So… a little about me!
In 2003 my husband and I purchased 5 acres in the woods. We were 8 months pregnant and excited to have a space we would mold into the home we would raise our family in. Over the next 20 years we worked to clear and cultivate, dilled a well, built a garpartment and then a house. We molded the earth into garden beds to grow vegetables, planted fruit trees, moved the garden and moved it again, discovered my planting style is accidental and my love of all growing things unending.
We have learned a lot through this process; we have learned what works and what doesn’t. I have made a lot of mistakes…currently I have a weeping pussy willow I am trying to get to cooperate after I had to chop the entire thing down to just a trunk. I have been reassured that it will grow but right now it looks a little scary. I cherish that creation is such a living forgiving being as I continue to learn.
Throughout the 8 years it took me to get my MA in Theological Studies from Portland Seminary, I spent a significant amount of time looking into who I am and who God is and have discovered that the two are ever evolving living entities. One of the greatest joys I took away from eight years in a MA program was the ability to practice building community with people who didn’t always think like me. Bringing people together to learn from each other continually encourages me. I want to talk about things that bring out our differences. My hope is that this will help us learn more about one another and begin to appreciate our differences.
For over 20 years I have been bringing people together. From Grand Camping Weekends when our children were young, filling campgrounds with amazing food, contagious laughter, and irreplaceable memories, to our annual Fall Chili Party where we invite everyone to join us for the biggest Chili potluck in our county. Everyone comes to eat chili, listen to live music, meet new people, and enjoy hanging out with existing friends.
As a book lover and accidental gardener who is always up for throwing together a dinner party, I am continually encouraged by the importance of bringing people together in community to learn about one another and build relationships. I want to be able to talk about things that might be hard, that might bring out our differences. My hope is that this will help us learn more about one another and begin to appreciate our differences.