Endings as Beginnings

I have officially completed my first intensive set of courses towards my DMin.  I spent today in  sessions where we experienced closure and articulated the lasting meaning we had found in our work during these past three years.  My class (first years) walked the labyrinth together and shed a few tears as we wished each other well.  I had my supervision assessment this afternoon (a wonderfully empowering experience - pure grace!) and approached someone and asked him to be my field work supervisor (and he said yes!).  And I drove up to the top of the hill one last time for my one last appointment...

...and there was no parking space!  I laughed so hard that I almost cried - on the last day at the last appointment - no space!  If that had happened my first or second week, my anxiety level would have been through the roof.  Instead, I created a "non-traditional" parking place, and went to my meeting.  Thankfully, the car was still there when I came out!

In the midst of all the goodbyes and good wishes, I was able to review a preaching/worship resource geared to social justice/peace themes (it is wonderful), and I got my GTU library card, and online access to the library.  I felt like a kid at Christmas as I typed in my ID number and had access to zillions of books and articles.  What a gift!

The bags are packed, and as it is a 5 am start tomorrow, it will soon be time for bed.  My next blog entry will be from Boise, where I now have the challenge of integrating all this tremendous material.  My blog entries may be less frequent once I am back, but I will still be longing to see our world through the Eyes of the Weaver.

I close tonight with a Marilyn Nelson poem that calls us all into a new relationship with God - and life.

"The Simple Wisdom"  by Marilyn Nelson

Abba Jacob said;
There's a big difference between
the mentalities of magic and of alliance.
People who spend their lives searching for God
have a magical mentality.  They need a sign, a proof,
a puff of smoke, an irrefutable miracle.
People who have an alliance mentality
know God by loving.

As we embraced tonight and wished each other well, we knew that God was indeed experienced powerfully through loving.

May you know God as you love another, love all who are in need, and love God's beautiful creation.  May you love justice and peace so much that you change your own life in order to bring it to pass.  May you love yourself enough that you see yourself through God's eyes and treat yourself with dignity, respect and grace.  Amen.

With love,
Kim