2/15/10
Hello Friends,
Its snowing in Omaha today. Again. But (and I acknowledge the craziness of saying this) I am really thankful that the temperatures were in the 20s this weekend; it was bit of relief from the recent blinding cold. I have spent much of these winter months dreaming of front porch sitting, vegetable growing, and compost stirring. The anticipation building in winter compounds ands ferments my love of spring, summer and fall. In all the gardening books they call it “the growing season,” in Omaha the farmer’s market is operational from May 10 – October 10. Winter is important for the rhythm of the seasons here. The perennials and the soil need time to do their mysterious wintery activities—although we can’t see it those roots are at work even now. Armed with my ridiculously large, down stuffed, fur-trimmed, stubborn zippered jacket there are moments I even find myself enjoying this time. I started a gardening class at the beginning of this month. I will be participating in a volunteer program designed to educate the community on lawn and garden care. I’m mostly interested in learning to raise vegetables. I will be involved in a vegetable garden called Project H.O.P.E. which grows food for the local food pantries.
I am involved in a writing circle with some of my closest friends in Omaha. We gather once a month to dream, imagine, and sharpen our writing. We are given a couple exercises, some time to write, and the option to share what you wrote with the group. The purpose is for each woman in the group to find her voice and uncover her story. I am pleasantly surprised at the depth of sharing and the building of trust that happens over the weeks. I’m honored to have the opportunity to listen to my friends speak their writings.
At work I have had a couple opportunities to speak and share the story of Word Made Flesh with students. I was at Urbana, a triennial missions conference, in St. Louis the last week of December. I gave a seminar on human trafficking and had the opportunity to talk to enthusiastic college students about their hopes and dreams for the future, it was surprisingly energizing for to be around students. In January, I gave the same talk on human trafficking to a class at the all boys Catholic high school in town. This week I’m heading to Pittsburg to another missions conference for college students. What I have enjoyed about this part of my job is the opportunity to teach. I get excited about connecting students to pertinent information and sharing the wealth of experience of our community with others. Occasionally, reflecting on the larger story of Word Made Flesh, rather than the minutia of my daily tasks has helped me stay passionate about what I do.
Thanks for reading,
Marcia