Friday Five: What’s New? November 6, 2009

Songbird writes:

There’s a new baby on my street, a double PK whose Mom and Dad are Methodist pastors and church planters. I’m hoping to go over and meet her today. I love new babies, the way they smell and their sweet little fingers and toes. Little K has me thinking about all the new things that please us with their shiny freshness.

Please share with us five things you like *especially* when they are new.

1. JOBS!! Well, not always, but I have a new one that I’m starting on the 18th and I’m very excited about it. I’m in that place where I’ve got a whole lot of emotion about it, some good, some anxious, sad about leaving friends, etc., but it’s a great opportunity and I know it’s going to be a great change for me.

2. Shoes. Everyone knows that I love me some shoes and I have to say I haven’t gotten any in a while so I’m due. The new job requires me to work on the holidays, so I’m going to visit the fam in January and you can bet that Mom and I are going to be hitting some sales for sure!

3. Books. I love books in their extreme ages – really old and really new. Really old ones have a story and I’m always fascinated by where it might have been, who might have read it, what the stains on the pages are from. Really new ones are smooth, crisp and full of possibility.

4. Kitchen Gadgets. Self-explanatory.

5. Sweaters in fall. I love the feel of a new, soft, warm fall sweater, before it’s been over-washed, before it pills, just that first new softness. Scrumptous.

Friday Five: Lifesaver Edition October 30, 2009

KathrynJZ writes:

In honor of BE Three I thought I’d offer up a Friday Five of lifesavers. I’m going on our cruise (are you?) because I am excited about meeting up with my blogging buddies again, I am interested in the speaker and because when I went on the first one my life was saved (okay, that may be a little over-dramatized but if you saw me getting on the boat and then the difference when getting off the boat you would know of what I speak).

I don’t expect – or need – another life saving moment but I want to support the conference.
Of course lifesavers can come in all sizes and with far less drama. I would readily admit that I have considered a person (children’s sermon substitute), the location of a bathroom, and a beverage (the last diet coke in the back of the fridge – score!) all to be lifesavers at one point or another.

And so today I ask you – dramatic or fairly common – what have been/are your lifesavers:

1) Your lifesaving food/beverage.
My life is saved daily by my morning cup of coffee. It makes me so happy, there are no words. I also really love ice cream. I’m not sure it’s life giving so much as comforting, but it’s really fabulous.

2) Your lifesaving article of clothing.
A scarf. I am super into brightly printed scarves as a way of tying outfits together and creating unique color combinations. Scarves make me happy and give me energy, and can keep a girl warm in a pinch.

3) Your lifesaving movie/book/tv show/music.
The book that has saved my life the most was Parker Palmer’s Let Your Life Speak. The idea of listening to your life and following its direction and to do any less is to commit violence to yourself was something I needed at the time I read it. Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline brought my relationship with God to a completely different level when I first read it nearly 20 years ago now. I re-read it every few years and I always get something new out of it.

Currently, life-givine music comes from Mute Math and Snow Patrol. They’re making my heart happy right now. As far as worship music goes, my all-time favorite is Rita Springer.

4) Your lifesaving friend.
I have had lifesaving friends at various points of life but the two that have been most consistent over the longest period of time are my mom and Lilyan. I would be nowhere without either of them.

5) Your lifesaving moment.
I have lifesaving moments all the time. Most consistently they are when I realize I have more choices that I thought and then make a healthy one.

(If it helps, try the phrase ‘life giving’ instead.)

Moving Forward II October 28, 2009

I got the job. I’m going to be the Hiring & Training Manager at the flagship store for one of our brands. I’m beyond excited. I see this as a definite step forward and not sideways, which is what I wanted and what is long overdue (or maybe right on time). When I was in the interview process, and as I listened to the various managers describe the position, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities to ministry. One of the things about this location is that it has over 200 employees and some of them have been there the entire 10 years the store has been open, so I was sure to ask how change is received. I was told that there can be some resistance from the people who’ve been there since the beginning because they’ve “never done it that way before”. Sound familiar? I was told how I needed to listen to and lead gently the long-timers and encourage the newcomers to get on board and take ownership and develop them as leaders. As a leader, I need to be out and about with the team, focus on supporting leadership through training, be comfortable telling people at all levels that they needed additional training, inspire, coach, and facilitate growth. Basically, I’m buying into a brand, and then developing people to live that brand, which is the same thing we do with our spirituality.

Today, my friend Linda posted this quote on Facebook:

“Kingdom people seek first the Kingdom of God and its justice; church people often put church work above concerns of justice, mercy and truth. Church people think about how to get people into the church; Kingdom people think about how to get the church into the world. Church people worry that the world might change the church; Kingdom people work to see the church change the world”  Howard Snyder Liberating the Church

I think a lot of people who are in ministry professionally are Church people and the brand they’re trying to get people to live is the Church, particularly their denomination or their local gathering. They are amabassadors for their programs, some of which are, I’m sure, fine programs, but Jesus didn’t call us to Go and make ecclesiastical structures. We are to be in the business of developing ourselves and others into people whose chief concern is making a positive impact in the world by behaving in ways that are in line with God’s character as lived out in the person of Jesus. The maintaining of an institution should never take the place of doing what’s right, even if the entire institution itself must be sacrificed. The founder of my company said, “Change or fail.” It’s true for a company that sells pants and it’s true of religious organizations.

In View of a Call October 24, 2009

Things have been a little quiet over here in my blogiverse, not b/c nothing is happening or because I don’t have any thoughts, b/c I do. I’ve got plenty of things marinating on the insane right-wing rage directed at our President, on the lies they’re telling about health care reform, on dubious fashion trends. I’ve been working a lot and watching a lot of football so I’ve not taken time to sit down and write about it all, but I will. Right now I’m in the midst of hashing out some thoughts related to calling and so that’s what you’re getting this evening. I say “you’re” because I’m under the impression that people actually read this. It’s really for my own processing, so here goes.

I was pretty sure at age 20 that my life would be mostly about ministry, although I had no idea what that would look like. Actually, I remember the moment I realized that and I was wearing hot pink and white striped espadrilles from the company where I now work, which could either be portentous or merely noteworthy. A couple of years later I found the answer to what I believed was my call and that was the now-defunct Creative Arts in Worship degree from Grand Canyon University. It was perfect for me, really, b/c it involved music, drama, tech, writing and anything else that was starting to be used in worship. This was in the early nineties at the beginning of the contemporary worship wave. I got to go to Willow Creek a couple of times, sing in some cool services and it was a great time. Following school, I drifted around a bit w/ a day job and doing church stuff on the side until a series of events brought me to San Francisco.

I moved here in 1998 to take the position of Children’s Ministry Coordinator at First Baptist, San Francisco. I was raised in a Southern Baptist church, Grand Canyon was Southern Baptist at the time, and I knew that I’d eventually go to Golden Gate Seminary, which I did. All though college and into seminary I saw myself as being a behind-the-scenes producer, arts coordinator person. It slowly dawned on me (this is a theme in my life – things slowly dawn on me. I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Plus, my middle name is Dawn, so that might have something to do with it as well.) that I’m not a behind-the-scenes person. I have a big, strong personality that tends to make the other personalities in the room want to perhaps go out for a cocktail, so it didn’t make sense. I am also a good singer and very comfortable on stage and it didn’t make sense for my goal to be to not be on stage. I did my first actual worship leading in seminary and after that worked some other day jobs and did some worship leading at churches on the side, some with pay, some not. One of the things that I did well in seminary was preach. My preaching class was one of my favorites and I love studying the original languages of scripture, studying history and culture and putting together a relevant message. I was never in churches who allowed me to do that, though, so I just continued on enjoying that as part of my studies, hoping that someday I could do it in real life. 

I had always figured that music & worship leading was it. That’s my place, and I’ll happily take it. A few years ago I was at a lunch for the Marin Leadership Forum and Mark Yaconelli was giving a great talk on his latest book on spiritual formation in youth. As I sat there at the Novato Country Club, I zoned out for a second looking out the window and I had one of those rare moments when God spoke to me directly. “I want you to be the pastor of a church.” I froze for a second and looked around, just to be sure it wasn’t someone else talking, and to see if anyone else heard it. Yaconelli was still talking and the crowd was still hanging on his every word, so clearly that was all me. Under my breath I muttered, “Ok, but do you mind if I finish my chicken?”*

Lately, as I’ve considered what it means to be a pastor, I’ve come to see it more as a larger identity and have begun to pursue a more career-oriented direction at my company, particularly in the are of learning & development. As I’ve thought and prayed and tried to listen to God about it, I’ve gotten two messages: 1) Do whatever will make you a better pastor, and 2) The most important thing is to be a worshipper. When I got the first one, I found it to be less than helpful, only because I was really hoping for one of the hand-from-heaven-writing-on-the-wall secenarios. If memory serves, however, that was a message of doom, so maybe not that, but you get the idea. I wanted something clear-cut. That was not to be. The second message was more helpful, because I believe my focus had come off of the bigger picture of who I was and I was just looking for the next thing to be the answer. That message had me step back and re-orient myself to where I needed to be. Shortly thereafter, some things started to come together. Stay tuned for that.

Pastor of a church. I know what that means in a traditional sense, but I am not a traditional girl. As I get older my view of God and God’s kingdom expands and I see that “church” is so much bigger than “group” or “building” or “denomination”. I’m working out call as identity. I am a pastor. I don’t work as a pastor, no, it’s not my occupation, but it is my vocation. I have conversations about God and spirituality and theology all the time. I do my best to listen well, to comfort, to help, to encourage. I hold in prayer, give counsel, and am present for life events. I may someday be an actual pastor of an actual church. I don’t know. I am doing my best to live as I have been called and look forward to the progressive slow dawning the more that is to come.

*I only just recently realized the irony of God calling me to be a pastor at a golf course when one of my frustrations w/ the boys club that is the pastorate is that all the decisions are made on the golf course. God’s funny.

RIP Don Fisher September 28, 2009

By SARAH SKIDMORE, AP Retail Writer Sarah Skidmore, Ap Retail Writer – Sun Sep 27, 5:41 pm ET

PORTLAND, Ore. – Donald G. Fisher, who co-founded clothing retailer Gap Inc., has died at age 81 after a long battle with cancer.

The company said Fisher died at his home in San Francisco on Sunday morning.

After struggling to find jeans that fit, Fisher and his wife opened their first store in 1969 in San Francisco, selling jeans and music under a name based on the idea of “The Generation Gap.” The simple style that became the namesake brand’s trademark resonated with shoppers and took off quickly.

A former real estate developer with no previous retailing experience, Fisher initially anticipated maybe “as many as 10″ stores. But Gap grew to be one of the nation’s largest specialty retailers with more than 3,000 stores in over 25 countries.

Gap Inc. now also operates the Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta brands. It became a publicly traded company in 1976 and reported sales of $14.5 billion in its 2008 fiscal year.

Fisher guided the company through its largest growth phases, serving as CEO from the company’s inception through 1995 and as its chairman until 2004. He continued as a company director and as chairman emeritus until his death.

“Today we lost a friend, a mentor and a great visionary,” Glenn Murphy, CEO and chairman of Gap Inc. said in a statement. “Don and Doris took a simple idea and turned it into a brand recognized as a cultural icon throughout the world and changed the face of retail forever.”

An avid art collector and charter school advocate, Fisher was well known for his commitment to philanthropy and the San Francisco Bay community where he was born and raised and the company’s headquarters still remain.

The Fishers‘ personal art collection includes some of the 20th century’s most well-known artists, including Richard Diebenkorn, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Willem de Kooning. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art said Friday it was partnering with the Fishers to house the couple’s some 1,100 works to create one of the nation’s greatest art collections.

Don Fisher was active in the United Way, Teach for America and other educational efforts. The Fishers gave $15 million in 2000 to create the KIPP Foundation, a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools to serve students in underserved communities. They have provided millions more to support the organization through the years.

“Don’s contributions to public education, particularly for underserved communities, cannot be overestimated,” said KIPP Foundation CEO Richard Barth. “He used what he learned in growing Gap Inc. to show us what we could do in public education, and tens of thousands of children have benefited from his commitment and generosity.”

Fisher is survived by his wife Doris, their three sons and 10 grandchildren. He is also survived by two brothers and their wives, Jim and Diane Fisher and Bob and Ann Fisher.

His son Bob Fisher continues to serve on Gap’s board of directors and Doris serves as an honorary lifetime member of the board.

Bob Fisher said his father was an “inspiration to many people in his dedication to his business and through his enthusiasm and commitment to philanthropic efforts.”

Another View of ACORN September 28, 2009

Yes, yes, I know. ACORN bad, corrupt, hookers, blah blah blah. Sure, it’s an imperfect institution with some bad apples, for sure. But when you look at it as compared to most government contractors, it’ s practically a group of altar boys and girls. This study is a look at how the media has played into the conspiracy theories rather than dig for the truth.

Friday Five on Saturday: Autumnual Bliss September 26, 2009

Singing Owl writes:

Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest. Jeremiah 5:23b

The Autumnal Equinox has just come ’round again. I took a look back at our Friday Fives and noted that it always seems to make the Rev Gals and their Pals think of changes.

There is something so nostalgic about this time of year, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. The nights grow cooler, crops are harvested, for some of us the leaves are beginning to change colors. The scent of smoke is in the air, pumpkins are in the stores (or on wagons, or in roadside stands for those of us in the country). I’m thinking of putting away my summer clothes and pulling out the sweaters. And I have a tub of Fall-themed items that my husband just lugged up from the basement. I’m looking for my scarecrow.

For this week, let’s share some memories along with some hopes and expectations.

1. Share a Fall memory.

I lived on the east coast for a couple of years and the autumn there is breathtaking. Generally, my great memories of Fall are about Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday, mostly b/c of the food. I used to make big Thanksgiving dinners w/ friends in Seminary, just to have an excuse to cook it more than once a year. Those dinners were always so fun b/c we had to make do with very little space and small apartments and kitchens, but it was the most fun ever.

2. Your favorite Fall clothes–(past or present)?

My favorite Fall clothes are the new sweaters I usually get. I haven’t done much shopping yet this fall but I’ll get there.

3. Share a campfire story, song, experience…etc.

When I was in seminary we used to do bonfires at Ocean Beach periodically and that was always a good time. We’d huddle under blankets, make s’mores, and sang some worship music. Good times.

4. What is your favorite thing about this time of year?

Football, football and football. Also? Football. New TV season always makes me happy, too.

5. What changes are you anticipating in your life, your church, family…whatever…as the season changes and winter approaches?

I am anticipating changes, but I’m not sure what those changes are. That anticipation could come from my addiction to change, or because actual changes are on the horizon. I am still marinating on a change in my church involvement and there are always things happening at work so who knows? We’re doing some hiring and moving around of folks at work, some folks are returning from maternity leave, some are coming back, so things are always moving there. While change always seems to be happening at this point it’s all good.

Bonus: What food says “AUTUMN” at your house? Recipes always appreciated.

We make these Pumpkin Biscuits w/ Orange Honey Butter for breakfast on Thanksgiving day that we munch on while we prepare dinner. Amazing!

Fat Pants September 25, 2009

Today I am wearing jeans that were given to me by a co-worker who no longer fits into them. They are her FAT PANTS from right after she GAVE BIRTH TO TWINS. On one hand, this can be considered incredibly disheartening. On the other hand, she’s a a stick figure who wore a size 4 before she had the babies and her fat pants are a size 10. I realize that this isn’t a horrible size to wear and that I’m fine with it for the most part, but at the end of the day they’re still post-twin fat pants. I’m working on it.

I realized that my blah-angsty-ness is coming not from the fat pants but rather from some work-related angst. Things are fine at work, the boss and I are actually getting along for the most part, which, believe me, is to be celebrated. One of the pitfalls of competence is that news of my awesomeness has been greatly exaggerated. As a result, I’m getting a lot of new responsibilities heaped upon me. I’m saying no when I need to, but I’m moving rapidly toward a place where I need to make some career-related decisions here and depending on the direction I go, I’m going to need to take on this new work. This week has included some difficult interactions with both internal and external people and I’m feeling less than competent and I need some reassurance that I’m doing ok and that I can handle what’s going to happen going forward.

That, and I’m wearing fat pants.

Moving Forward September 17, 2009

Last week I was visiting a friend (who happens to be a spiritual director) and we were just catching up on what’s going on with life. I was telling her how much I’m enjoying the space in my life right now. She was super happy for me and encouraged my process. Then she asked me: Now that you have this space, what do you want to move toward instead of reacting to other people’s requests? Damn.

So far, as I’ve progressed through summer and now into September, I’ve definitely moved through some phases. At the beginning of summer, I was just catching up on rest. Once I felt like I was sufficiently recovered I started to see opportunities to spend my free time actually doing stuff. Now I’m starting to feel like I’m leveled out and am ready to start thinking about moving forward.

A few things about me to give some background to this journey:

1. My name is Tiffany and I’m a change-aholic. I know that it’s quite common to be uncomfortable with change, but I find I am much more uncomfortable with stasis. I have to guard against change for the sake of change and really discipline myself to make changes that matter or make sense.

2. I say “yes” a lot. This is not because I feel like I can’t say no, but because I like to do lots of things. See #1.

3. I’m quite practiced at responding to requests. My job is one of almost entirely reacting to crises. I have a natural customer-service orientation about me and an ability to handle myself well under stress.

When my friend asked me that question, the trajectory of my journey thus far came into specific relief, mostly because it’s not a trajectory at all, but rather a series of zig-zagging lines. This is not to say I haven’t done good things and it is entirely possible that my life is intended to be that. I need to spend this time listening for what direction God wants me to go. If that’s another sideways journey instead of a longer, forward one, that’s totally fine – I just need to be sure that it’s coming from God and not my innate desire to do something different and to handle a new crisis.

In church ministry life, we use the language of “calling” a lot. It’s “What Color is Your Parachute” with a little help from a Higher Power. It’s bigger than occupation. It’s what your life speaks, both to you and to the world. Specifically, it’s an identity into which you were born and takes a lifetime to discover. I was called to be a pastor under somewhat odd circumstances. I’ve not written out the whole story, but I need to so as not to forget. Suffice it to say, I know I am a pastor. That’s a risky thing it identify as, given the frequency of my non-pastoral behavior. Part of my journey now is living out that call outside the context of a local church.  Am I still this called person if I don’t engage in anything traditionally associated with that calling? Of course the answer is yes, and in many cases, even more so.

I’m on a temporary break. I’ll go back. I know that because I truly do love the church. It’s my home. There is so much about it that I was born to do. I’ve had some friends cautiously ask me, “But…you’re going back eventually…right…?” My response usually is, “As much as I’d like to help you feel better about my choice, I’m going to have to go with what God says on that one and as soon as I hear something, I’ll let you know.”

Another part of this season is to take a sabbath from giving and doing some receiving. This is a consistent message I’ve gotten from God and it’s my weakest link. I am much more comfortable serving than being served, unless I’m paying someone to be served. To be served and nurtured is to give up a lot of control and we know I hate that.

I’ll write out the ministry path/call story soon. You’re welcome.

Friday Five: All About the Jammies September 10, 2009

Sophia writes:
As the weather cools off into a lovely fall, my son and daughter are rediscovering their joy in cozy footed “pajammies”–though not to sleep in. They love to hang out in the pjs before bed or in the morning, but when it’s time to actually sleep they strip to their skivvies! Good thing they finally have their own rooms, now that they are getting older.

Without going to TMI land, share with us your sleepwear memories and preferences….

1. What was your favorite sleeping attire as a child? And did you call them pjs, pajamas (to rhyme with llamas), pajamas (to sort of rhyme with bananas), jammies, or ???

I remember nightgowns as a young child, but later it was t-shirts and boxers. We actually called them “nighties” in our house, as in, “Go put on your nighty.” Today I refer to them as “jammies.”

2. Favorite sleepwear put on your own little ones, or perhaps those you babysat? (Bonus points if you made it).

I’m a fan of little night gowns for girls and short sets for boys. I also really like the babies in the one-piece footie situation, although they can be a beast to get on those little writhing bodies.

3. How about today-do you prefer nightgown, pajamas, undies, or au naturel?

I am all about the jammies. I worked for Victoria’s Secret all through college and I spent most of my earnings on jammies there. Now I have the good fortune to work for another company that has FABULOUS jammies, for a fabulous discount. I immediately throw on jammies when I get home from work. The rules are: they HAVE to match and I can only wear them once and I have to wash them. Not environmentally friendly, I know, but I’m sure there are folks out there who wear their jammies multiple consecutive nights (*shudder*) and they’re making up for me.
4. Silky smooth or flannel-y cozy?

Natural fibers only, particularly cotton knit or silk. Don’t do polyester and flannel is too hot.

5. Socks or bare feet?

Mostly bare feet, unless it’s super cold. Usually if I start out with socks, they’re gone by morning.
Bonus: Funny story regarding sleepwear (or the lack thereof).

When I was very young, my grandparents used to come visit us from Oklahoma in their travel trailer. They’d park it in our back yard and stay for like a month. My mom did not love this (it was dad’s parents), but as a 4 year old, it was great fun to have sleepovers with Granny in the back yard. One evening I put on my nighty and toddled out to the trailer. As Granny got ready for bed, she put on her nighty and said, “Ok, now, it’s time to take off our panties.” Apparently, Granny slept commando. I was horrified/mortified, and I said, “This is where I split,” and ran out the door and back to the house.  I don’t think she stopped laughing about that for at least a decade.