Retraction

Forget going home for Christmas.* My brother just informed me that my parents have finally caved in in their old age and purchased a fa...this is so hard to say...a fak....I think I'm going to be sick....a fake...there!...A FAKE CHRISTMAS TREE!! What?????? Excuse me??? Are you for real?? I feel completely taken for the fool. My mother announces to me a few weeks back that I am really going to love the tree this year. "It's so big," she said. "And very pretty. Our prettiest one yet." Being the trusting child that I am I take her at her word and never stop to think maybe, just maybe, she's referring to a big "beautiful" FAKE TREE!!!!!! Good grief! Look, if I'd wanted to sit in front of a fake tree, I would have just stayed in P-town with my little 14-inch fake tree from Michaels and drunk myself to death with my over abundance of Christmas tea while listening to Clay Aiken singing "Mary did you know?" and Amy Grant singing "Breath of Heaven." Seriously! What were they thinking? They live in God's country--the beautiful Pacific Northwest. WA is the freakin' Evergreen state!! I mean, how hard could it be to procure a real live Douglass Fir or whatever??? Christmas tree farms in our little corner of the world are about as ubiquitious as Starbucks are in Seattle or any other big city in the world for that matter.

My brother warned me not to make too big a deal out of it and to do all of my mourning before going home as he thinks that my parents are dreading my response. Maybe they should have been forthcoming with me in the first place! As it is, they've set me up to give them grief. They were surprised when Samuel made as big of a deal of it as he did when he arrived home from southern Cali. Here's what he had to say to that: "i live in southern california. where pine trees are a myth that exist only on hallmark cards and in plastic form on hollywood movie lots." Poor boy! Give him some real green!

Well, Mom and Dad, if you are reading this blog, you know the secret is out! I'll do my best to mourn from a distance so that I can keep an open mind when I finally do get home. I ended my last post of longing with a nice little Advent reflection. Can I make such a leap this time?? If I take a stab at it it will only be cheesier than the previous one. Here goes: Perhaps I should consider this fake Christmas tree as but a tiny sign of the still-to-be-100% redeemed world (ie: it's part of the "not yet") for which Christ was born into the world. If so, I can never be fully satisfied and say, "It is well." No, no! I must brave on, praying and working for the day when all Christmas trees will be real. So there!

*This statement is meant for effect only and should not be read literally!

O Christmas Tree

My mom tells me the Christmas tree this year is the best one ever, all big and full and beautifully decorated. It didn't help that I woke up on Monday morning wishing I was home already, cup of tea in hand, sitting in front of the lighted tree, making up for lost time. Sigh. Not that this last week in P-town isn't filled with fun holiday cheer. Monday night was the Young Adult Christmas Open House for my church. Last night I had dinner with the family whose kids I babysit on Wednesdays. Tonight is the seminary Christmas concert followed by time hanging out with friends. Tomorrow night I'm going over to a friend's place for yummy treats. And then it's Friday. TGIF. Oh wait, Friday night is looking a bit bleak. Everyone will pretty much have already left. I guess I'll be cleaning, doing laundry, watching a movie...longing to be in front of the family tree with the fam. Sigh. As it is, I won't officially be home (as in pulling up to the driveway) until after midnight on Saturday night (a.k.a., on Christmas Eve). I've never gotten home for Christmas so late before. I don't know if I like it. We open our gifts as a family on Christmas Eve night so I'll be wrapping all my gifts earlier in the day. I'm usually the first one to put gifts under the tree. Not this year. If only it didn't cost an arm and a leg to change a flight. Okay, enough of my complaining. At least I'll be home for Christmas. Maybe I should take advantage of my longing and consider the even more important time of waiting and longing for the in-breaking of God into our world that is signified by Advent season. After all, we know that all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well. God did assume human flesh unto God's self and enter our broken world and frail humanity. And God will come again to finish what God began. When I look at it in this light, what is a few more days away from home longing to be in front of the Christmas tree???

Begin

Begin again to the summoning birds
to the sight of light at the window,
begin to the roar of summoning traffic
all along the Pembroke Road.
Every beginning is a promise
born in light and dying in the dark
determination and exaltation of springtime
flowering the way to work.
Begin to the pageant of queuing girls
and arrogant loneliness of swans in the canal
bridges linking the past and the future
old friends passing though with us still.
Begin to the loneliness that cannot end
since it perhaps is what makes us begin,
begin to wonder at unknown faces,
at crying birds in the sudden rain
at branches stark in the willing sunlight
at seagulls foraging for bread
at couples sharing a sunny secret
alone together while making good.
Though we live in a world that dreams of ending
that always seems about to give in
something that will not acknowledge conclusion
insists that we forever begin.
--Brendan Kennelly

Would you have been able to answer this?

This morning in the 6th grade Sunday school class, we had a little party since it was our last class before the New Year. By way of review of what we've been learning all fall and for a little fun competitive game, I made a Jeopardy game for the kids to play. Every week, we open class with a reading from the Old Testament that features in the New Testament somehow. Every week we mix up the opening reading a little bit, trying to keep the kids engaged and involved. Liz, one of the other teachers, the past two weeks, has printed out the passage on strips of paper and invited a group of kids to come to the front of the class and do a reading of the day's Scripture passage. This has gone over really well with the kids. They all clamor on top of each other for the coveted seven reading parts. Then, those chosen kids, read aloud their part with all of the dramatic flare their little 6th grade personalities can muster (which is quite a lot!!). I was curious how much of the passage they were actually taking in though so, since we had had the same passage for three weeks in a row, I decided to figure the passage in to the final Jeopardy answer. Here's what they were up against:
"In Isaiah 61:1-2, this is one of the many things God's anointed one was sent to do."

Much to my delight, all three teams got this right. They had been listening all along!

As we head into this final week of Advent leading up to Christmas, take time, if you can, to read Isaiah 61:1-2 and rejoice in the good news that this is who Jesus Christ was, is and will be for all people. Amen!

Merry, mery, merry, merry Christmas!

Oh the secrets that were told! Last year, my friend, Millason, helped Aramark cater the annual faculty Christmas party at the house of the President of Princeton Theological Seminary. She worked the coat check and had the funniest stories about seeing the "before" and "after" professors--i.e., seeing them before and after booze! As you can see from the picture, I was quite intent on taking it all in. I was so entertained by her stories that I decided right then and there--back in December 0f 2005--that come next December I was going to work the faculty Christmas party come hell or high water! :-)

Yep! Just got home! It was highly entertaining... Let's just say, the professors like to get loosened up by a little vino. I myself got to bring home two bottles, along with a nice little tip for working the coats so efficiently. Yeah, baby! It was truly a merry time!

And you thought there was nothing good on day-time televsion!

Ha! Check this out! I beg to differ! This is Q-U-A-L-I-T-Y!!!! I'm still smiling and have been listening to my Les Miserables soundtrack ever since....at the end of the day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhXsJjVdj1E

Thursdays are T-days

T for Thomas
Thomas as in "of Aquinas"
Read: Scholastic medieval theologian who wrote way too much and literally put the "systematic" in Systematic Theology.
Are you hooked?

I sure wasn't at the beginning of the semester and even now I'm quick to say that Thomas Aquinas is NOT the reason I went into Systematic Theology. However, now that I know an inkling about Thomist studies, I find SOME of it interesting--most particularly, the various schools of thought that try to understand his Trinitarian Theology, it's place in his work and its influence on the rest of theology to come after him. This coming week up until Christmas I will be working hard to try to improve, augment and adapt the position paper I presented in seminar on his doctrine of the persons of God so that at the end of the day, I will have a final paper to turn in come January 12th.

Conversations in my Thomas seminar can be quite stimulating. We've had one particular debate about Thomas' method and starting point going on all semester. Every week, the same debate gets slightly tweeked to better fit into that week's readings. Last Thursday the idea in question was this:
1.) Whether it is on the basis of faith that Thomas knows that natural reason can provide us with a knowledge of the common essence of the Triune God.

Now, it seems clear enough from what Thomas himself says that this is indeed what Thomas believes himself to be doing. The question some in the class are after, though, is whether this is legitimate. Can natural reason provide us with a picture of God that is in line with God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ, witnessed to in Scripture? Or will such a starting point create a metaphysical picture of who God is and what God can and cannot do that will inevitably "box God in" and ultimately not be the God revealed in Jesus Christ? This is what is up for debate.

I could go on, but I just realized that this is probably boring you and/or confusing you and you are wondering why you ever took the time to stop by my blog and take a peek. Well, consider this my exercise this month in putting the theology back into "Tea and Theology." Now, go drink some tea and forget about it! ;-)

Coming back to Princeton in September

The experience Jen and I had of flying to Newark and then taking the train to Princeton was a memorable one indeed. I'll spare you the gory details, but a picture's worth a 1000 words!!!

Ahhh, relaxing among just a few of my many boxes before I begin the mad process of setting up digs... Who knows why I'm in a skirt! A girl's gotta look cute though, right?!

Jen, why do you look so interested? Oh, what? You got up at the crack of dawn to drive into NYC with Shannon and then sit in line for 6 hours in Central Park for free tickets to Mother Courage starring Meryl Streep! Now I get it! Memories.....



This is our happy, post-waiting in line, "we got tickets to see Meryl" happy face. If I look a little pale with disheveled hair it is because one of my bags was still missing at the airport with all of my toiletries. Don't worry, though. I had on deodorant that day! ;-)

Now that I'm trying to catch the blog up on my life these past few months, here's what I did for my B-day this October

I LOVE the Indigo Girls, in case you didn't know. It was a blast going with my good friends, Amy and Cari to se them in concert in Philly. Their new album out this fall, Despite Our Differences, is their best one yet, in my opinion. Get it today! Oh yeah, and my t-shirt is from one of their new songs, Pendulum Swingers, which is "totally awesome." Some of their biggest fans created motions to the chorus that are just too silly but so fun. I'll gladly perform them for you in person when I see you next if your little heart so desires!!

My ever-so humble new digs

It will be a work in the process the next four years. How I'd love to be able to register! Ha! This little place that I now call home is a mixture of cheap, free and hand-me-down furniture, old dorm room decorations, sugar and spice and everything nice like tea and theology books. Yes that's what Shannon's "quaint" apartment is made of! Tee-hee!

Who I hang with on Wednesday afternoons this year

Cuties Sam and Emma Bezilla brighten my Wednesday afternoons. I need me some fun kid time each week to keep sane and grounded. These kids are top quality--extremely smart and creative they always keep me smiling and laughing! Here, here!

PhD students cannot live by studying the Word alone

Adam in OT, Nicole in American Church History, Laura inSystematic Theology, and Brittany in NT all agree with me that we must also eat food, good food that is, and plenty of it. YUMMMM! Here we are one blustery fall night eating Nicole's delish homemade soup. Life is good!

Just so you know...I met Meryl Streep!

For the full story, go to http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S16/49/92S82/index.xml?section=topstories
or for a personal account see the December 1st post here, http://alataye.livejournal.com/.
Here's my personal account of what happened to me after her speech:

I exited immediately after the announcement was made by the big round guy about where she would need to exit and happened to come right outside to where security was barricading off a door and there was the dark black car waiting. Meryl came out within a minute (about 30 seconds after the President of the university came out apologizing that she wasn't Meryl) and started to walk immediately to the car. I really don't even think she had seen us. But then we started clapping and she turned around, looked very surprised and somehow indicated, as only she could do, that she was very touched and immediately came over and started shaking the hands of the people in the front of the group. They kept saying, "It so nice to meet you," and she would say, "Thank you, thank you" and kind of divert her eyes. She got to me and stuck her hand out, almost not looking at me and I said, "Ms. Streep, thank you, that was profound." She looked surprised by that and said thank you, immediately moving on to the last person." Then she walked away. It was surreal! I finally "met" Meryl Streep (one of my life goals), shook her hand and communicated with her--trying to tell her what I really felt, but of course it sounded cliche. It is so true, though! She communicated deep truth in a way only she could have done. She was an extraordinary mixture of charming self-deprecation, humor and story-telling, all of which surrounded a deeply philosophical core about what was really her desire to see her work as human connection, reconciliation and empathy--which it is!!!! It was an unforgettable night!

This is not what Christmas is all about, but it sure is pretty!

I went into NYC last Friday night with two good friends, Erin and Lindsay. It was girls' night out. We went for dinner in the West Village (Surya--very good Indian food), and then proceeded to Rockefeller to go ice skating. Mind you this is a nice festive activity to do in the city in December, but slightly insane when you stop to think that it was 17 degrees out that night, plus very windy. We were layered up like little school children going out to play in the snow on recess. Crazy cold as it was, it was a blast. Skating around Rockefeller rink looking up at the great tree above the lit fountain was really something. I highly recommend it!

After a LONG pause from Blogging...

I'm back! No excuses, really, but I have been busy in PhD land and then found a new distractor to waste time on the inevitable MySpace. Yikes!

Anyways, hi out there. If anyone still checks this page, that is!

To give you a sampling of the fun I have in the PhD program, check out the email my friend Kara, a first-year PhD student in New Testament, sent me.

"O Holy Night ... I love that Christmas carol. But the other night I was listening to it and realized it was SUCH an enlightenment carol. It's such a product of its time in all the good and bad ways!

The first verse represents the German idealistic tendency in theology, where Jesus' message could be reduced to an eternal truth (typically it boiled down to the "Brotherhood of humanity and the eternal worth of the soul"), rather than having the weight of social/historical particularity. Knowing this ... listen to selected words to O Holy Night:

"O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining.
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
'Til he appeared and the soul felt its worth."
...

"Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease."

WELL: I still love the song, although I hate that train in biblical interpretation (where you strip off the "myth" to get to the ideal) ... but I mean, you can't hate a song that includes an anti-slavery verse! I just think it's so interesting the theological suppositions imbedded in these songs we sing without thinking about it. :) Maybe you've all already thought of this."

Why no, Kara, somehow this hadn't crossed my mind, but now that you point it out, I , like, totally see what you are saying. It is like, totally, reminiscent of Adolf von Harnack... (Said in valley girl voice for full effect). Kara thinks I'm mocking her, but really I'm just embracing the brilliant nerdiness in her that I see in me...Or is it the brilliant nerdiness in me that I see in her???

Missed me, didn't ya? ;=)

My last day in Goettingen: A Sad Good-bye to my amazing hostess, Biggi

Ga-ga for Luther (or: a silly pose at a fountain in Wittenberg!)

Luther's House!!!

Posing with Luther's favorite lady

This is the statue of Katherine von Bora, Luther's wife, which stands in the courtyard of Luther's house in Wittenberg

Door where Luther posted his 95 Theses

This is the famed Schloss Kirche in Wittenberg, of course this is not the original door as it was a wooden door and burned down in the Seven Year's War and was later replaced by this big old iron thing with each of the 95 Theses engraved into the door itself...

Luther's looking well fed, don't you think?!

Offensive note to the Jews on the outside of Luther's church

It really is incredible that they did this but as we all know the church always has and always will have things for which we are not proud of and for which we must apologize and work to counter in various ways...

Wittenbergs Stadtkirche: Where Luther Preached

Also where the people first received both bread and wine during communion and heard the sermon preached in their own language...

Shannon standing in front of the fountain at the castle

Anyone notice my new purse? Isn't it pretty? I got it while shopping in Paris! I like it a lot! ;-)

Wenigerode Schloss

We hiked up a little ways from town to get to see this castle. The grounds were impressive and the view of the land below was great. The parts of the castle we got to tour inside were quite ornate with rich furnishings and large rooms. My favorite was the grand dining room with its gigantic long table all set with the many dishes and glasses and silverware for different courses.

Fun with Naomi and Claire Wagner in Wenigerode

One of hundreds of butterflies we saw on our hike

Just some little wild flowers!!!!!

A peaceful path...

Hiking in the Harz mountains was just what I needed this weekend. I can hardly wait to get back to the PNW and do some more hiking!

Shannon and Merilee enjoying a day in nature!

Ooh, a cave bear!

Inside the Baumannshoele in Ruebeland in the Harzberge

Translation: In the Baumann cave in Rubeland in the Harz mountains of Germany. Oooh, seeing Germany from the inside out! You gotta love those stalagtites and stalagmites! Anyone else remember 4th grade geology and can tell me which ones are which? ;-)

My favorite German flowers (maybe they're not German...Keine Ahnung!)

These are the Nachtkerzen (night candles) that are all over in Biggi's backyard. One of my favorite past time in the evenings is hanging out on the patio and then between 8:30-9:30pm running around between all the Nachtkerzen plants watching the flowers open up. I feel like such a little observant scientist (something straight from the Nature Channel--you know it's bad when you make a movie of one of the opening), but really, God's creation is so cool!

Happy Shannon!

Here I am checking out the Tea Museum after a great brunch and successful tea shopping trip!

Tea, glorious tea! I was anxious to try it!

Ooh, la, la! I'm a happy camper! Fresh squeezed orange juice, Princeton Darjeeling tea, toast with yummy jelly, shrimp, smoked salmon salad and eggs. Oh, and lemon curd strawberry tart for dessert. It's good to have tea on Sunday in Paris!

Ahhh, Renoir's Le Moulin de la Gallette

Just one of many Impressionist paintings I got to see. So much fun!!!

Sacre Coeur at Montemarte

Ah the infamous gargoyles! Don't you love how he's sticking his tongue out!?

One of the many views from the towers of Notre Dame

St. Teresa of Avila statue inside the Notre Dame

Notre-Dame, of course!

Stained Glass window inside Basilica of St. Denis

I don't have a picture of the outside of the church because it was raining when we were there.

In the St. Denis Crypt

Such good lil' doggies at the feet of the little girl on the sarcophogus (sp?)

I love my Gastgeber (host)!

I watched my first World Cup game (Germany vs. Argentina) on Friday night. Biggi brought her little TV out to the patio and we set up a little outside viewing area. Germany won in overtime! We decided to celebrate (Warum nicht?)! Pineapple, starfruit, mango, kiwi, strawberries and champagne--sehr lecher! I felt honored because this is a family tradition Biggi's family has for New Year's Eve, birthdays and special occasions and I got to participate in it. Lucky me!
Biggi was happy Deutschland won! She is so much fun to laugh with! We've had lots of fun together this past week. She is definitely a beautiful blessing in this whole experience!

Views of the countryside from the castle. Amazing!