I had forgotten how clear the night sky was in San Anselmo. Tonight after community dinner I sat on that bench under the wise old trees and saw the stars fill the sky - when filtered through the limbs they looked like Christmas lights on the branches. There was a faint hint of wood smoke in the very crisp air. The rains of Saturday had given way to a clearer and drier Sunday. My bones and joints rejoiced!
It is good to be back. The travel here was uneventful (a direct flight!) and the apartment is basic but comfortable. A migraine yesterday made day 1 less than fun, but with Bill's help, I did the necessary shopping and unpacking, and started to find my feet. My one disappointment yesterday was a distinct lack of bird jazz in the Whole Foods parking lot. My favorite ensemble was gone - sigh!
Today we finished some errands (sans migraine) before taking Bill to the airport, including the purchase of a brilliantly cheap but functional crock pot. I spent New Year's Day carefully measuring out all manner of herbs and spices for slow cooker soups and stews so I could stay on my program while here. The local "big box store" had one for less than the cost of yesterday's lunch, so I was most pleased with this simple purchase. And...yon BBS is near Whole Foods, so I thought I might drop in just one more time to see if my winged troubadours were there...
...and they were! I could hear them in the near distance, up in a tree several lots over. But I knew that song, and took a deep breath and relaxed. In the midst of change, old friends were here to greet me - in their own sweet time - bird time!
This year the reading list is longer, and the texts are more challenging. In Discernment: Systems and Structures and Nature I will not only be looking how God is working in systems and structures (in a macro way), but specifically how God is at work in my system/role of Senior Pastor/Head of Staff/CEO - and how my awareness of this and better understanding of systems theory viz my role can help to empower my community. The interface with nature feeds my soul - and makes this the only program that looks theologically at the role of the natural world in ministry. In the Contemporary Issues class we will be looking at how "dynamics of culture, context and social location influence our ability to notice (or not notice) the Spirit's movement - looking specifically at issues of race and racism, class and classism, gender and sexism, as well as assumptions about our relationships to the more-than-human creation" (I love that phrase - "more-than-human creation" and have had my first taste of the writings of Erazim Kohak - nice)! Big topics - challenging topics. I can't wait! Sadly, our class has shrunk by almost half; but it was good to see familiar faces tonight, and to pick up some conversations where we left them a year ago.
I will probably post less to the blog this year given my reading list and work load, and because I have a 5:30 am date every day at the YMCA of Marin so I can keep swimming. Swimming and crock pot soups, coupled with stimulating academics, supportive community, and silence and prayer, create truly powerful medicine.
Game On!
With love and anticipation,
Kim
PS - the first Crock Pot Soup was "Lentil and Pea" - a great success!
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