I’ve been dreaming of swim meets for months.  In the beginning I knew I was out of shape, but I was going to try my hardest.  Funny thing is, I never made it to the pool.  I couldn’t find my races, I couldn’t even see the starting blocks.  Dream after dream I would end up in mazes, lost in the hallways of some giant indoor natatorium.  I would lose my friends, former Wheaton teammates, and disappoint the coach, etc.  I kept trying to make it to my races on time.  I never did.

Until last night.  For the first time I found the heat sheet.  Although I was not swimming my “normal” race strokes, I managed to make it to the blocks for my co-ed race with a bunch of sorry-looking swimmers.  The starting official even held the race so I could find and put on my cap and goggles.  And then I was up on the blocks, straining for the start.  I made it into the water, and started swimming some kind of flailing freestyle. 

And my flailing woke me up, as I kept swatting my right arm across my body and against the bed, apparently trying to get a better body position in the water.  

Hooray, I’m getting closer!

Coldwater Canyon

To lose one phase of life is an end only to the degree that it forces us to muster our energies and turn our directions.  Life is not one path; it is many paths, most of them unexplored in favor of closer, clearer ones.  But when loss comes, our creating God comes to us in new and demanding ways so that we can finish the creation that has been begun in us. 

–Joan Chittister, The Story of Ruth: Twelve Moments in Every’s Woman’s Life.

 

Ann Bancroft was the first known woman to have crossed the ice on both the north (1,000 miles, 1986) and south (1,717 miles, 1993) poles.  A combined journey of two-thousand, seven hundred and seventeen miles!  On crossing Antartica Ms. Bancroft and Ms. Arneson pulled 250 lbs sleds, braved -30 temperatures, and 100 mph winds.  Their training, persistance, and bravery leaves me nearly speechless.

But it’s ironic what some people are too shy to do . . .

As quoted in this past Sunday’s Star Tribune, In 1986 after returning from the North Pole Ann says, “our sponsor had us in a big booth with our dogs and sleds.  It was grueling, talking with people all day and signing autographs.  I was asked to have my head carved in butter, but I didn’t understand the signficance of being a butterhead.  (It’s a big deal! And one of the main attractions of the dairy barn at the State Fair.)  Sitting in a freezer after coming back from the North Pole and having people watching you as they carve you was too much for a shy person.  It could have been the biggest thing on my resume.” 

 Not too shy to cross both poles in a field dominated by men.
 Not to shy to speak out about her childhood dyslexia.
 Just too shy to sit in a freezer, while her likeness is carved out of butter . . . 
              
sounds to me like her priorities are just fine.

 

I spent a week in London, seeing some of the sights, and meeting IC’s London Team.  The week flew by.  There’s so much I didn’t get to see.  And about 1,000 years worth of history to catch up on.  I’m already making my list for next time: Oxford, Hampstead Heath, Chelsea, Harrod’s, Whitechapel Gallery, Cotswolds . . . and tours of St. Paul’s, Westminster, etc. 

It was also super great to hang out with Ellen on her hometurf.

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.