Itās been a minute. Free Palestine, Congo, Sudan. Protect all children. Demolish patriarchy and annihilate racism. Create sustainable systems for our beautiful world. Stop locking people up. Care for one another. Thank you. That will be all for now.
To the MAGA Church- I promise You, Godās love is even wider and broader and deeper than you can imagine. Itās even bigger than your biases and worldviews and experiences. Itās bigger than your pain that you donāt know how to hold because no one told you it was normal to feel worthless but supernatural to know how precious you are. Iāll tell you a secret. God said āthis is goodā before one thing went wrong, and Godās first words over humanity are THIS IS GOOD, not YOUāRE A SINNER! Original Belovedness is an even EARLIER condition than āoriginal sin.ā You donāt suck so much that God could barely stomach looking at you, God cares about what HURTS you, not what simply offends you because you donāt like it or understand it. There is a more expansive love that actually wants flourishing for ALL. That includes you and everyone you think God despises.
There are a few people not pictured in this photo, because they were just in front of me and I couldnāt get us all in one photo, but this snapshot represents the moments I look forward to the most- uninterrupted time spent with family. Dad got us all tickets to ride Thomas the Train this past weekend and it was SO HOT, but we ended up having a funny and memorable time together and it helped to coordinate everyone being in town at the same time. Thereāve been bike rides and river trips, weird movie nights, LOTS of food and cooking together, talking about love and loss and dreams, our mutual angst and rage against capitalism and racism and patriarchy, buying random items at yard sales, some badminton and LOTS of the song āThe Wheels on the Busā for the youngest among us. I am so grateful that we can make the world stop for a spell to be together. This fills my cup.
Daicia decided before leaving for her Sabbatical that I would need some fun and refreshment in New Orleans in November and we booked our flights. Then we realized Katie could come by after a conference and we couldnāt have had the crew without Em. This is what happens when colleagues become lifelong friends. Such sweet and silly times- so thankful to make memories with these gems. š
āWhatever you do, when youāre looking for hope, CONNECT.ā Thank you so much @lisasharper for your voice in the world and for coming to the place where a death led to a new life for me @theseattleschool . Thank you for not turning away from the suffering of the world, particularly tonight in sharing the realities of Palestine. I am refreshed by who you are. Hope is in the streets and on the margins, in the connection interwoven through us all.
A dazzling time in Denver with the Amsterdam crew! We roller derby watched, museumed, brunched, ecclesed, hot springsed, pizzaed and bbqed and steaked, bookstored, coffeed, teahoused, batted, ladder-drove, Red Rocks viewed, slept and woke and delighted in company. So thankful for adventurous friendships in the midst of my misadventurous life: I accidentally first booked this trip for May, forgot to check my paid for luggage and had to pay more at the gate (thanks Frontier), slept in the airport the first night to try to save money, got sick (not Covid but feels similar), missed my flight back bc it changed without updating my calendar (thanks Frontier), booked another flight for $320ish, got home and realized I left my purse in the Lyft, for $20 more they brought it back just after midnight. But I wouldnāt have missed this trip for the world! And maybe I should take applications for a personal assistant?
November: Elisabethās birthday extravaganza in Valle de Guadalupe Mexico meeting some wonderful, fun, kindred new people along with Elisabeth, Jacob and Jen
December: thereās secretly a wonderful baby in this photo, too, but heās not for public view, and Iām so happy I got to snuggle him!
In 2023 I didnāt take a lot of photos- Iām not the best at it, and there were some sweet things I want to remember from this past year that just werenāt captured- moments in deep conversation, across beautiful tables of food, celebrating moments and people I love, meeting new precious neighbors, celebrations of holidays. And there was a lot that broke me this year, too, Palestine, mental health of mine and my loved ones, loss of family members, uncertainty, the āalmostā relationships I tend to have, my longing for belonging. Anyway, to 2024. Iām letting go of restlessness and perfection as much as I can, and Iām reaching out for help, accepting that having needs is human.
January: Court and me at Kimberlyās for a Songwriting Gals get Together
February: Kozy in a shoe on a Bachelorette night at Katieās
March: on my way to Town Hall for an event with Michelle Zauner with Tiff and Lisa
April: exploring the gardens at Alderbrook when Daic, Em and I stayed
May: Mark and Tracy in Mount Vernon where we celebrated Markās birthday with Mom, Dad and Lib
June: in the conference room at staff retreat at Ruston Way
July: looking out a new window from a new home space
August: the Stranger Things exhibit when Dustin, Jared, Cup and Jeff were in Seattle
September: birthday dinner at The George with Em T, Tiff and Mary
October: pre Evening of Choice drinks with Katie and Em W
