Love Does That

Love Does That 

All day long a little burro labors, sometimes 

with heavy loads on her back and sometimes just with worries 

about things that bother only 

burros. 

And worries, as we know, can be more exhausting 

than physical labor. 

Once in a while a kind monk comes 

to her stable and brings 

a pear, but more

than that, 

he looks into the burro's eyes and touches her ears 

and for a few seconds the burro is free 

and even seems to laugh, 

because love does 

that. 

Love frees.


-Meister Eckhart 

Experiencing Quaker Process

As most of you know, Beth and I have joined an interesting slice of the Christian pie known as Quakers. We have been exploring and learning about the ways in which this group carries out its spiritual life together, and we are both finding it fascinating, revolutionary, and transformational.

Since I do not want to assume that most of the people reading our blog are familiar with Quaker practice, I will briefly summarize how we carry out our business. When I say business I refer to the typical workings of any community, how do we spend our money, what should we do about this and that, etc. Another huge aspect of Quaker business is approving those individuals who feel called into various roles within the meeting.

Us Quakers are organized into larger meetings, a kind of corporate body, made up of Quaker meetings throughout various regions. We are a part of the Northwest Yearly Meeting, a group made up of evangelical Quakers throughout Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. This organization (Northwest Yearly Meeting or NWYM) requires a staff to oversee and execute its operations. The head of this staff is our superintendent.

Every year all of the meetings who are a part of the NYWM gather in Newberg, OR for our annual sessions.  I am currently here, and just this morning we went through the process of approving a new superintendant.

The process of approving a superintendant at our annual sessions involves presenting the search committee's recommendation to the hundreds of people gathered for these annual sessions. Two microphones stand in the aisles of a large auditorium and everyone is invited to comment on the person who has been nominated. EVERYONE, ANYONE can stand up to a microphone and be heard by hundreds of other people.

This is Quaker process, and a reason why I am so fascinated by it. As a group, we trust that if we listen and discern together, we will discover God's leading. We also trust that it is important for everyone, especially those who have misgivings or hesitations about a particular decision have the chance to be heard. It may take a long time, and it may actually hurt, but I see no better model in all of Christianity in which to make a decision.

I am excited about this, and wish I could introduce this way of handling our business as the Church with others!

an update

Dearest friends. How many times do I need to apologize for our laziness with this thing? Errr...sorry :/

The last couple weeks have included trips to both Denver and Pennsylvania for me. It was wonderful to connect with all of our friends and family again. It was also wonderful to reflect on where we have been, and how we ended up here in Oregon. I always thought of these return trips to our former homes as tests to whether or not we have settled here, and I am happy to report that we have. While this comes as a disappointment to many of our friends and family in other states, it is assuring and comforting to know that we have found a place that seems right to us.

We feel blessed to have so many communities across the country that continue to welcome us whenever we visit. Your hospitality makes us feel like we are at home wherever we go, so thank you.

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Tonight, in Portland, the blue sky hung over the west hills until after 9:30pm. These cool summer nights, absent of the rain and clouds, surge with life.

Yesterday I turned 25

I wanted to take some time to reflect on who I have become, some of the things that have happened to me along the way, and some hopes for the future.  So, in celebration I decided to make a list.  I couldn't decide on one theme, so I chose 5 lists of 5.  

5 significant events in my life

1. My junior year of high school.  The toughest year of my teens with lots of drama and heartbreak, but also one that taught me a lot about true friendship!  
2. Meeting Mark, my best friend and soulmate whom I cannot say "I love you!" and "Thank you!" to enough!  You've been right along beside me ever since we met, and have helped me overcome and grow so much!
3. Attending the Oregon Extension (with Mark) the fall semester of our Junior year.  Not only did we learn a lot about ourselves, eachother, God, and too many other things to list... we also found home.  
4. Our year spent in Denver, CO was one of the hardest, and yet meaninful year for me.  I learned to forgive, trust, and most of all allow myself to dream!  I'm so grateful for the love and support of dear friends and family who helped us along the way!
5. Moving to Portland, OR.  We had to overcome A LOT of stuff in order to get to where we are today!  We are finally home!!!

5 things I do well

1. Knit
2. Laugh
3. Arts and Crafts
4. Repurposing
5. Giving myself french manicures

5 things you may or may not know about me

1. From the moment I got "Spike" my favorite Cabbage Patch Kid I snuggled with him every night until I got married!
2. I used to be a fairly picky eater until I met Mark.
3. I love collecting small bits of nature.
4. I really miss my besties!  Brittany, The Fab 4, and my C.A.T. Camp girlies... these girls are my sisters!  I love them so much and miss them all something fierce!
5. The smell of lavender, pine, and fresh mountain air bring tears to my eyes.

5 of my favorite things

1. Chocolate
2. Honey
3. Buttons: I'm working on a vintage/antique button collection... everytime I see a button bin at a thrift or vintage/antique store I squeal with delight and am not satisfied until I've thuroughly dug through the bin in order to find exactly the right specimines for my collection!
4. My puppy boy, Oliver!  He brings a lot of joy and a whole lotta love to our lives!
5. Being barefoot and soaking up sunshine!

5 things I want to do before I turn 30

1. Become a mama
2. Knit a sweater
3. Make a quilt
4. Fill an art journal
5. Travel outside of the U.S.

(Just a few days before my 25th birthday.)

How the Tallest Man on Earth brought us home.

A certain musician, a song, or sound can connect us with a moment, a season, or an entire year. If you watch the above video you will hear an artist named The Tallest Man on Earth. If you are interested in a truly interactive experience, go ahead and click play on that video...and read on. 

This summer we packed up all of our possessions and pointed a moving truck westward. It would take us twenty-two hours to reach  a land we have dreamt of for many years, the state of Oregon. Those twenty-two hours were filled with varying landscapes, endless plains, and rolling hills. We filled those hours with albums after albums of our favorite musicians. Those musicians have already settled themselves into specific moments in our life. Vetiver, our summer honeymoon drive through the dry climate of Northern California. Devendra Banhart, the winding roads of the Cascades, sun beams breaking through the pines. 

The Columbia River met us after several hours of driving northwest through Eastern Oregon. We met it at the top of its downward trajectory towards the Pacific. The last three hours of our journey home would hug her banks, the walls she carved rising on either side of us. At some point Beth opened the CD case and slid in of our newest albums into the truck's player. The rapid strumming, the piercing vocals of Kristian Matsoon, The Tallest Man on Earth. For the next three hours it was our soundtrack to one of the most beautiful landscapes in all of the world, the Columbia River Gorge.

So now, when I hear those familiar chords, that jaring voice, I am completely transported. I am there in that truck, I am seeing the white caps of the choppy Columbia, I am imagining the salmon in their rhythmic, ancient quest, fighting their way upstream under the surface. We turn with her, and now I see the white blanket covering Mt. Hood. We turn again and I cannot believe how quickly such a huge mountain can disappear. We sink more, the walls grow taller. Deeper and closer to home. The cracked window whistling, the guitar strums quickening, the sweet smell of pine laden air. 

I can sit here now, and be completely transported. Where are your songs taking you?