader of the retreat, Jim Kirkpatrick of East Tennessee State University (more about him another day), loves to folk dance. Over two nights, he taught us all sorts of things. Thanks to Jim, I now know Jewish folk dances to thank God for the rain, where to go on a Queen's Highway, and the proper way to do-si-do. I was not among their numbers, but on Saturday night one group stayed up until 1:45 am learning every random folk dance that Jim had picked up in the back hills of Appalachia. That's why I love traveling for the church-- from folk dancing to knitting to "weee ooooh" chants, I learn all sorts of crazy things on the road.

One last note about Mississippi-- they had some of the best radio I've heard in a while. Every song, it seemed, was one of my favorites. There was only one catch: none of the songs had been popular for at least five years anywhere else. I rocked out in rural Mississippi to Robert Palmer, ZZ Top, Tom Petty, and every other great '70s and '80s band. I exclaimed with delight when all my favorite high school hits came on the radio, stuff like "Semi-Charmed Life" by those people I can't even remember the name of anymore (oooh, I think it was Third Eye Blind, wasn't it?). But until I made it back to Memphis, I don't recall hearing any currently popular songs played on the radio. Not that I'm complaining-- just sort of interesting.

And now, a random comp day Bible verse for you all to meditate on...

"Thus all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years; and he died." --Genesis 5:27

Kelsey

"Nobody objects to a woman being a good writer or sculptor or geneticist if at the same time she manages to be a good wife, a good mother, good-looking, good-tempered, well-dressed, well-groomed, and unaggressive." ~Marya Mannes

"[Feminism is] a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." ~Pat Robertson

One of the Coordinating Committee members e-mailed me a bunch of quotes about feminism, and after reading them, I must say I got a bit riled up. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I, as a feminist, am not setting out to leave my future husband or kill our children, and as a Christian I do not practice witchcraft. In fact, I would definitely consider myself pro-family. I have a very nice family back in Washington State, and I don't recall ever being against any of my family members. I would even like to have my own family some day-- my very own 2.5 kids and a dog.

Maybe the first quote, though, illuminates some of why good ol' Pat thinks that people like me are the bane of a moral Christian society-- we can't fit in the box of what he thinks we should be. For me, feminism is the refusal to be anything more or less than the human God created me as. Further, it is my annoying propensity to insist that others see me in the same way. I'm afraid that I am not a domestic goddess, I don't always keep my temper, I do have thoughts and feelings, and I can't be everything to everyone. I can only be me. And the people around me have to accept that.

God doesn't ask us as women to be perfect, even when society does. Look at Mary and Martha. Jesus tells Martha that Mary has "chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42). Mary did not try to be all things to all people. Mary did not do what was "expected" of her. Mary sought her passion, which was to learn from Jesus and follow him. This is what God is really asking of us as women-- to seek God's will, and follow its lead to our calling. If we have to leave the "well-dressed, well-groomed, unagressive" person behind to do that, then so be it.

"Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, God will honor." --John 12:26

Kelsey

Here's a toast to NNPCW members Kelli Houpt and Dee Darden, who have taken the plunge to get involved with the Taco Bell Boycott! Yay Kelli! Yay Dee!

You might be asking "What have they done to get all this attention?" Well, they have agreed to help out with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers' Truth Tour as it passes through Tallahassee, Florida and Montgomery, Alabama. The point of the Truth Tour is to gain support and recognition for CIW's boycott of Taco Bell. The tour starts in Immokalee, Florida, and ends in Louisville, Kentucky, where Taco Bell's parent company, Yum! Brands, is located. On March 12, CIW will hold a rally at Yum! Brands. I hope to attend :).

And now you're wondering why we're picking on the home of everyone's favorite 99 cent taco. The reason is this-- your taco contains tomatoes in it that Taco Bell gets from a supplier. That supplier pays its workers in Immokalee, Florida 40-45 cents for every 32 pound bucket of tomatoes picked. For a worker to make $50 (something that I made in less than five hours on my college summer job giving tours at a dam), they have to pick two tons of tomatoes. The workers' wages haven't budged in over 20 years. Many of you weren't even born the last time these people got a raise.

Back in 2000, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers asked Taco Bell to put pressure on its suppliers to do something about this. After all, Taco Bell is a national chain, and it has a lot more clout than a bunch of workers who are only making $7500 a year on average. What did Taco Bell say? Absolutely nothing. They didn't even return the phone calls. That's when CIW called for a consumer boycott of Taco Bell-- if Taco Bell puts pressure on its suppliers, and agrees to pay the suppliers a bit more for its tomatoes, then these workers can get a decent wage. But Taco Bell needs some pressure from us, its customers, first.

Remember that 99 cent taco? Would it really be so bad if that taco cost, say, $1.25? Especially if you knew that the workers contributing to the taco could feed their own families for with your extra few cents?

Now, in 2002 the Presbyterian Church (USA) endorsed the boycott because of its belief that all people deserve dignity and a fair living wage for their work. But we're not the only ones-- if you're United Methodist, United Church of Christ, or Disciples of Christ, your denominations have signed on, too. There are a number of other groups that are part of the boycott as well, including universities.

The Truth Tour that Kelli and Dee are taking part in will stop in a number of cities throughout the South and Midwest, including Chicago, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Birmingham, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. If you want more info about the boycott or the tour, go to the PC(USA)'s boycott website at http://www.pcusa.org/boycott. If you, your women's group, or campus ministry would like to participate, e-mail Noelle Damico at boycott@pcusa.org.

And whether you get more involved or not, think twice next time you get a craving at 2 am about going to Taco Bell. Your decision really can make a difference!

"God has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" --Micah 6:8

Kelsey

Well, my friends, it is Groundhog Day today. I'm currently searching for news for you all as to whether the groundhog saw its shadow today, and I know where to look-- at the meeting with Presbyterian Women last week, I discovered that the happy little hamlet of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is (according to the plastic cup the member of Presbyterian Women gave me) the "Weather Capital of the World." The PW member said that Punxsutawney is also home to a huge Groundhog Day festival. She was very proud of this fact.

Aha! According to Jason's Groundhog Day page at http://www.gojp.com/groundhog/, Punxsutawney Phil the Groundhog saw his shadow at 7:30 am Eastern Time this morning. It looks like six more weeks of winter. Apparently this groundhog has been predicting the weather since 1887, and residents say he has never been wrong. Bummer.

Enough about groundhogs. Here's my real question for the day-- why are you involved (or not involved) in the church? Simple question, not so simple answer. Institutional church and church attendance creates unique problems for the college student. Particularly for those raised in a mainline denomination, college provides the first opportunity to claim faith as a personal choice. What choices are you making? Why?

I'll tell you a little about my own reasons for involvement. First of all, it is important to say that I was not raised Presbyterian. I grew up in the Church of God, a Pentecostal denomination. Though I eventually chose the Presbyterian Church in college, what my Pentecostal heritage did give me was a very strong connection to the community of faith, the "saints," if you will. As my early mentors in faith, I've particularly wanted to carry on the legacy of my grandmother and great-grandmother-- a legacy of significant church involvement coupled with unshakable faith born out of hardship. My experience with them has made Christian faith part of my core identity, something I can't shake off even when I might want to.

Maybe that is part of why I eventually chose Presbyterianism. The Presbyterian system emphasizes connectional church and the community of faith that stretches beyond denominational lines. It also incorporates the values of social justice that I claimed in college into the life and work of the larger church. Because for me, the church is a place where we worship God, connect to others, and reach out to serve God through service to others.

Well, there you go-- why I'm involved in the church today (and working for you all). Feel free to post comments on your own reasons for church involvement. I'd love to hear from you!

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." --1 Corinthians 12:27.

Kelsey

I just got finished talking to Mary Elva, the Coordinator for Women's Ministries. And all I could think about, as I left her office, was "must have food." I think this experience is unique to the "Office Space" life that so many of us lead after leaving college (so much to look forward to, college friends)-- the intense food cravings that come from sitting in a cube or in a meeting all day, day after day after day. The smart ones keep healthy things in their workspace, stuff like carrot sticks or pretzels. I keep chocolate. Mind you, I don't actually buy any of this chocolate for myself. It is just stuff people keep giving me. And since I don't bring any snacks of my own in an attempt to keep myself from snacking uncontrollably, I snack uncontrollably on the chocolate other people bring me. I just popped a peanut butter cup and an orange chocolate ball. I feel better now...

...which means I can tell you a bit about what's going on. Our office is thinking a lot more these days about all the other young women out there-- those of you who are finished with undergrad and are suffering through grad school, or those who, like me, munch on chocolate all day in their cubicles. We have a couple of thoughts about what you all want from your church as you leave college (or don't go to college) and move out into the cold, cruel world. One is an NNPCW alumna network. What would this look like? Would it be a tool for advocacy around justice for women? Would it be a way to get together and meet other NNPCW alumnae after you move to a new place? Would it be a way to invigorate Presbyterian Women with lots of younger folks enthusiastic about transforming the church?

The other discussion is about Presbyterian Women. The winds are shifting these days in the Coordinating Committee, and CoCo is talking about partnering more intentionally with PW... beyond just the 2006 Leadership Event we're planning on intergenerational dialogue. I really can't say a whole lot more at this stage, except that in fine Presbyterian fashion, a committee is being formed to bring something to the Churchwide Coordinating Team of Presbyterian Women. And if you keep reading this blog, someday I might tell you more about it :).

"I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." --Isaiah 43:19.

Kelsey