Goldman Building

 I attended an interfaith dialog event about what charity, i.e. caring for neighbors, widows, aliens, etc., looks like in Los Angeles for Jews and Evangelical Christians.  The dialog was held at the Goldsmith Building, near Beverly Hills.   

I’m so glad I attended. It was great to make connections with new people on important issues.  We compared biblical texts and traditions related to Tikkun Olam and Social Justice.   Rabbi Elliott Dorff had so many thoughtful things to say.  I can’t wait to find his podcasts.

But during the event we heard about this . . . http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8094076.stm and it was disgusting and appalling.

The building we entered today had three large security guards who were wired up, a metal detector, a x-ray bag scanner, a sign-in sheet and more large guys manning the desk.  I was so surprised by the muscle that I wasn’t sure I was in the right place.  My daily reality hasn’t included being prepared to deal with violent threats from those who oppose my faith. 

To sit and hear about the shooting in DC’s Holocaust Museum by an elderly White supremacist member while talking about “Caring in a Caring Community: Doing the Right Thing in Bad Times” leaves me nearly without words.  A tragic object lesson?  A slightly more informed understanding of someone else’s reality?  A new prayer for an end to hatreds, violence, and -isms?  A renewed committed to working for peace and shalom?  Definitely!

In Response to Disney/Pixar’s neglect of female non-princess heroines–see http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/06/dear_pixar_from_all_the_girls.html?sc=fb&cc=fp

I have the Power!

When I was little I wanted to be He-man. (Not She-Ra.) I’m pretty sure I had a He-man t-shirt and the He-man action figure on his battle cat. I would stand in the backyard and yell, “by the power of Grayskull, I HAVE THE POWER!”

As a little girl who can never grow gigantic muscles –Why did I like He-man?
Maybe it’s because we have the same haircut (even today!)?
Maybe it’s because He-man always won, and was never seriously hurt, while I on the other hand . . .
Maybe it’s because He-man had all the fun. He was special, having been given unique divine/magical powers. He protected the world from evil forces. He got to move, run, fight, and ride a giant tiger.

Why aren’t there more female action heroes, sans cut-away spandex?
Shouldn’t there be cultural examples of women who take action? Who are not simply awaiting a rescue as a gilded princess? ‘Cause historically/literarily speaking what happens after being rescued? Nothing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8067519.stm

Hilarious!  I would totally get hurt doing this –but I looks like fun.  Do they have a bunny hill?
(While I would totally love to embed this as a video, WordPress doesn’t allow me to do it for free.) Just trust me that the link is hilarious, and go take a look.

Coldwater Canyon,

Intersection of Mulholland Dr. and Coldwater Canyon Drive, Above Beverly Hills . . .

Valley Panorama

It was a beautiful way to greet the day . . . and while I’m running out of words right now . . . it was so nice and relaxing to get out before the sun, the smog, the heat, and the crowds.  Just having a simple morning with the barn swallows and the humingbirds. (and I can’t seem to put the pictures where i want them –one of these days I’ll figure out how to edit the fonts, text, etc. . .)

This Old Heart Of Mine–Isley Brothers

Ooh, this old heart of mine been broke a thousand times
Each time you break away I think you’re gone to stay
Lonely nights that come, memories that flow
Bringing you back again, hurting me more and more

Maybe it’s my mistake to show this love I feel inside
‘Cause each day that passes by,
You’ve got me never knowin’ if I’m comin’ or goin’ but I

I love you-ou-ou, yes I do
This old heart (ooh) darlin’ is weak for you
I love you-ou-ou, yes I do

These old arms of mine miss having you around
Make these tears inside start falling down
Always with half a kiss, you remind me of what I miss
Though I try to control myself
Like a fool I start grinnin’ ’cause my head starts spinnin’ ’cause I

I love you-ou-ou, yes I do
This old heart (ooh) darlin’ is weak for you
I love you-ou-ou, yes I do

I try hard to hide my hurt inside
This old heart of mine always keeps me cryin’
The way you’re treatin’ me leaves me incomplete
You’re here for the day, gone for the week

But if you leave me a hundred times
A hundred times I’ll take you back
I’m yours whenever you want me
I’m not too proud to shout it, tell the world about it ’cause I

I love you-ou-ou
This old heart (this old heart) is weak for you
I love you-ou-ou
This old heart (this old heart) is weak for you
I love you-ou-ou
This old heart (this old heart) is weak for you

I’ve been singing snippets of this song occassionally the last few weeks.  Not quite sure why.  Didn’t even realize I knew it. 

But i think I can resonate with some of the themes: loss, faithfulness, hurt, feeling in the middle of something I can’t control and don’t understand, transition, intense feeling of thankfulness (for friends).  I have hated saying goodbye all my life. At times they used to feel like forced occassions to spew emotions that you wouldn’t really be feeling until maybe weeks later.  But lately, I want to affirm, exhort, thank, etc. those around me who are amazing people.  And goodbyes now feel awkward for a different reason: a fullness of emotion vs. their former lack.  I have loved being here!

It feels like my time in LA is starting to come to a close.  I want to be intentional about taking time to notice, remember, affirm, appreciate and exhort  the people, places and things that have made my life here meaningful.  I hope that by beginning to grieve what I know I’ll miss, that the transition back to Mpls (and perhaps to London) may be easier.  (My posts about what I didn’t realize I would miss may come later

Things I will miss about LA/So. Cal:

• Fresh, deliciously fragrant local produce (esp. strawberries, oranges and field greens)
• Trader Joe’s
• The Rose Bowl Aquatic Center –and being as expensive as it is, I already miss it now!
• The (San Gabriel) Mountains
• The Sanctuary of my car -with all the driving I do, I’m so thankful for this meditative bubble.
• Not having to plan your days around the weather  (we’re not quite San Diego, but it’s close.)
• Living with Kristin -who knew what a blessing this would be?!
• Wearing summer clothes most of the year
• The Sunday Crew
• The women’s club, formerly of Koinonia 3rd floor
• The Coastal Live Oaks that line Green Street and Pasadena’s Bungalow Heaven district
• SIS-ers and our discussions on traveling, and changing the world
• Meeting with my students, and talking with my co-workers 

It’s been good to be here.  My life has been vastly different from what it had been in Mpls.  But I’m grateful for the ways in which all these new things have blessed me, shaped me, and changed me.

I’m currently living in the no-man’s land of transition time.  Since I have no permanent camp site I am working a series of part-time and temporary jobs.  One of which is trying to get work as an extra (i.e. background acting).

Yet in order to get work I have to call in, listen for a message that fits me, and then try to get ahold of the casting director to try and get booked.  (and I am never booked for the following categories: short, non-athletic, hot, sexy, plain, or arm candy . . . )

Although sometimes this feels like a stupendous waste of time, or worse yet a bizarre obsession for something of little material gain and no longer term potential . . . sometimes I find that the process of calling in can be meditative.

Three button pushes and all I have to ask myself is . . . is it ringing?

When my brain answers no, I quickly push the same three buttons and try again.  When I’m really fast these three button beeps sound like a triplet from a machine gun.  As I continue to try and connect I notice that my breathing slows, my mind empties and I am focused on listening for one thing — is it ringing?

There are all kinds of ways to practice meditation.  Formerly I would have thought of listening prayer, slowly reading bible verses, swimming, floating, hiking, yoga, or simply lying in the grass under the stars –but now LA’s given me a new one –calling in for work.  How bizzare!

For another meditative idea see Katie’s Blog.

Today I didn’t want to go to my regular church. I wanted something small, quiet, and meditative.  I wanted to sit in the back, worship God, and leave without drawing anyone’s attention.  After doing some research I decided to attend Bel Air Presbyterian’s evening service, 25 miles across town.  (Normally, this would be a crazy distance to drive for a church service.) 

But I drove to a place where I was ready to listen to whatever God might say, as I didn’t want to listen to him in Pasadena.  And I praise God because he had the sermon ready for me.  I was right where I needed to be.   The pastor spoke on what to do when you’re waiting.  (How Perfect! I had to try not to cry.)  Walking with God always sounds so simple and easy, and yet I find ways to make it so comlicated and burdensome. 

Although at times I feel weary and discouraged it was a good reminder to continue to walk (and rest) with Jesus.    

 

St. Patrick of Ireland

I have a new song to add to my “waiting” playlist.  This song describes some of my hopes about who I want God to be: a refuge, a sanctuary, a peacemaker, a redeemer of wasted people, years, and things.  I want to see him as a healer.  And while I easily lose patience with God’s timing, he continues to show himself as gracious, faithful and true. 

This is Our God

A refuge for the poor, a shelter from the storm
This is our God
He will wipe away your tears and return your wasted years
This is our God

This is our God
A father to the orphan, a healer to the broken
This is our God
And he brings peace to our madness and comfort in our sadness
This is our God

Oh… this is our God
this is the one we have waited for
Oh… this is our God

A fountain for the thirsty, a lover for the lonely
This is our God
He brings glory to the humble and crowns for the faithful
This is our God

You are the One we’ve been waiting for (3x)

You are our God.

Tin Man

 

So, as C.S. Lewis writes, our faith is not a matter of our hearing what Christ said long ago, and ‘trying to carry it out.’  Rather, ‘The real Son of God is at your side.  He is beginning to turn you into the same kind of thing as himself.  He is beginning, so to speak, to ‘inject’ his kind of life and thought, his life, into you; beginning to turn the tin soldier into a live (wo)man.  The part of you that does not like it is the part that is still tin.  

-Williard, The Divine Conspiracy, p. 20