This week has been a bit overwhelming. It's the little things that throw me off the most.
Two little things:
1. My 'N' key is sticking. This means that I have to pay attention every time I want to have the letter 'n' appear. It's not a big deal - but somehow it makes me feel a little off.
2. On Monday, I left my plug adapter at home. I had taken it off of my computer to use with my camera charger and then I forgot to put it back on to my computer. I showed up at work Monday morning and voila my computer was a paperweight for the day. A small thing, but that made me very off balance all week.
However, this week has been good in many other ways. We hit our first target deadline for my project with the WCC. (http://women.overcomingviolence.org) I think the site looks great! (although I am a bit biased). It has just been stressful. I also have been working on Student World again. And Fed News. The latest edition is available online! All of this means that I am working on about 10 different projects. And to top it all off I agreed (a long time ago) to help organize the Ecumenical Learning Session this week. Which was supposed to be Wednesday, but we moved to Friday because we were too busy. It will be fun! We're doing a Christmas Tradition theme. So we'll just talk about what we do for Christmas and drink hot chocolate and decorate Gingerbread cookies! So excited! So fun things, but yet a little stressful.
This week has been stressful, but I think I am getting my work done. I'm feeling better about it - although it has FLOWN by. I feel like yesterday was Monday. Tomorrow is already Friday.
My work here is rewarding. My project with the WCC got picked up by Christianity Today. There is also a Christian News Channel in New Zealand that is looking to do a story on our study too! So I feel like this study we are designing might actually make a difference in people's lives. I hope (and pray) that it does. I suppose all this work is worth it in the end.
On another, unrelated note, I am going to celebrate Thanksgiving tonight by eating a traditional Scottish meal! Haggis, neeps and tatties (which apparently in English means Haggis - ie. sheeps innards - with mashed potatoes and turnips).
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Tomorrow, November 25, is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
I have bee working on a project now for a while with the WCC about eliminating violence against women. Originally we were planning to have this project coincide with Advent, which is the Church season that leads up to Christmas. I believe it starts this upcoming Sunday. However, due to technical reasons we decided to postpone our Bible Study until Lent 2010. (Lent is the Church season leading up to Easter - it is longer 6 weeks vs. 4 weeks - but the timing is much better).
However, in preparation for tomorrow we have been preparing a "test" week of our website. We have made what is the first week of our six week Bible Study. What is even better is that you can go look at it! http://women.overcomingviolence.org Please go check it out and tell all your friends about it.
Last week I did most of the work getting everything up there. This week I have a little bit left to do. Of course, we have only gotten one week up - one of six. So there is still a lot of work to be done. I am so excited about having this page done! I am really proud of it. I think it will be a good study. I hope that people will be able to use it in their Churches and that women will feel empowered by watching these videos and by reading the Bible that we can actually make a difference.
I have bee working on a project now for a while with the WCC about eliminating violence against women. Originally we were planning to have this project coincide with Advent, which is the Church season that leads up to Christmas. I believe it starts this upcoming Sunday. However, due to technical reasons we decided to postpone our Bible Study until Lent 2010. (Lent is the Church season leading up to Easter - it is longer 6 weeks vs. 4 weeks - but the timing is much better).
However, in preparation for tomorrow we have been preparing a "test" week of our website. We have made what is the first week of our six week Bible Study. What is even better is that you can go look at it! http://women.overcomingviolence.org Please go check it out and tell all your friends about it.
Last week I did most of the work getting everything up there. This week I have a little bit left to do. Of course, we have only gotten one week up - one of six. So there is still a lot of work to be done. I am so excited about having this page done! I am really proud of it. I think it will be a good study. I hope that people will be able to use it in their Churches and that women will feel empowered by watching these videos and by reading the Bible that we can actually make a difference.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Turkey!
So I've decided to celebrate American Thanksgiving here in Geneva.
The real day is next Thursday. (We celebrate Thanksgiving on the 4th Thursday of November). However, as this is not the United States - Thanksgiving is not a holiday. So I decided to have it on this Sunday instead. I am very excited about it. Last time I hosted Thanksgiving, I was in France and it was a great success - however, I never found a turkey. We ended up eating Guinea Fowl and Chicken. This time we have a turkey! Sort of. I went to Manor - which is one of the more expensive Department stores in town which has a very nice food section. They had turkeys. Actual turkeys! The price said "1.98" I was hoping this was per kilo. It was per 100 g. Therefore, if a turkey weighed 8 kilos. (about 18 pounds) it would cost 160 swiss francs (remember the swiss franc and the US dollar are about even). So I decided that I could not possibly buy a turkey from Manor.
Then today I went to France. We went to the little market in the border town of Ferney. It's a great French Market. Somehow the French have managed to find the right combination of vegetables, cheese vendors and butchers (and kebab stands and clothing stores) that makes a market just perfect. I will definitely miss French markets when I'm back in the States. I asked all the butchers if they had turkeys. None did, some said they could order one for me for next weekend. But none. Then we went to the Hyper Champion (This is the equivalent of Wal-Mart) in the town. We looked and we asked and finally we found all the prepackaged chickens. Not pre-cooked - just wrapped. We found a large bird. It looks about the size of turkey. The picture of the front of it looks sort of like a turkey. But - it has in big letters "coq". Which means rooster in French! So my turkey is most likely a rooster - but I'm just going to let myself believe that it's a turkey. You have to have turkey for Thanksgiving!
I'm very excited about the meal. It should be great! It'll be as American as I can make it over here. (Although there won't be any pecan pie because I could't find corn syrup)
I'm glad I get to celebrate this holiday with my friends here in Geneva. I suppose that they are what I'm thankful for this year. (among a myriad of other things!)
The real day is next Thursday. (We celebrate Thanksgiving on the 4th Thursday of November). However, as this is not the United States - Thanksgiving is not a holiday. So I decided to have it on this Sunday instead. I am very excited about it. Last time I hosted Thanksgiving, I was in France and it was a great success - however, I never found a turkey. We ended up eating Guinea Fowl and Chicken. This time we have a turkey! Sort of. I went to Manor - which is one of the more expensive Department stores in town which has a very nice food section. They had turkeys. Actual turkeys! The price said "1.98" I was hoping this was per kilo. It was per 100 g. Therefore, if a turkey weighed 8 kilos. (about 18 pounds) it would cost 160 swiss francs (remember the swiss franc and the US dollar are about even). So I decided that I could not possibly buy a turkey from Manor.
Then today I went to France. We went to the little market in the border town of Ferney. It's a great French Market. Somehow the French have managed to find the right combination of vegetables, cheese vendors and butchers (and kebab stands and clothing stores) that makes a market just perfect. I will definitely miss French markets when I'm back in the States. I asked all the butchers if they had turkeys. None did, some said they could order one for me for next weekend. But none. Then we went to the Hyper Champion (This is the equivalent of Wal-Mart) in the town. We looked and we asked and finally we found all the prepackaged chickens. Not pre-cooked - just wrapped. We found a large bird. It looks about the size of turkey. The picture of the front of it looks sort of like a turkey. But - it has in big letters "coq". Which means rooster in French! So my turkey is most likely a rooster - but I'm just going to let myself believe that it's a turkey. You have to have turkey for Thanksgiving!
I'm very excited about the meal. It should be great! It'll be as American as I can make it over here. (Although there won't be any pecan pie because I could't find corn syrup)
I'm glad I get to celebrate this holiday with my friends here in Geneva. I suppose that they are what I'm thankful for this year. (among a myriad of other things!)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
I know now what it is ..
I got back from my vacation yesterday and today I am here at work. I have so much work to do. There is a list that goes on for miles and miles that I call my "to do" list. I only have 17 days of work left. Will I get it all done? Probably not. Will I get the important things done. Yes. I will. How? I don't know. Only with the grace of God.
Yet, even with this list that is starting to creep out the door of my office and starting to knock on the door of my room, I am feeling bored at work. I am feeling lost. I sometimes don't know where to start. (I start with procrastination like writing a blog). I don't even know how to begin to make these tasks seem manageable. As another procrastination tool I began chatting with a brother of mine on Facebook. As I was telling him about my symptoms he gave me the diagnosis "Senioritis." I had forgotten what it felt like. I had forgotten that I've had this before. I am so excited about this next phase of my life that I am already beginning to detach from this phase. I am beginning to see my future as more real and more "important" than my present. It's a weird reality. I've experienced this before - but I had forgotten what it feels like. It feels overwhelming and unimportant. (Although I think the work I'm doing is very important - but somehow my house and my coffee shop in Texas seem more important right now.)
Senioritis. I can't believe it, but it's true. I know now what it is that is making me feel this way. I am about to "graduate" from WSCF! Scary and exciting. Just like real graduation. ;)
Yet, even with this list that is starting to creep out the door of my office and starting to knock on the door of my room, I am feeling bored at work. I am feeling lost. I sometimes don't know where to start. (I start with procrastination like writing a blog). I don't even know how to begin to make these tasks seem manageable. As another procrastination tool I began chatting with a brother of mine on Facebook. As I was telling him about my symptoms he gave me the diagnosis "Senioritis." I had forgotten what it felt like. I had forgotten that I've had this before. I am so excited about this next phase of my life that I am already beginning to detach from this phase. I am beginning to see my future as more real and more "important" than my present. It's a weird reality. I've experienced this before - but I had forgotten what it feels like. It feels overwhelming and unimportant. (Although I think the work I'm doing is very important - but somehow my house and my coffee shop in Texas seem more important right now.)
Senioritis. I can't believe it, but it's true. I know now what it is that is making me feel this way. I am about to "graduate" from WSCF! Scary and exciting. Just like real graduation. ;)
Friday, November 13, 2009
Leaving
I sat down yesterday with my boss to plan for my final month of work. He counted. I have 18 working days left. 18 days. Then he told me about the myriad of events that I did not know I would be attending/organizing in these 18 days. Then we talked about the other work that we're doing. Then I reminded him I'm only working 50% for him. (I am working 50% on another project with the World Council of Churches about Eliminating Violence Against Women). I guess the good thing is that I feel like I know what I need to be doing. For my first few months (ie. six months) I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing most of the time. I ran from task to task with no overall vision for what my job was. Now, I know what I need to be doing - but it seems like more than I can possibly get done in 18 days. 18 days. (9 days if you really count me as half time!)
I am also leaving this afternoon to go to Cannes. I lived in Cannes, France (Le Cannet if you want to be technical) for one year. I am going back there to see my friends and celebrate a birthday. Of course my friends decided that they want to have the party at a Swiss Restaurant! Ah, the irony. I am leaving my friends here to go to my friends there. I am excited about that. I also just love that part of the world. It is beautiful, good weather, and beautiful. Switzerland is beautiful too - but it is beautiful in a different way.
I also feel like I'm getting a grip on my project with the WCC. Our website actually has some content on it! I can't give you the link yet - but once we have the test week up and running, hopefully by next week - I will give a link so that you can see what we're trying to do. It is so exciting! I hope that this will be a project that really helps women feel inspired and make a change in their lives. Lent, is after all, a season of reflection and change.
I am also leaving this afternoon to go to Cannes. I lived in Cannes, France (Le Cannet if you want to be technical) for one year. I am going back there to see my friends and celebrate a birthday. Of course my friends decided that they want to have the party at a Swiss Restaurant! Ah, the irony. I am leaving my friends here to go to my friends there. I am excited about that. I also just love that part of the world. It is beautiful, good weather, and beautiful. Switzerland is beautiful too - but it is beautiful in a different way.
I also feel like I'm getting a grip on my project with the WCC. Our website actually has some content on it! I can't give you the link yet - but once we have the test week up and running, hopefully by next week - I will give a link so that you can see what we're trying to do. It is so exciting! I hope that this will be a project that really helps women feel inspired and make a change in their lives. Lent, is after all, a season of reflection and change.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
What is Faith?
I was looking on Facebook today and a friend of mine posted a link to this article. The article discusses a recent court ruling in Britain about what makes someone Jewish. Since some of the state run schools in Britain are religiously affiliated, and are allowed to give preference to the students of that religion, there are questions about how these schools define who is a member of their religion. The article was interesting. I also read a this blog about the way Muslim was used to describe the man who was responsible for the mass killing last week in Fort Hood. (She was referencing this Washington Post article).
Both of these articles are questioning what it means to be part of a religion. Is it just what you claim? Is it how you behave? Is it what you believe deep in your heart? How do we define that?
In the court case they ruled that being a Jew could be defined by certain religious duties - like going to Synagogue or charitable acts. The other article said that this man's actions could not define him as being a Muslim, because Islam stands against violence. What then, defines our faith? Is it our belief, regardless of our actions? Is it our actions, regardless of our belief? If so, what then is the point of belief?
Both of these articles are questioning what it means to be part of a religion. Is it just what you claim? Is it how you behave? Is it what you believe deep in your heart? How do we define that?
In the court case they ruled that being a Jew could be defined by certain religious duties - like going to Synagogue or charitable acts. The other article said that this man's actions could not define him as being a Muslim, because Islam stands against violence. What then, defines our faith? Is it our belief, regardless of our actions? Is it our actions, regardless of our belief? If so, what then is the point of belief?
Friday, November 6, 2009
Progress in the Church?
I just finished watching this clip from the Colbert Report. As many of you may know, the Colbert Report is one of my favorite shows. (I also really like the Daily Show!) Both of these shows mix humor and politics. Since politics is one of my favorite things to talk about or think about or write about or generally be about, I like shows that make me laugh about politics. (They are VERY American - in fact I did a comparison between The Daily Show and Les Guignols for a project in my French class this summer.. but I digress).
This clip made me realize that we have to be part of a dynamic changing Church. We cannot, as some in the Church try to do, hold onto things "as they were". For one, there is no idyllic moment in the past when the Church had everything figured out and it was all pie in the sky. Secondly, if we do not always re-evaluate our life in terms of the Gospel than what does it mean to be Christian? Does it mean anything? The Episcopal Priest in this clip gave a very good answer to Colbert when he asked about the issue of inclusion of Gays and Lesbians. I am glad that I can say that I am part of the same church as him. If we do not re-evaluate our actions in light of the Gospel then we will end up using the Gospel and Jesus' name to inflict pain and suffering in the world. That is when the Gospel stops being Good News and begins to be the thing that people are afraid of - the reason that people have disdain for the Church.
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Holy Water Under the Bridge - Randall Balmer | ||||
| ||||
This clip made me realize that we have to be part of a dynamic changing Church. We cannot, as some in the Church try to do, hold onto things "as they were". For one, there is no idyllic moment in the past when the Church had everything figured out and it was all pie in the sky. Secondly, if we do not always re-evaluate our life in terms of the Gospel than what does it mean to be Christian? Does it mean anything? The Episcopal Priest in this clip gave a very good answer to Colbert when he asked about the issue of inclusion of Gays and Lesbians. I am glad that I can say that I am part of the same church as him. If we do not re-evaluate our actions in light of the Gospel then we will end up using the Gospel and Jesus' name to inflict pain and suffering in the world. That is when the Gospel stops being Good News and begins to be the thing that people are afraid of - the reason that people have disdain for the Church.
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