snowpocalypse.

14 Dec
That’s what it’s been coined.  One of the worst snowstorms since the Halloween blizzard of ’91.  My friend Cassie’s facebook status on the day?  “It’s been so long since I’ve been in a blizzard … I’m not sure what to do but put my halloween costume on OVER my snowsuit.  (That’s normal blizzard practice, right?)”  I don’t actually remember said blizzard of my first grade year but I remember this one.  (It was two days ago and we have all this snow to prove it!)
I came back to St.Paul right after my approval interview on Friday to beat the Wisconsin snow that was supposed to come the next day, completely unaware of the impending doom approaching Minnesota.  Good thing I came back when I did.
I didn’t leave my apartment at all on Saturday or Sunday.  I was okay being snowed in.  (Unlike being snowed in last year at Christmas in Dawson.  I was not okay with that but survived.  Builds character and quilts or something I suppose.)  This blizzard forced me to work on finals (somewhat), gave me opportunity to sew a bit, make hamball soup (so not kidding) and sleep.  (I have a bed now – sleeping is all that much more exciting.  So long futon!)  My roomie and I baked and decorated cookies for a study break while watching a movie.  I didn’t need to go outside and so did not.  Thankfully.
A huge hand to those who are still clearing roads and sidewalks.  Absolutely unheard of, the St.Paul Public School system has a second day off today, as people are still digging out sidewalks and roads in these now nasty cold temperatures.

The seminary did not cancel classes.  *shaking angry fist*  Oh well.  I write this while in my LAST class of the semester. (And while hanging on every word of the professor teaching Psalms.  of course.) I turned in my last final paper early this morning – errr, 1:30 AM – and now will pick up the pieces of life that have been pushed to the back because of class/homework/approval.  Here I come, Christmas break!

approved.

12 Dec
The final step in the candidacy process leading up to graduation and ordination –
approval.
The last approval interview is done with the candidacy committee in one’s home synod.  For me, that meant a trip back to Madison for my meeting on Friday afternoon.  *deep breath*
I walked into the conference room at the synod and found ten people around the table, the seat at the head of the table reserved for me.  *gulp*
Other colleagues of mine who have already gone through approval told me tales of three people.  Four people maybe.  There were definitely ten around this table.  Let the interrogation begin.
We talked about internship – the joys and the frustrations.  We talked about where I was hoping to be placed.  About how I handle conflict and about cardigan sweaters.  (No joke.  Cardigan sweaters came up – but it wasn’t me beginning that conversation.  I only contributed.  And was wearing one.)
Then this young pastor on the committee leaned forward with his large black-rimmed glasses and asked, “What is God up to?”
What is God up to?  I repeated back to him.  It’s a question we ask a lot here at seminary but one often asked within a specific context, not within the world in general.  Holy big question, Batman!
I know what my answer was (and I suppose it was satisfactory since I was approved by the committee); what’s yours?  What is God up to?  In the world?  In your church?  In your life?  Where do you see God working?
An appropriate question at any time, I suppose now it is all too appropriate with the approaching of the Christmas celebration when we call our focus to Immanuel, God with us.  The coming of God into this world.  God is up to a lot through the incarnation, work and person of his son, Jesus.  This holiday season we celebrate God with us and the light that shines in the darkness.  
It’s your turn to answer.  What the heck is God up to?
[Sidenote: As my Grace co-workers knew all too well, my connections between real world and tv/movie land are frequent, sometimes unwelcomed, and often met with blank stares.  Nevertheless, we’ve reached the explanation of a connection again.  Being approved can only make me think of the Target lady skits from SNL, in which the Target employee will yell in a nasal tone with enthusiastic hand gestures, “You’re approved!” when credit card payments go through.  Ignore the credit card payment part and yell with me, “You’re approved!”  Hey.  Thanks.]

a birthday celebration.

11 Dec
As C. and his sister, Nell, wished me happy birthday in the post prior to this one, it was my birthday last week.  We celebrated the night prior with a hamball supper (not dinner), coffee with cakepops, and a few hours of volunteering at Feed My Starving Children.  In the hour we packed meals (chicken, veggies, soy, rice) with a larger group of volunteers, we assembled 62 boxes of food – enough to feed 37 kids for one year!  It’s an incredible non-profit.  We had a great time putting between 380 and 400 grams of food into plastic bags with a fun group of Mormon women.
It took me a bit of effort to find ground ham.  At one meat counter I inquired, the cute meat man behind the glass kinda smirked and said, “Ground ham?  That’s kind of a thing of the past …”  Or western Minnesota, I told him.  I finally succeeded in my quest and hamballs had we.  I’m still working my way through leftovers; tomorrow I might attempt/create hamball soup …

a birthday wish.

9 Dec
It was my birthday yesterday and there will be stories of hamballs and volunteering at Feed My Starving Children to come on that topic.  But for now, enjoy yet another video embedded here at the place of the happy gnome – a birthday wish from my penpal, C., and his sister – favorite friends from Dawson who I miss dearly!

oh the faces I make.

7 Dec
People say I have funny faces.
I guess they’re right.
That’s all I can say.  (That and it’s good to make fun of yourself once in a while.  Laugh at my expense!  The song – one of my current favorites – is completely in jest; these still-frames do nothing to suggest beauty!  Though, in accordance with one phrase of the song, when I make faces like this, people probably do stare.  But not for good reasons.  I hope this makes you laugh at my stupid faces!)
[ Thanks to my friend, Justin, for helping me alter code to properly embed my videos!  No more half a face! ]

the cooking pastor.

7 Dec
Here it is, friends.  Get your frozen cake balls from the freezer and melt that coating chocolate.  Enjoy!
Fun fact: This was actually the first time I’ve worn a cleric – the pastor collar.  I’ve avoided it to this point but – of all reasons – I put one on for the artistic purposes of this video.  But don’t worry – I just borrowed the shirt.  I still don’t own one …

[ The background story?  I made turkey cake pops for Thanksgiving.  I happened to sit at a lunch table, they became the subject of conversation, one of my Children, Youth, and Family professors was present and saw the pictures that were shared.  An activity was needed for the CYF Christmas Tea this coming Friday.  I can’t be there in person so this video will be the substitute as it leads them in their own creation of winter cakepops. ]

this weekend I –

6 Dec
– made this.

– watched LOTS of movies, all having subtle or obnoxious Christmas themes.  Many of my favorites: Elf, Love Actually, Just Friends, Bridget Jones and The Holiday.  (No worries – I could never simply SIT and watch this many movies.  They were enjoyment while wrapping yarn balls, making cake pops, and conversing with my cotton-headed ninny-muggin friend, Sara.)

– The Cooking Pastor?, you ask.  In the post-production stages.
3 Dec
Good morning and happy Friday, friends!
Snow is to begin to fall here in St.Paul shortly and ‘The Cooking Pastor‘ begins filming this weekend!  A cleric collar plus an apron and my macbook … it’s going to be grand.  I’ll be cooking up something so delicious it’s eschatological.  I can’t wait to share the final product with you, hopefully early next week.
Have a safe snowy weekend!

fifth annual bake-off.

2 Dec
Oh my goodness.  I’m just realizing that I never wrote about the fifth annual Thanksgiving Day Bake-Off!  How could I forget?  No worries.  I’m here now with pictures and the whole story …
The fifth annual Thanksgiving Day Bake-Off was planned by my cousin, Connor, and I.  We hold all power in the bake-off as the ones born on December 8th.  We decided on the rules for this year’s bake-off and let the baking begin.  (Please find the official rules at the bottom of this post.)

The day approached.  Tensions grew high.  Who would win and earn the honor of wearing the apron?  


Eh.  We don’t really know.  We never really voted. 


But my grandma said I won.  And who’s to challenge Grandma Julie?



I think Connor was disqualified.  His version of a bird was clever – humor points given – but he did not follow rule number five.  His pie was grabbed from the freezer.  His mom had bought it.  I call his entry not valid.  


What will happen next year for the sixth annual bake-off no one knows.  But I can pretty much guarantee Connor will enter with the hopes of finding another clever way out of actually putting forth any culinary effort. 










The fifth annual Thanksgiving Day Bake-Off participants hitherto agree that they will —

1. Bring their entry to Thanksgiving (Location: TBD.)  Entries should be carried/packed in any type of container.  (Previous years prove that the ‘undisclosed’ container and paper bag rules are not followed – let the chaos ensue.)
2.  The entry, brought by the participating cousin, must be a dessert.
3.  The dessert must bear some resemblance to a bird.  (Bonus points if it’s a good-looking turkey.)  In other words, make it into a bird.
4.  The dessert-that-looks-like-a-bird may not actually include any poultry.
5.  Participant must bake/create said bird dessert by oneself.  
6.  Though the theme of this year’s bake-off is presentation-heavy, the taste of the dessert will still be judged.
7.  The winner, in both presentation and taste, will win the honor of having his/her name written on the very official bake-off apron. 
As always, participation, rules, and any day-of clarifications are governed and decided by those born on December 8.

wednesday.

2 Dec
That hairdresser I’m smitten with?  I visited Brent yesterday.  But it turned out to not be just him.  Cory washed my hair, observed the hair cut, and then helped diffuse (dry) my hair.  Cory – with gauged ears, a nose ring, and italian loafers – and I had a great conversation about Lutheranism.  Then it was the strangest to have two guys, one on either side, going at my curls with blow dryers.  Obscure.  (But also fast.  I wish I had four hands and two blow dryers each morning to dry my hair.)
I assisted at Luther Seminary’s morning chapel.  There is chapel each weekday morning at school, with Wednesday being a longer service which includes communion.  I assisted and got many compliments on my shoes.  When you have a wear a robe, one must wear fun shoes.  
I ate lunch with a group of friends and one of my Children, Youth, and Family professors.  We’re brainstorming a ‘Cooking Pastor’ cooking show.  Seriously.  Filming may begin this weekend.  I’ll keep you posted.
I submitted my ever-stressful mobility paperwork for placement within the ELCA.  (woot!)  My future is now in the hands of the bishops.
I needed groceries.  My fridge had been empty since my return from break.  Coming out of the grocery store, the bell-ringing Salvation Army man stopped singing his “Come-to-Jesus” song to wish me a merry Christmas and tell me he liked my coat.  Why, thank you.
Add confirmation and an early bedtime and that’s my Wednesday.

How was yours?
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