Yesterday was a treat. The hot fudge sundae kind (with extra whipped cream).
I went to Dallas Theological Seminary to interview three professors (two of whom are also artists) for upcoming art and theology podcasts (keep a weather eye out for ‘em!). These three people have influenced my life, my theology, and my art (in other words, me–if you can find the separating line between those three aspects, let me know). We had great conversations, the kind that makes you feel like home (and red ruby shoes).
Then writer/professor/editor (and thirty other roles) Sandra Glahn and I headed over to the Women’s Museum. I thought the museum a well-balanced meal. The history of women, folklore, stats, and attributes. They focused on the career woman, the mother, the comedian, the athelete, and the politican. They looked at ideas of beauty, womanhood, and sexuality throughout the ages. Good stuff. One film included a bit about Japanese-American women in the WWII US internment camps. Most shocking moment for me: the interviewed woman said her son’s teacher didn’t believe him when he wrote about these camps. She didn’t know they existed!
Then, and here’s the most shocking part, I learned that I’m a more productive writer without Internet. Gasp. I had an hour and a half before meeting a friend of mine (who I hadn’t seen in 7 yrs! how did that happen?). I sat in the DTS library. And was denied Internet access on my laptop. Double gasp.
Not only can I not have Internet, but I’m expected to be inspired while surrounded by reference books?
I forced out a word, my fingers acting unfamiliar on the keyboard. Come on, guys, I said. Perk up. Stop acting like children. Then another word came. And another. Before I knew it, I had 1500 words done, and it was time to leave to meet my friend.
Maybe twhirl isn’t such a good thing in my life.
To top it all off, I had dinner with a friend I’d known since seventh grade. (We were also college roommates for a couple of years–someday I’ll tell you about the mean practical joke I pulled on her once.) Our conversation was full of remember when’s and what’re you doing now and have you seen so-and-so and opening up our hearts. It was lovely. She’s lovely. Sometimes you forget how much you miss a person.
It begins in a restored relationship with God, but it doesn’t stop there. That restored relationship spills out into restored relationships with other humans and with the earth. Only in Christ do we discover what it means to be fully human. Only in Christ do we defeat the power of death and evil in our lives and on earth. As we join in Christ’s death, so we join in His victory.
God calls all believers to a heroic adventure. Some of us are reluctant, some flawed, some inexperienced. God desires to work in and through us. Topics include studies on biblical stories and characters and how we respond to the call in our story.
