Over the Past Year, I Give Thanks

What a year it has been, since Thanksgiving last year. I could type for days, the list of things I am thankful for, but I will spare you. There are some things in particular that very clearly stand out to me. Above all, I thank God for tearing me away from the life that I had planned for myself. The life I had planned was one of emptiness and selfishness. The one that now lies before me is very uncertain, but certainly full of joy. I thank God for proving me wrong and pushing me into something new.

I am thankful for new opportunities. As I stepped away from my plans of acting on the stage, I walked right into a band. Ben, Ben, Nate, Kevin, Alex and Noah. I am so happy when I am with these ridiculous boys, the "misfits", as Ben called us the other day. We hang out once a week and make music together and they are dear friends. It's also a chance to ensure that I see my dear brother once a week.

I am thankful for being let down. When I didn't become an SMC (again, my own plan), it was very hard for me. But through that let-down, I joined group staff. Though group was not the perfect situation right off the bat, it has turned into one of the biggest blessings in my life. Scott, Scotty, Brian, Braden, Gabe, Bob, Mary, Aly, Kael, Cristina and Leanne. Oh my word, how I adore them. Their quirks, their hearts, their minds, their prayers, their hugs, their encouragement and their love. They're great and I now treasure those fifteen hours a week that I spend with them.

I am thankful for Fourth Hill. The summer before I went to SPU, it was just a room number. A year later, it was a place that shaped me into an entirely different person. It was a place that helped me to grow, to live differently and to love in a way I had never known. Em, Jill, Rachael, Lauren, Lara, Mary, Heather, Jamie, Becky, Bryn, Alyssa, Becky Jo, Sarah, Kristin, Beckah, Grace, Teylar, Alina, Caitlyn, Katherine, Leanne, Anna, Candice, Mary, Missy, Aly, Liz, Jessica, Rachel, Valerie, Emily, Ali, Krista, Jenna, Megan, Emma, Anna, Natalie, Nicole, Hannah, Dani and Jessica. Those girls, each and every one of them, have been a part of my life and I am so grateful to them. I am grateful to Teylar, for keeping us all together and I am grateful to that silly triple from Ashton-Jessica, Rachel and Valerie-for teaching me how to live.

I am thankful for the Ballard crew. Dan, Adrienne, Irene, Spencer, Erin and Daniel. No matter how many times I am too busy to hang out, I am always invited. They keep pushing and pulling and they'll never let me go and it makes me so glad. They, not too long ago, were a huge part of my life and I would hate for that to disappear entirely. I thank them for not being bitter when I could no longer be involved in the play that we were planning. I thank them for still loving me, even when I do things that should let them down.

I am thankful for those who aren't afraid to tell it like it is. Professor Wolfe: She taught me what love truly is and I realized that I wasn't truly loving. My closest friends: They keep me in check and they don't let me get away with things that are no good. Dr. Ediger: Though her class is ridiculously tough right now, the whole class has taught me to look at the world through much different eyes. My dad (also, my pastor): For teaching me that we live in a dark world and that we are the ones who are able to bring the light. Bob (group 08-09): It taught me to let go. To leave what I know and step into something new. Not only did it teach me that, it also gave me the strength and courage to do so.

I am thankful for those relationships that are hanging by a thread: They're still being held by that thread and, so long as the thread doesn't break, they will be easily mended in the days to come. For those that have broken, I will still search for the supplies and the strength to mend them. But I know I will be able to, I always am.

I am thankful for Kristi and Noah. My best friends in the world, I could ask for nothing more. I am thankful for the times I get to spend with them and the lives that we share with one another. They are the ones who keep me going and I love them so much.

I am thankful for my parents. The fact that I get to see them so often, even though I'm "away" at school. I thank them for the opportunities they bring into my life and the support they show, even though I have no idea what I'm doing.

I am thankful for the peaceful moments betwixt the madness. The moments when the sun hits the window just right. When the leaves fall like snow. When the sound of a piano is faintly heard above the murmur of friends. When the rain falls so fast that the world can barely handle it. When Anna and I lie in bed and all is said that needs to be said, even when no words are spoken. When the snow makes the world go slower.

I am thankful for the joyful moments in midst of sadness. When my arm is grabbed and I am dragged in the rain to go puddle jumping. When I laugh so hard I cry. When I can drop the books and go play hopscotch. When we get into our footie pajamas. When we can forget the world and school for just a second and pretend we are kids again.

It's a good life, a good year and for that, I give thanks. There is much to be thankful for and that is reason enough to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Oh Mother...

It's November in Seattle, and that means that my lips are chapped ALL THE TIME. This seemingly insignificant fact about my lips and the cold weather reminded me today of the love of my mother. I walked into her office after work, she took one look at me and she smothered my face in chapstick. Oh, mother, how I love you. This is something you do to your eight your old daughter, but you did it to me and I appreciated it so much. It reminded me of the fact that, even though I'm in college and feel old, I'm not. Not really. I'm still your daughter and definitely not ready to face the world alone. Thanks for the reminder Mom, I can't wait to be home.

Retreat!

There are twelve of us on group staff and we are one big happy family. Bob, Mary, Gabe, Aly, Brian, Braden, Scott, Scotty, Kael, Cristina, Leanne and myself. Each of us was chosen with our own talent, whether musical or artistic or having a great theological mind, and we each bring those gifts to the table to create a service on Wednesday nights. About fifteen hours a week go into one group service and at the time it is so exhausting. But every Wednesday night, after all the speakers, mic stands and backdrops are put away, we gather and are thankful for the service that happened. We are grateful for the positive responses that we receive from our peers who take time out of their busy lives to worship with us for an hour each Wednesday nights. It's been almost a quarter and group has finally become something regular in my schedule and it's no longer a huge time commitment. I mean, it is, but it's not. Not really. Yes, it's still fifteen hours a week, but it doesn't feel like it anymore. Now, I am so full of joy to be with that staff and they are such a huge part of my life.


There wasn't group last week, so we didn't get to see each other and there was a huge hole in my life. I was worried that I would really like the idea of having free time and that I would once again question my role on group staff. But the free time wasn't all I dreamed it would be. Yes, it was a little nice, but I really didn't like it. Watching Friends with my friends is nice, but it's not how I want to spend all of my Mondays and Tuesdays. When we finally all got together on Wednesday night to have dinner together, it was like we had been apart for a year. We sat in Kael's living room for hours and watched the wind whip the rain so that it fell horizontally instead of vertically. We ate soup and drank tea and shared about our weeks. We are able to talk to each other so meaningfully and intentionally and there is no shame. We aren't afraid to talk to each other about how we're really feeling and that is not a vibe I have felt in past groups I have worked with.


This last weekend, we went on retreat...if you can even call it that. We've decided it was more like a giant sleepover. We left SPU at 7 PM on Friday night and I was back in my room by 3 o clock the next day. But in those twenty hours, so much life was shared. So much laughter. Deep fried food. Birthday cake. Music. Games. French toast. Stars. Campfire smoke. JOY. I haven't felt as happy as I did on Friday night in such a long time. When I returned on Saturday, my heart was full of life like it was last fall. This is the point of a retreat, but I've never felt like this after one. Retreats are supposed to be an escape, a chance to get away from the troubles of the norm. That's exactly what this retreat was: Twenty beautiful hours to be with the ones I love and not be bogged down with papers and projects and a general feeling of weariness.


We are all tired right now and it shows. We're all much quieter than usual and fun-n-games are much less frequent than they once were. I'm not just speaking of group staff, I'm talking about all of us. The students of SPU are weary. Our souls are tired, our sinuses are stuffed up and our hearts are aching to be home. Even I am homesick. Home is so close, but right now, it has never felt further away. I can't imagine how any of my friends are coping right now, especially those who really can't go home, even if they wanted to. It's only three more days, I say, but they're long days. Full of class, study groups, work and practices. I'm excited to think of how I will feel once these three days pass and I can be in the warmth (well, in reality the dorms are warmer, but I'm talking about the heart) of my home surrounded by my family. Like I said, home has never felt so far, but I'm sure that it will never feel so good to go home as it will this week.


I think that our sleepover is what has given me enough strength to last three days and I am glad. It was a wonderful time and now I will be able to finish this race without running out of breath. By the power of God, the encouragement of friends and Sufjan Stevens' banjo, I will make it through these days.

On Cocoa and Windstorms

This week has been relaxing, yet so busy all at the same time. The days seem to drag by and it is increasingly difficult for me to roll out of bed in the mornings. But there are things each day that keep me going. Like the peace of knowing that when I get into bed at night, Anna will be in her bunk above me and we can talk about our days. Or the fact that I can make a cup of hot chocolate and stare out the window as the wind blows away the final spots of orange and red off the trees. I am able to sit on our uncomfortable couch and feel the cocoa slither down my throat and not be swept away by the blustery day. These moments with cocoa and windstorms mirror my feelings about school right now.

Things have piled up and I've got more to do in the next two weeks than I have all quarter. But four of those days will be spent at home with relaxation and the company of good friends. I got a terrible grade on a biology exam, but I also got an A on an essay in Christian Scriptures. Things are never all bad and I am grateful for that. God has a way of mixing the cocoa with the windstorms and letting me remain in peace. Even when things feel like they're all going terribly, there are constantly reassurances that they're not. At work yesterday, there were moments when I just wanted to be in bed, but by the end of my shift, we were eating brie cheese on a giant flat of focaccia bread...now what could possibly be bad about that?

There is also no group service tonight, so I have mysteriously had fifteen extra hours of free time and I've been able to spend time with friends. They are wonderful friends who are sometimes frustrated with the fact that I am gone so often, but they are still encouraging and bear with me when I drive them crazy. It has been a joy the past three days to be able to sit in our room and laugh and do homework and simply be together. No, it's not much, but it's so beautiful to be in their company and I have learned this week not to take it for granted.

This post was nothing big, but I just wanted to say thanks. Thanks to God for bringing good with the bad and not leaving me in the dark. Thanks to the winter weather for keeping me cozied up inside. And thanks to my friends for loving me, even when life gets us all down.

An Attempt at Poetry (Take One)

I am distracted right now

with thoughts and dreams

of peaceful days.

I beg for a moment

to sit and to rest

on the shoulder of a friend.

I want worries behind me

and joy right in front of me

but it doesn't work that way.

I must swim through the bad

to wade through the good

and rest in a pool of peace.

I know the time will come

when I will look back

and smile, but right now

I stare out the window

and I count down the days

until Thanksgiving arrives.

I beg for the days

surrounded by family

and laughter and love.

I want those four days

without papers or books

full of leftover turkey.

I can almost taste it now

and soon it will be here,

but for now I will work.

I will re-write twelve pages

read a chapter or two

and go to bed late.

I am in college

and this is what we do.

Don't worry, it'll be fine.

It will be just fine.

Yes

Yes, God, You were right. You always are; I don't know why this time was such a surprise compared to the last time. And the time before that. And before that...

Tonight, everything was made clear to me. Why I didn't get SMC, why Ben asked me to be in his band, why I ended up on the stage on Wednesday nights and not in the mass of students, why I didn't get into a play, why I ended up on Fourth Hill, why I went to Costa Rica. All of these things which were strange reality checks to me in the past now make perfect sense to me. There is a purpose in every path of life and, though so often difficult to see, so many paths were made clear tonight. This year has been a whirlwind of events and meetings and classes and it has been a huge struggle to find peace in the midst of it all. I have constantly been wondering why I am where I am and even though there are moments when it all makes sense, overall, Autumn Quarter 2009 has been one big confusing mass.

Let me explain to you why it all makes sense now. Each event along the way seemed so insignificant and tonight I saw the purpose in it all. I only played on about half of the songs at group, so I was able to stand with the masses and worship for about fifteen minutes and they were an amazing fifteen minutes. In those moments, I looked on the stage and listened to the band play and then I looked around the room and I saw other people from group staff worshipping, praying over the city, taking communion and washing the feet of their roommates. It was beautiful to see the deep impact that group has on students in their lives and relationships with each other and with Christ. So, when I played on the last few songs, I looked out and saw hundreds of people worshipping and growing together. This is why I am here.

Seeing those deeply concentrated faces, some mournful, some joyful and some simply at peace, I realized something huge. This is God is working through me. God is using me to spread his love to hundreds of people each week through the simple task of playing an instrument. How selfish it was of me to not see this before. It was selfish of me to say that I wasn't "getting anything" out of group. That's not the point, how foolish to think it was. God's work in our lives is meant to challenge us, not let us grow in faith without even trying. When I didn't get SMC, I was surprised, but my reaction was that there must be something else in store. Something more fitting for where I am and where God plans to meet me. That something was group and it has shaped into something beautiful. Challenging? Yes, it is one of the hardest things I have had to do. Worth it? Yes, a million times over. Yes.

A year ago, I would have looked at my life and told you these few things about myself:

• I'm a freshman at SPU.
• I believe in God, but I haven't seen Him work many wonders in my life.
• I'm a theatre major.
• Yes, that's a violin and the other one's a viola, but I don't play them very often.
• Was SPU my first choice? Not really, but it was the cheapest option for me, so...here I am.
• I'm in college because that's what you're supposed to do.
• I live on Fourth Hill, it's alright.

Now, I look at my life and I see how drastically it has changed. I'm a sophomore and God has turned my life in a direction I never would have come up with on my own. I never had a strong urge to try out for a play, so my theatrical endeavors faded away. I'm a global development studies major with a hope to change the world. Those instruments sitting in the corner? They're brought out of hiding and played for about ten hours a week. It's true that I only came to SPU because it was cheap, but my God, I am so glad that I'm here. I'm here for so much more than I ever intended and God is using me in ways I never would have imagined. And Fourth Hill...where do I even begin with Fourth Hill?

Fourth Hill 2008-2009 was the biggest blessing in my whole life and it has shaped who I am right now. This is where I met women who challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone, to explore my passions and see where they might take me. These are the women who got me to play my instruments again, to tap dance, to think about the world as oppose to the small world that I live in, to read my Bible and meditate on it, to try out for group and the biggest lesson of all: to love. Teylar Greer, Rachel Smith, Aly Quatier, Lara Musser, Becky Jo Tuell, Anna Barton, Jessica Marshall, Alina Sayre, Jillian Leavitt, Rachael Cherryhomes, Valerie Moser. These are the women who changed me, prayed for me and supported me through a year full of change.

As my dear friend Stephanie just told me, "God puts us in places not to be touched by His love, but to touch others with His love." Last year, I was touched by His love and the call this year is to share that love with everyone around me. With the girls on my floor, the students at group, my staff, my professors, my friends, SPU, Seattle, the world. The world goes on forever and so does God's love. It is our job as Christians to be sure that His unending love will spread far and wide to all the forgotten corners of the world. That is what I have learned and that is why I am right here right now.

Personal Reflection: Holly Dahlstrom (group viola & violin)

When we sat down last Monday night to discuss John 12-15, so many different parts stood out to me. There are verses that applied to the disciples 2000 years ago and those same verses apply to our lives here, today, at Seattle Pacific. In John 13:7, Jesus tells Simon Peter, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” This constantly rings true in my own life. I never see at the time the work that God is doing in my life, but once it is finished, I understand. When Jesus was washing the feet of the disciples, they didn’t understand, but it was later made clear.

Jesus washing their feet is one of the most beautiful pictures in the Bible. Here He is, the Son of God, and he is stooping to the lowest task of washing the feet of his own disciples. Just like entering Jerusalem on a donkey, this was another act of humility. Our challenge at group is to do the same thing, to be humble and tear down the walls of pride that so often separate us from those close to us. Jesus came to the level of the disciples and he was honest with them. There is a harsh transition when He explains that He is about to leave them. The whole book of John has been building up to Jesus’ triumphal entry and that dramatic build up ends when Jesus says in 13:33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer.”

I can’t imagine what it would have felt like to hear those words from the mouth of Jesus. But Jesus explains quite clearly that His death will result in something better. He explains the hope they are able to find in him. He is, once again, expressed as light in the darkness and the disciples are told to “put their trust in the light while they have it, so they may be sons of light.” Above all else, we are called to love. If only one thing comes out of Wednesday night, it is my hope that we will understand how important it is to love. Love is how we are able to go on each day and we are commanded specifically to love. John 15:17 “This is my command: LOVE EACH OTHER.”

--Holly Dahlstrom