As we honor St. Patrick today, some with our green clothing and pinching those without, others with libations and late parties, I’ve been reflecting on my trip to Ireland last April for a Celtic Journey. For a week, I traveled across the lush green landscape in a large van with a dozen students and staff … More St. Patrick’s Syncretism
Happy New Year! For me, 2017 was an exceptional year of travel. I took 22 flights and slept in 47 beds in 11 countries and 11 US states, living out of a suitcase for a cumulative of 6 months of the year. As I paused to reflect on how I experienced God in 2017, I … More Worship around the World
How do I explain the American celebration of Thanksgiving to my international friends? It was a time of gratitude shared between the Native American Indian “hosts” and the European settler “guests”. I hesitate and wonder if I should say more… … More Being Good Guests in the Land
During my “Europe Voyage” I was looking for historical figures from my nations of origin who I could admire and emulate. In reflection, there were four with whom I came into contact who really impressed and challenged me. Here I will share a little about each… … More My White Heroes
Monday, October 9, 2017 is Columbus Day, celebrated every year on the 2nd Monday in October. While 46 states still honor and commemorate the “great explorer” on this day, others are in resistance (Alaska, Hawai’i, Oregon, and South Dakota appropriately choose this day to honor indigenous peoples). One must stop to consider why we are celebrating the initiation of an era of immeasurable suffering and death… … More Columbus is NOT my Hero
Recounting the second half of my Europe Voyage… I traveled for 105 days, to 11 countries, taking 13 flights, sleeping in 31 beds, with 50+ train rides, and plenty of new friends! I traversed beautiful landscapes in Europe and the US, enjoyed rich reunions with family and friends, and experienced meaningful paradigm shifts as I’ve encountered new ideas. … More Europe Voyage in brief PART 2
April 28, 2017 – I’m half-way through my “Europe Voyage”. Over the last 5 weeks my pace has kept me clipping along through England, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria where I arrived last night. Here are some highlights from the first half of my trip… … More Europe Voyage in brief PART 1
Fellow white people, Graphic pictures of bodies flying over a car give our thumbs pause as we scroll through today’s news feed. The headline draws us in, “Car Hits Crowd After White Nationalist Rally in Charlottesville Ends in Violence” (The New York Times). We click and peruse the article. It’s ugly. A neo-Nazi organization gathered … More White America, look at Charlottesville. It’s time to wake up.
We stood in a circle, possibly the biggest I’ve ever seen, some under shade of the trees, and others perspiring in the hot sun. My left hand linked me to my Hawaiian kahu (pastor) of our indigenous-style church and my right grasped the hand of a gentleman I had never met. How many had gathered … More Raising the Flag
It’s a good day to be visiting royalty. I wear a long flowing dress and lipstick, my hair all curled and fancy hoping I am presentable to the Queen. I gaze upwards at the Palace, honored to be welcomed in. But my heart deflates to find that the Queen is no longer in residence and her home has become a museum. … More A visit with the Queen
crossing oceans bridging cultures 