Ok, look. I am not one of those people that thinks "trusting medicine" is somehow "unfaithful" or "not trusting God." It's quite clear to me that medical skill, knowledge, and wisdom is one of the gifts God has given this world to treat and cure illness, alleviate suffering, and extend life.
But.
This bothers me: "If you're on the birth control pill, there's no medical need to have a period every month."
First of all, the birth control pill acts to suppress a natural function, ovulation. It does not treat a disorder. (although it may alleviate the symptoms of one)
I am turning into one of those naturalist "crunchy cons", to be sure, but if having a period is not inextricably linked to ovulating (which it's clearly not, because someone on birth control has a period but does not ovulate), then perhaps, there is, in fact, a reason to have one.
Scientists may not know what that reason is, but it doesn't mean that there isn't one. In biology class, we always learn about form and function being linked - that if something is shaped a certain way or does a certain thing, it's for a reason. Which is basically an acceptable-to-the-public-schools way of saying, "maybe God does know what He's doing, after all."
I for one, find it odd that anyone would actively force artificial hormones and other chemicals into their body, in a manner that suppresses not one, but two, natural bodily functions, for the purpose of having sex without the responsibility of a child.
It just seems like a strange calculation, to value "free love" over one's health.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Road Trip + 5K
Although the road trip brought back lots of memories, and made me realize a lot of things about myself, it also encouraged me to, how do I put this?, move forward. I realized that while I'd been nurturing my dreams, I'd been doing so rather passively, and kind of living in the past. Not totally, but living in a past rendition of those dreams. Enough of the "variables" in those dreams are changing now, that in some ways, the dreams have to change and grow and develop. Not that they are "wrong" at their core, but just that...well, I'm not the same person I was when I graduated from college.
In line with my New Year's Resolution to "do things", I'm taking more responsibility for making those dreams come true, instead of just expecting them to happen to me. I'm working on becoming "me", and learning to feel good about that. Not in a self-centered, the-world-revolves-around-me, don't-feel-any-responsibility-for-my-fellow-man kind of way. Just in a healthy, self-confident, God made me and delights in me and so I should delight in me, kind of way.
This is going to sound really strange, but I have this tshirt that I've had since college. I've worn it to bed (only) in kind of an on-again, off-again sort of way. Different periods of my life since college, you know. It's a comforting shirt, because it's nostalgic. But it carries with it a lot of emotional and political baggage, and even a little heartbreak. I've kept it in circulation out of a sense of...missing the past, dreaming that I could undo or redo certain parts of my life, a kind of safety in knowing who I am and what my life is. But somewhere along the way, I changed. Not entirely - my heart and my dreams and my desires are still the same. But I've moved on into new things, a new person, a new life. And so the tshirt is going in the box every girl has of tshirts and greeting cards and pictures that will always make me smile, but that aren't a part of my life anymore.
In its place is going the tshirt I got from doing the 5K. It's a very tangible way of reminding myself that I'm moving forward and reaching for new dreams, that I'm going to be confident in myself and who I am and what I can do. It's a little sad, but it's good. It's all good.
In line with my New Year's Resolution to "do things", I'm taking more responsibility for making those dreams come true, instead of just expecting them to happen to me. I'm working on becoming "me", and learning to feel good about that. Not in a self-centered, the-world-revolves-around-me, don't-feel-any-responsibility-for-my-fellow-man kind of way. Just in a healthy, self-confident, God made me and delights in me and so I should delight in me, kind of way.
This is going to sound really strange, but I have this tshirt that I've had since college. I've worn it to bed (only) in kind of an on-again, off-again sort of way. Different periods of my life since college, you know. It's a comforting shirt, because it's nostalgic. But it carries with it a lot of emotional and political baggage, and even a little heartbreak. I've kept it in circulation out of a sense of...missing the past, dreaming that I could undo or redo certain parts of my life, a kind of safety in knowing who I am and what my life is. But somewhere along the way, I changed. Not entirely - my heart and my dreams and my desires are still the same. But I've moved on into new things, a new person, a new life. And so the tshirt is going in the box every girl has of tshirts and greeting cards and pictures that will always make me smile, but that aren't a part of my life anymore.
In its place is going the tshirt I got from doing the 5K. It's a very tangible way of reminding myself that I'm moving forward and reaching for new dreams, that I'm going to be confident in myself and who I am and what I can do. It's a little sad, but it's good. It's all good.
Some "Me Time"
I haven't written yet about the crazy road trip I took last week. (Two weeks ago, now?) Anyway, "Big Church" that's providing my internship supervision was taking a bunch of staff to a "big church get-together" at Gigantor Church, my home congregation. They asked if I wanted to go. Um, yes.
Problem, though. They wanted to drive down all day on Monday, do the "get-together" all day Tuesday, and then drive back Tuesday night. Um, no. First of all, I'd be super crabby by the time we got back, because that is way too much time in the car, and so not enough time with Gigantor Church or people who live in Gigantor Church Town. Second, I've been looking for a chance to get back to College Town, which is an easy drive from Gigantor Church Town.
So instead of driving down with the Big Church staff on Monday, I left Sunday right after church and headed for College Town. I had dinner with an old college professor and his wife, spent the night with my college roomie, and then coffee in the morning with another former professor. Then I headed over to campus and spent some time wandering around there, and ended up having lunch my major-department secretary. Then I hit the road to Gigantor Church Town, got my oil changed at the best place ever, met Big Church staff at the hotel, and then we all had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Phenomenal.
Tuesday was the "get-together" with staff from about 10 other "big churches." There were tours of the building, a worship service, lunch, and some hangout-with-your-interest-group time. By mid-afternoon, we were ready to head out. I met my BFF for a quick dinner, and then hit the road for Seminary Town. Spent the night with friends on the floor of a dorm room, visited one of my parishioners in the hospital (total God thing that one of my people from my intern congregation would be having surgery at this out-of-town hospital right when I was going to be there), grabbed a very fast lunch with my CPE group, swung by discipleship group, met with my advisor to work on my class schedule, and then hit the road back to Small Town for the Church School Easter Pageant.
Wow. Okay. So, takeaways from this crazy four days:
Problem, though. They wanted to drive down all day on Monday, do the "get-together" all day Tuesday, and then drive back Tuesday night. Um, no. First of all, I'd be super crabby by the time we got back, because that is way too much time in the car, and so not enough time with Gigantor Church or people who live in Gigantor Church Town. Second, I've been looking for a chance to get back to College Town, which is an easy drive from Gigantor Church Town.
So instead of driving down with the Big Church staff on Monday, I left Sunday right after church and headed for College Town. I had dinner with an old college professor and his wife, spent the night with my college roomie, and then coffee in the morning with another former professor. Then I headed over to campus and spent some time wandering around there, and ended up having lunch my major-department secretary. Then I hit the road to Gigantor Church Town, got my oil changed at the best place ever, met Big Church staff at the hotel, and then we all had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Phenomenal.
Tuesday was the "get-together" with staff from about 10 other "big churches." There were tours of the building, a worship service, lunch, and some hangout-with-your-interest-group time. By mid-afternoon, we were ready to head out. I met my BFF for a quick dinner, and then hit the road for Seminary Town. Spent the night with friends on the floor of a dorm room, visited one of my parishioners in the hospital (total God thing that one of my people from my intern congregation would be having surgery at this out-of-town hospital right when I was going to be there), grabbed a very fast lunch with my CPE group, swung by discipleship group, met with my advisor to work on my class schedule, and then hit the road back to Small Town for the Church School Easter Pageant.
Wow. Okay. So, takeaways from this crazy four days:
- There is a very large part of my heart that is in College Town. An extremely large part. Simply put, it is home for me. When I came around the curve of the interstate and saw the first big green sign that said College Town, with the down arrow for the right lane, I breathed a sigh of relief just to be there.
- My college professors are awesome, and they know me so well. I had really been stressing about a lot of things, and they were able, separately, but sort of together, to pull it all out of me and help me get my head on straight.
- Rural ministry is not for me. And it is okay to say that.
- "Pick up your cross and follow me," "deny yourself," and "sacrifice" does not mean "Make yourself miserable for Jesus." "A new creation" does not mean "continue to reject/not use the gifts God has given you because you think that they/you are 'not good enough,' and cram yourself into a lifestyle/career that is really not what you're suited/called to, because you're convinced that God 'wants to make you into a new creation.'" Taking on a career and a life and a calling that you are passionate and joyful about is not selfish, elitist, or arrogant. The "different members" of the body of Christ is for real. If you're an arm, be an awesome arm, and don't worry about whether you're supposed to be a liver, or whether God would love you more if you were a spleen. Just be a fabulous arm.
- God loves me. When Awesome Senior Pastor of Gigantor Church preached at worship on Tuesday, he said lots of great things, I'm sure, but what I heard, that I remembered, was "I know we're all church people and we're used to judging other people's sermons instead of listening to them, but for today, please just hear that God loves you." I had not heard this in a very, very long time. It was very nice to hear.
- I think I am a strange introvert. I need the quiet time to "recharge", but too much quiet time and I turn into a crazy person. I need people around me. I need friends and relatives and engaging conversation and intellectual stimulation.
- I'm definitely looking forward to being back on campus - I just wish that so many of my friends weren't in the class below me and thus, going to be gone on internship when I get back.