Speaking and Hearing and Miscommunication

I've been thinking a lot lately about the way we communicate. If we are on the writing/speaking end of things, to what extent are we responsible for the way things are heard or perceived? As a pastor, I have a high responsibility for the way people hear what I say. I do not want to cavalierly throw things out there and then complain when they are not understood in the way I meant them. Which is why I got off Facebook. My posts that were meant as food for thought were coming across in an entirely different way than I meant them. I am responsible for this, but the Facebook platform certainly does not help. Yes, we are welcome to scroll past things we do not agree with or comment with an opposing view, but I've never seen a conversation or shared meme that lead to a change of heart. If anything, both "sides" dig their heels in deeper and we come away more divided than when we began.

Communication is a two way street. We have all had things we've said misunderstood or misinterpreted. And we've all been yelled at only to be told by the person yelling that they were not yelling. *insert eye roll here* When a miscommunication happens, we like to place blame on the other person, no matter what seat we are in - speaker or hearer.

Moving Sucks - Ministry Rocks

I'm moving to Cheyenne in a week. The apartment is a wreak, things half packed and pictures down off the walls. My husband and I are using up our gift cards to local places, enjoying our remaining time with friends over good eats and delicious coffee, and... freaking out.

Seriously. We don't want to leave Madison! I love so many people here! I know these roads. I know the towns surrounding Madison (and how to pronounce them). We have our favorite coffee roaster and our doctors and vets and our therapists and hair stylists. I don't want to find all those things again. I do not.

Madison OIS in my Neighborhood

Tony Robinson, 19 years old

I'm sick about it.

I lay in bed last night scrolling through the scant news stories appearing on my Facebook feed that my neighborhood friends were posting. Shots were fired on the 1100 block of Williamson. I live on the 1100 block of Jenifer, a block away.

Then more news started appearing. A 19 year old black man shot five times in the chest by a Madison Police officer. Then a protest began demanding answers.

This morning, it is all over my feed. The sickening hashtag that has been created? That makes this all very real and way too close to home?

#fergusontomadison

For I Know the Plans I Have For You

... says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11

Rev and Dr Baker

It's always been one of my favorite pieces of scripture. And if you've been around me long enough you know how much I hate the whole "God will never give you more than you can handle" crap. So this is the promise I turn to. That God has plans for me and they're good.

This last Friday I got to stand up with one of my best friends as he married an amazing woman. And having been his friend since the beginning of seminary and bonding over the ups and downs of relationships that come and go and are amazing and then crap… well, I was overjoyed for him.

Because we had both asked so many times (over a delicious brew at Goose Island where we earned our Masters of Beer Appreciation) if there was anyone out there for us. And we had to battle through all the bullshit of being best friends who were opposite sex and all the times that people told us we looked like we were together and surely one of us liked the other and just wasn't sharing that. We heard it a lot over the years, even when we were in Iowa and Montana for internship. We wallowed away a New Years Eve on Skype together, each in our own timezones.