High School Students

I have worked with high school students since 1982. As I told one of them the other day, I've been doing it for so long that we used dittos when we needed to make flyers. I can't believe the difference now in terms of technology. Sheesh.

Regardless of the many ways the world has changed in that time period, one of the best things about them that hasn't changed is their sense of hopefulness. I do not usually find teenagers to be hardened or cynical. Believe it or not, they still have a great sense of wonder. They are still idealistic. They love adventure. And these things inspire me and keep me feeling young. (Shush! No smart remarks...)

Just tonight, a large group of students from Providence Hall served at the Rescue Mission. We've committed to going once a month -- but it's still a very new experience for most of them. I got nervous this morning, wondering if they were ready to go for it tonight. But here are some of their posts on Facebook about it are a delight (yes, there can be something redeeming about FB):

• Rescue Mission was great tonight!!! I wish I could do it more often :) I'm anticipating next month!!
• definitely felt God's presence at Rescue Mission ! cant wait for next month!
• Great night of worship at the rescue mission! Glory to God!
• Had a great time at the rescue mission.. I was so touched by some of the conversations I had :) I can't wait to go back.

Let's not give up on 'em, people. They are worth the hard work, blood, sweat and tears. I promise.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1Timothy 4:12)

Almost Alfredo

I can barely type this because I'm still in a food coma from this meal.

It is not just good. It's not just really good. It is RIDICULOUS. I am in such a happy place right now.

And best of all, it's crazy simple. This has shot to the top of I-am-starving-and-need-to-make-something-fast list.

Thank you Vegetarian Times. Find the full details there.

ingredient list

serves 4

• 8 oz. dry linguine (I used Trader Joe's Rice Noodles)
  
• 1/2 cup light cream cheese
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced and 1 Tbs. zest grated
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley (or fresh basil)

directions

1. Cook linguine according to package directions in pot of boiling salted water.

2. Warm cream cheese, oil, and 2 Tbs. lemon juice in saucepan over low heat. (Do not let it get too hot)

3. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir reserved cooking water into cream cheese mixture. Add pasta, lemon zest, and parsley; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Run For Your Life

I've been cruising through 1 Timothy this week. There have been so many stunning verses. But these two in chapter 6 press in on me:

Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses. (verses 11-12)

I hold that passage in one hand, and this great reminder from Benedictine reading in the other:

Eventually we must all settle down and do something serious with our lives, and every day we must make a fresh beginning of it.

May you be able to see the daily opportunities in front of you to run, to seize, to pursue... they are always right there.

What I Want

I'm in a new Bible study with some great friends -- some old, some new. We are reading Benedict's Way (by Homan & Pratt) together. It contains 30 readings on various aspects of Benedictine spirituality. The goal is to talk and pray together about spiritual depth, devotional discipline and balance in life. Topics like prayer, work, silence, hospitality, service, learning, friendship... it will be a feast.

Last night's topic was prayer. Here is a quote from the reading. It speaks for itself:

“O God,” I said, and that was all.

But what are the prayers of the whole universe more than expansions of that one cry? It is not what God can give us, but God that we want. (George MacDonald)

We ended the time together by praying through Psalm 34. I am re-reading it this morning in the Message. What a banquet to draw from in this psalm. Here is guidance as to how to push aside the stresses of the "now" and live today in the "not yet." Enjoy.

Psalm 34

¹ I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise.

² I live and breathe God;
if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy:

³ Join me in spreading the news;
together let's get the word out.

⁴ God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.

⁵ Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.

⁶ When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.

⁷ God's angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.

⁸ Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.

⁹ Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.

¹⁰ Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.

¹¹ Come, children, listen closely;
I'll give you a lesson in God worship.

¹² Who out there has a lust for life?
Can't wait each day to come upon beauty?

¹³ Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.

¹⁴ Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don't let it get away!

¹⁵ God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.

¹⁶ God won't put up with rebels;
he'll cull them from the pack.

¹⁷ Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.

¹⁸ If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there;
if you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath.

¹⁹ Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.

²⁰ He's your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.

²¹ The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.

²² God pays for each slave's freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.

I Did It

I did something a little nutty at the beginning of this month: I sold my car.

While this might not seem terribly outrageous, I should add one more thing: I'm not getting another one.

When people find this out, their first question of course is "WHY?" The short answer: I could not find a way to justify, as a single person, owning both a car and scooter. It seemed excessive, materialistic, wasteful and indulgent, especially if I continue to talk about living a life of simplicity. But in making the choice between the two, I liked my scooter way more! It's so inexpensive, easy and fun.

If you have time or interest though... here's the longer answer:

This was not a whimsical, spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment decision. My roommate reminded me this week that I first started talking about it in the fall of 2006.

I experimented all summer with not owning my car, loaning it out to friends who needed transportation, or simply letting it sit in its parking spot as I took the bus, rode my bike, traveled by train, drove my scooter, walked or... here's a crazy thought -- stayed home.

I don't know where the seeds of this idea started, but most likely back in 2003, when I decided to ride my bike once a day in place of driving. The steps forward continue from there in a jumble: more bike riding, less driving, buying a scooter, job changes, gas crises, Gulf oil spill...

But it's more than that for me. It's also a spiritual decision.

On no subject is Jesus more clear than on materialism: a life focused on possessions is a poor and misguided life. Over and again, he urges us to seek a spiritual path and life of loving one another.... Real treasures do not rust, run low on power, become obsolete, clutter up closets and garages, or rack up credit card debt. One need never worry about a real treasure being stolen. Real treasures are never hoarded. They are shared. Simplifying means having less, wanting less, being satisfied with what you have or less than what you have. It does not mean boredom. People with too many things are the most easily bored. Matthew Sleeth, Serve God, Save the Planet

As I got serious about using my bike not just for exercise but for transportation, I noticed some things -- for example, that it took longer to get places. Brilliant, I know. But listen to me. As I slowed down, I started realizing how much I was driven by efficiency. By driving everywhere I was able to get as much done as possible in the shortest amount of time. But one day I asked myself a dangerous question, So what?

It certainly wasn't because this speediness gave me more time to lay on the couch or read a book or pray. My efficiency just gave me the ability to work MORE. Humph.

Don't get me wrong. Working is a noble endeavor and another part of my spiritual disciplines. But at the end of my life -- heck, at the end of each day -- I don't want it written on my tombstone, "She worked a lot." Anyone who knows me knows that I work hard. I just work differently now. I don't drive my days according to how MUCH I can accomplish each day. Instead, I am trying to be driven more by how WELL I do what I set out to accomplish. I'm trying to proceed more purposefully, with more planning and balance and faith.

I will also say that between the way I'm choosing to eat (organically, seasonally, with very little processed food) and the way I'm getting places that I'm spending more of each day in making those two things happen. In the 21st century this might sound a little crazy. But it's working for me. I'm opting for slow and steady over fast and furious.

How's it been these past 4 weeks without a car? So far, so good. I want to be the first to admit that it may not work out. I may discover it's too inconvenient, I suppose. But for now, I'm living as if I'll never own a car again.

People tend to have many questions, so here are Life With No Car FAQ's:

• What do you do when it rains? There is a bus stop that is a 10-minute walk from my house. Yes, in the pouring rain I get wet walking there. I guess that's ok. I have to leave the house a bit earlier to make the right bus. That requires planning ahead.
• What if you need to go out of town? I have been taking the train to So Cal for several months now, and enjoying it a TON. Two weeks ago I needed to get somewhere that Amtrak didn't go to, and the connection with MetroLink wouldn't work, so I rented a car in LA. It worked great. It's definitely cheaper to rent a car occasionally or take a taxi than to own a car.
  
• What if you need to buy something that you can't carry on your scooter? I have patient, supportive friends (especially my roommate), but I also ask myself two questions: 1) Do I really "need" this? 2) Will it bring me closer to God? (thank you Matthew Sleeth, p 84). Riding my scooter or taking my bike or the bus forces me to evaluate whether the thing I want to purchase is necessary. Let's be brutally honest -- we lived for a long time without Costco. It's possible. I like this chance to force myself to ask those questions.
• I am stoked it works for you -- but I've got 3 kids, soccer practice and piano lessons! (Not exactly a question...) No judgment from me. Absolutely it's easier for me to do this. But I would ask every family to consider whether they really need two cars. It will take more planning at times, but that doesn't make it impossible.
• Aren't you afraid of getting hit? Sure. I ride carefully, and defensively. I have had one or two close calls. But I would guess that the risk of getting hurt is far higher when I'm in a car.
  

Final tidbits:

Do you know you can't maintain car insurance unless you own a car? Insurance rates are based in part on your age and driving record, but they hinge on what car you own. So now I have to purchase insurance when I rent a car, or make sure the person whose car I'm driving has supplemental insurance.

Scooters park for free in public parking lots. Massively convenient. There's always a spot available too.

It costs me $4 to fill up my scooter. (And it costs me nothing to fill up my bike!)

When I ride my bike I can hear birds singing, talk to people at stoplights, and feel the sun on my face. On my scooter I cannot listen to music or use my phone. This has been really good for thinking, watching, listening. Try it sometime.

This won't work for everyone. Please feel no pressure from me to do this. As Matthew Sleeth says, If you appear smug or holier than thou, you will be a positive witness to a party of none. But I share it as encouragement, and if you want it to be, a challenge. I continue to seek after ways to be a better steward of my resources and God's creation. I yearn for a simpler, slower-paced existence. And I value all of these as ways to manage anxiety and frustration. As my life becomes less about convenience and efficiency and more about charity, generosity, hospitality and spiritual discipline, I know God far better. And my neighbor too.

High Maintenance

OK, I'll be the first to admit it. I've become a VERY complicated, difficult, high maintenance eater. (Shush to all those who want to leave off the "eater" part of that statement...)

Last May 09, I realized that for whatever reason (I have my theories) my digestive tract could not tolerate gluten (read: bread, barley, pasta, pastries, breaded foods like chicken nuggets, flour tortillas, anything with "modified food starch," oatmeal...)

Let's not forget that I also have to throw in the fact that my cholesterol is easy to control IF I don't eat high cholesterol foods (read: red meat, hard cheese, shrimp... and honestly, you need to keep an eye on chicken because it's not really low-cholesterol - just lowER cholesterol than red meat, and not by that much). If I am not careful about this... hello, medication.

My favorite restaurant experience so far has been at Petrini's, a local "Eye-talian" restaurant, when I ordered an antipasto salad but asked her to replace the salami with grilled chicken. The waitress looked at me and said, "What, you doin' that Atkins diet or somethin?!" loud enough for literally the entire restaurant to hear her. "Um, no," I replied. Whatever.

Last of all, I'm finally willing to admit that recently I found out even more high-maintenance-ness during my physical in August. My gall bladder gets irritated by nuts (Lara bars, granola, almond milk, peanutbutter...), fried food (read: FRENCH FRIES, which I consider God's food from heaven) and whole grains (read: brown rice and quinoa).

Sure. I was sort of depressed. Beaten down for a day or two. But not broken. I have to tell you that I have discovered that I can still eat a lot of great stuff... for instance, in this past week I've eaten:

• gluten-free carrot bread
• breaded mahi mahi (made with gluten-free breadcrumbs that I made myself from a loaf of GF bread)
• omelette
• grilled chicken salad
• tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwich (yes, low fat cheese, but that's life) on GF bread
• pasta salad chock full of vegetables (yes, rice pasta)
• homemade bean soup
• Greek yogurt (new BFF) and berries
• Smoothies
• Indian food -- nearly every kind
  
• homemade hummus and veggie sticks
• turkey burger and baked fries
• naked burrito at Chicken Ranch
  
• GF waffles
  

Perhaps most embarrassing to admit is that now I've learned how to eat the way I should have been eating my whole life: low-fat protein with lots of fruits and vegetables and plenty of calcium. I'm so thankful for string cheese, yogurt, soup, vegetables, fruit, eggs, and gluten-free products. But I really miss French fries. I may fudge once in awhile on those....

Eat healthy, people.

Focus

If you are feeling stressed, busy, overwhelmed, tense, this is a profound reminder:

The point is clear: there is to be no time, no thing, that absorbs us so much that we lose contact with the God of life; no stress so tension-producing, no burden so complex, no work so exhausting that God is not our greatest agenda, our constant companion, our rest and our refuge. More, whatever other people worship, we are to keep our minds and hearts on God. (Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict)

Psalm 118:4-8
Let those who fear the LORD say:
"His love endures forever."

⁵ In my anguish I cried to the LORD,
and he answered by setting me free.

⁶ The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

⁷ The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
I will look in triumph on my enemies.

⁸ It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.

Focus on the things that last. That truly matter.