Vacation Pictures Part 3

Three Whooping Cranes including a juvenile (the darker one on the right)

 

Closest I could get to a pair of Whooping Cranes. Beautiful birds

Snails in the marsh at Goose Island State Park (probably dinner for the birds)

Vacation part 2

Deer (Whitetail  I believe) sitting right by the road at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

Mustang Island State Park-Reddish Egret scratching itself

Red Tailed Hawk (Dark Morph)

Turkey in a tree at sunrise (Aransas National Wildlife Refuge)

Sunrise the morning after storms moved through the area

Osprey

Sandhill Cranes (Picture isn't great it was cloudy, but they are beautiful birds!)

Brown Pelican taking off out of the water

Beautiful Butterfly (I am a birder who is trying to learn butterflies, but I believe this is a Plain Tiger)

Little Blue Heron

Black-Crowned Night Heron

A Live Oak Grove

The closest picture I could get (so far) of Whooping Cranes.  Beautiful birds.

Pictures from Vacation part 1

Great White Egret

Bottlenose Dolphin

Redhead Duck

Great Blue Heron

Lesser Scaup

Rockport Beach

Great Blue Heron

Black  Skimmer

Ruddy Turnstone

Madam Moderator Cynthia Bolbach

I was saddened this morning when I heard that Cindy had been moved into hospice care and go to bed in many ways with a heavy heart and in others ways so very happy that a wonderful servant is with her Maker.  After being a YAAD to the 219th GA and watching Cindy journey as moderator of the assembly. I like many of my peers fell in love with her.  Cindy had a heart for the church like I had never seen before.
I continued to be in conversation with Cindy via facebook leading up to her preaching at a Synod meeting I was attending as a ruling elder commissioner. 
I was sitting down at the bar watching the 2011 World Series with many other commissioners and guests at the hotel when Cindy walked in with our Synod Executive.  Right away they sat with us and as I sat beside Cindy (who was tired as she had literally just arrived) we began to talk about the Church, my school work (theological studies major), the baseball game, and many other topics that brought good laughter and wonderful insights from such a wise and thoughtful woman.

This memory is one I will cherish for a long time.  But what I will hold dear to my heart about this faithful servant is how she led by example.  Her non-anxious and gentle presence was simply amazing.  In her service I saw what it was to be Christ-like in service to the larger Church in ways that were transforming not because of her eloquent tongue or wicked smarts but because she listened deeply and cared so much about what was going on in the church and how we could all work together for the common good.  Cindy transformed my life by simply being Cindy.  Listening and loving the only way she knew how, with a gentle presence and loving spirit.

I remember when I posted my blog (see the post here) Cindy being Cindy responded to my facebook post by thanking me for sharing what I thought.  This was very pleasing to my soul because one of the things the YAAD's loved about Cindy was that she cared about what we had to say and what we thought (not that she didn't care about others but she made sure to include us in her conversations).

In the end I give thanks to God for the service and love Cindy shared with so many.  I give thanks that her life continues to live through those of us she touched in very meaningful ways.  But I am also going to bed with a heavy heart tonight as the church has lost a wonderful voice of peace and gentle reason.  May we all strive in our own ways to let Cindy's legacy live through us as she goes on to be with our Lord for all eternity.

Peace be within you all,
Krista

Sunshine and Rain

I am one class away from finishing my second week of classes as a seminarian.  In one sense it has gone by very slowly but at the same time I look back and realize these two weeks have gone really fast.  It is hard to believe I have been in Texas for three weeks and finished two weeks of class.  It is also hitting me that I am over 1,000 miles from family and friends who have been a part of my life for the last 22 years.  I was thinking about "home" (Louisville and Southern Indiana) today as the sky was dark and cloudy.  It is the first day since I have been here that it has not been sunny out.

One of the things I dreaded in Hanover was the gloom that seemed to come in the sky and stick around most of the academic year.  I felt like we had more gloomy days than sunny days in Hanover and for someone who loves to be outdoors, that was one downside to the place.  Here it has been really hot so I haven't spent too much time outdoors, and when I do it is not birding or hiking-it is in the pool!  But at the same time I feel that all of the sunshine has been a good change.  The rain is much needed here as it is across the country so I do not complain about the gloomy day (or days to come) but I rejoice in the beauty that is around me.

As I drive away from Austin or on the outskirts of Austin I find myself in awe of how beautiful the land is here.  The hills and ridges are unlike any I have ever seen or experienced before.  They may not be the Appalachian Mountains I love so much, but they still make me pretty happy.  I see the hills and the animals and think about how wonderful this world can be, and then I read the news and see how awful this world can be.  It is hard to imagine how anyone can be so hateful and destructive, it is hard to imagine how the beautiful landscape around us came into being, it is hard to imagine what has come of this world that we have to stand between these two feelings/ideas/insights of beauty and destruction, of love and hate, of peace and war.

  

In my reading of Calvin I came across a beautiful insight. Calvin makes a claim  that "our mind cannot apprehend God without rendering some honor to him, it will not suffice simply to hold that there is One whom all ought to honor and adore, unless we are also persuaded that he is the fountain of every good and that we must seek nothing elsewhere than in him."  I stopped reading and found myself caught in his statement, I was reading it over and over again.  I stopped reading and simply let this statement bounce around in my little brain and I was reminded of how small I am in this world.  And then I read what came to follow:

"I take this to mean that not only does he sustain this universes (as he once founded it) by his boundless might, regulate it by his wisdom, preserve it by his goodness, and especially rule mankind by his righteousness and judgment, bear with it in his mercy, watch over it by his protection; but also that no drop will be found either of wisdom and light, or of righteousness or power or rectitude, or of genuine truth, which does not flow from him, and of which he is not the cause.(Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion I.2.2)"

Wow.  I don't even want to go into the digestion of this small portion of reading I lifted from Calvin because I may never end this blog.  But I wanted to share it.  I wanted to share it because in light of the violence and intolerance going on in our world this brought me to a sense of peace.  It did not make me feel like the world was okay, it did not "fix" the problems I have with humanity.  BUT it did remind me that I am a child of a God who is full of love.  A God I worship and adore, a God who oozes goodness, truth, righteousness, and wisdom.  I was reminded that this world may be big but God is still here even when we doubt and question where God is in the midst of violence, hate, and chaos.  God is here, God is still breathing and oozing good things into this creation, be on the lookout.  Be reminded of the greatness of the God who created you.  Be reminded that we are to seek this God above all else in the world.

Peace and All Good Things,

Krista

1 Week down...

I am in my second week here at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.  So far I have experienced many things including seminarians playing kickball, chapel services, all of my classes, being sick, being homesick, and being stuck in Austin traffic.

It has been an adventure so far, but I have to say that one of my favorite experiences so far has been taking communion in chapel.  For many taking communion by intinction is nothing new, however here at APTS it was new to me!  It was a new experience because those serving the bread tear the bread and hand it to you proclaiming it to be the "Bread of Life."  Some may read this and think what is so new and great?  Well the reasoning behind the bread being given to you is that you are not working to earn it.  You do nothing but stand there and receive this gift.  It is just like grace!!

Maybe some of you have experienced this before, maybe not.  I do know that each time I receive communion I will remember this and remember that it isn't that I "take" communion but I "receive" it and I will be intentional about the language I use to about communion as well.

As my seminary journey continues I am sure I will find nerdy things such as the way communion is received to get excited about.  I am sure I will continue to have fun playing kickball with my colleagues, and I am sure that traffic will continue to be a challenge.  I am also certain that I will continue to be more aware of the ways God presents the many riches of God's grace to me in various forms!  As for being sick, well I hope that is not something that comes around very often but if it does I will take it one day at a time and I will be getting myself in to see an allergist!

I hope you are all reminded of grace each and everyday, and I hope it is made manifest to you in many ways including ways you never imagined.

Peace and all good things,
Krista

I am a Seminarian!

It has been a while since I wrote a blog and shared my thoughts with the world, so I thought I would take time this morning and write about my adventure to Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

I left on Thursday August 23 for what was suppose to be 8ish hours to Little Rock, Arkansas.  12 hours later, 3 of which were spent around Nashville, I arrived at my hotel and crashed.  The next morning I checked out and walked out the doors to find my rear passenger tire to be flat.  After using a can of fix a flat I found the nearest tire place to get a replacement.  They informed me that they could not even look at my car until 5pm and sent me down the road where two nice gentlemen looked at it, told me I needed a new tire and sent me to another store because they did not have any in stock.  FINALLY around noon my car had a new tire and I was on the road again.  I found myself completely worn out after touring the Little Rock tire stores and decided I should stay outside Dallas on Friday evening instead of pushing through to Austin.  Dallas was pretty uneventful as I pretty much crashed into my bed and slept until the next morning.  Saturday I made the final 3 hour push to Austin and after 3 days of driving adventures I was in my new home!

I spent the weekend unpacking and organizing my stuff because I knew Orientation would leave me little time to do so.  I also did my best to drive around Austin and find my way around-which I am getting pretty good at. I also attended a church in South Austin on Sunday-the sermon was great and the people were super nice-and had Tex-Mex for lunch (lots of that around here).


Wednesday began Orientation.  7:30am came way too early as I was entirely too anxious to sleep Tuesday evening.  But I got myself out of bed (more like the Spirit pulled the covers off me and told me to get my butt up!) made a pot of coffee and headed to breakfast and the rest of the days events.  It was great to meet classmates, professors, and other very helpful and lovely people around here.  Everyone is so excited about journeying through this theological education together and I too am ready and excited for the journey.

In my quiet time this morning I thought about where I am right now, who God has called me to be this day, and I am excited.  I am ready for new friends, new adventures, and continued learning as this new chapter in my life comes to life.  I realize how beautiful it is to observe God at work in so many lives and then to remember that God is not just at work here at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, but God is at work in all of us, in this entire world, and that is something to be excited about! 

I look forward to sharing this journey with everyone around me.  I look forward to learning with my classmates, professors, and friends.  And I look forward to being open to the movement of the Spirit, to being aware of God's work in me, in others, and in the world.  I look forward to these next 3 years and the rest of this life God has called me to!


Peace be within you all,
Krista