Trip Photos, Part I

At long last, some photos from my trip!  I’m going to post the photos with stories, not in chronological order at all.  So this is from Day 4 of the trip.

Story One:  The Cathedral

My fascination with Washington National Cathedral had a weird origin, which was the TV show “The West Wing.”  At the end of the second season, a dear friend of the President dies and her service is at the National Cathedral (and the show got permission to actually film there, which is an amazing story in itself).  During that episode, the President asks that the Secret Service seal off the Cathedral and leave him in there.  He then has a meltdown and yells at God (in English and in Latin), and he lights a cigarette, throws it on the floor of the Cathedral, and stomps on it.  It is the type of raw, emotional moment that draws me right in.  And the fact that it was set in this stunning Cathedral made it all the more compelling.  And that is the origin of my fascination!  I told you it was weird!

I was in DC in 2006 but did not make it to the Cathedral then, so it was at the very tip top of my list on this trip.  And I finally got there on a rainy Monday.

That picture above does not show how enormous the Cathedral is, so I got another view as I was starting to go up the stairs.

Going inside the Cathedral was literally breathtaking for me.  It is magnificent, visually and spiritually.  The grace of God feels so tangible in there.  I lit a candle and said a prayer and walked around speechless.  All around me were gorgeous stained glass windows and high pillars and dedications to people who have gone before us.

I sat on one of the chairs, trying to take it all in.  I walked up the center aisle, trying to imagine Martin Sheen having to yell at God in this place.  The organist was playing off and on, and the music filled the Cathedral.   I thought about Presidents and others who have been remembered here, about Presidents still living who have been to services here.  I wanted to soak in every image, every sound, every feeling of this awesome place.

Merry Christmas!

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”  (Luke 2:10-11)

Merry Christmas to all!  I hope you have wonderful celebrations!

All Saint’s Sunday

Our church rang bells today for the saints who has passed away since last All Saint’s Day.  There is always silence in our large congregation when those bells ring as the names are called out.  It is an indescribable moment.  This has been a tough year of loss in my church, from a young boy who fought three years with major heart problems to some much beloved senior members who served the church for many years.  It has also been a tough year for many people I know.  God’s peace to all.

Mrs. Doctor So-and-So

When people find out that I’m starting a doctoral program, they say things like, “Oh, we’re going to have to call you Dr. [so-and-so]!”  And I always joke back that I hope to be married and have a different last name by the time I’m finished with my program, so I’ll have to look for someone with a cool name like Zhivago or Strangelove!  And they laugh.

The cool last names bit is a silly sidebar, but I honestly do hope to be married or headed in that direction by the end of my program.  That is probably my biggest non-school related wish for the next five years.  I have had a much easier time being social and making new friends over the last year, and I feel like I’ve stepped fully into who I am as an adult.  I’ve heard many people say that your 30s are when you get to finally just be who you are, and that has held so true for me.  I’m in a great place in my life now, and it would be nice to have a dance partner now at this stage to grow old with.

About a year ago, someone said that I might try praying for my future husband.  NOT praying like asking for a husband, but just praying for his well-being and that his heart is being prepared for me and my heart is being prepared for him.  That was one of the best ideas I ever heard.  I’m not a big fan of asking God for things for me because I truly believe that everything happens in its own time, and who am I to dictate when that is?  But, I absolutely love the idea of praying for someone’s well-being, even if I don’t know them, and hoping that they are having good days with plenty of chances to grow and dance and enjoy life.

Two prayer requests

Two prayer requests on this Saturday morning…

A woman named Janet from the NIH/HPS e-mail group that I participate in is waiting for a lung transplant.  She’s first on the list and actually got The Call on Monday for a pair of lungs that turned out to not be good enough for transplant, so she’s still waiting.

A tiny baby boy named Luc was born on Monday, weighing in at 2 pounds, 7 ounces.  He’s the nephew of a friend of mine.  He will be in the NICU for several weeks.

Confessions of the Lutheran Kind

I often feel like I should do First Communion and Confirmation all over again because I seriously did not pay enough attention to the actual Bible Study the first time around.  I chose my Confirmation verse from a list of suggested verses because it was the shortest.  I told my current pastor that I want the church to offer a “Bible for Dummies” course, for people who were distracted or just focused too much on memorizing stuff when they were teenagers.  He just laughs, but I am totally serious.

I think part of the problem is that I didn’t continue in youth group beyond confirmation.  In fact, I was confirmed one Sunday and was the co-music director for the preschool Sunday School area the next Sunday, and I never looked back.  The following year, I was still the music person and I started teaching Sunday School and did so all the way through high school.  So, if you ever need to know about Noah or mangers, I’ve got you covered!  Magic Penny song?  I can totally play it for you.  I’ve done the entire preschool program so many times!  The less kid-friendly stuff is when you lose me though.

So, if you don’t mind, I’d like a do over please.

I have gone through a couple of big adult Bible Study programs at my church, including reading the New Testament in 90 Days and reading The Purpose Driven Life.  I now know Romans is my favorite book and Romans 5:3-5 my favorite verse (um, hello, a great Confirmation verse — do over!!).  I know that my favorite Gospel is the Gospel of John (the beginning hooks me right in!).  So I’m learning.  But it was with some anxiety that I joined a small group that is partly (well, probably mostly right now) focused on Bible Study.  The person who agreed to be our first leader quit, leaving me as the logical leader.  Yeah right, me lead a Bible Study when my expertise is the preschool curriculum!  So you can imagine my relief when a new person came out of the woodwork today who is happy to lead us.  And guess what?  She did all the youth group and church camp activities, so she knows what she’s doing.  Thanks be to God!

Gratitude

On this Thanksgiving Day, I’m thankful for always having family around to spend the holidays with.  I’m thankful for my cozy apartment and a freezer full of food to eat.  I’m thankful for new opportunities ahead with work and school.  I’m thankful for students who e-mailed me to wish me Happy Thanksgiving!  I’m thankful for friends who understand the challenges of chronic illness.  I’m thankful for having grown up in a church and for a growing group of faithful friends.  I’m thankful for music that calms me, inspires me, and moves me.  I’m thankful for this day and this life and for all that is ahead.

Prayers requested

My dear friend Katy has been in the hospital for several days with adrenal insufficiency/failure, and her body is just not responding as expected to medical intervention.  She and her family are really struggling with the exhaustion of dealing with all this.  Please say a prayer for Katy and her family.

The words we need

Tomorrow, I’m giving a talk based on my graduate research at a summer math camp.  (My graduate research was on a particularly famous multi-colored cube.)  Though I gave a bunch of talks on the subject when I was a grad student and shortly thereafter, it’s been a while since the last one.  I have a presentation folder that I’ve used for every presentation I’ve given on any topic since 2001, and I kind of had to dust it off to get ready for tomorrow.  Fortunately, all my notes and overhead transparencies from previous talks were in there, so I only had to spruce them up a bit to get ready again.

I was also surprised but so happy to find in the folder a note from my pastor.  He is a dear friend and has attended a couple of my presentations in the past.  Before my very first big research presentation, he e-mailed me and quoted scripture saying, “God who has begun this good work in you shall bring it to completion.”  I remember knowing when I saw those words that first time that they needed to be in my line of sight when I gave my very first (and very shaky!) research talk, so I printed them out and tucked them in a little pocket in the presentation folder then.  And though I’m a much more confident and steady public speaker now, I still appreciate those words so much and they will be with me again tomorrow and will help me breathe in that “now’s the time” moment when I’m introduced as the speaker.

Prayer Request

My cousin Amie (who is 31 weeks pregnant) is in the hospital with high blood pressure.  Please keep her and her baby girl in your prayers.