Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Ash Wednesday
It's the start of Lent. Which means, the start of this discipline. I really don't know what will come of this blog or what journey I will be on until Easter. I am starting this discipline with mixed feelings: excitement and trepidation. Whatever happens in the next 46 days, I'm ready for the journey!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
What I do...
I love my job. I love the challenge of it and how each day is something different and unexpected. I practice a lot of different areas of law but my favorite is family law. Saying that I love family law causes many people to ask "why?" I mean, it's messy and complicated and people cry. A lot. And that is exactly what I love about it. To me, family law is the most real kind of law there is. It's working with people at some of their most vulnerable moments. People going through some of the most dramatic and shattering moments in their lives.
I think my training in seminary gives me a unique perspective. I went to seminary because I wanted to help people and I wanted to be a part of something greater than myself and I wanted to make a difference. Now. I believed I would do all those things from the pulpit and in my own church. Suffice it to say: I don't have a pulpit. Well, I do. The world is my pulpit (such a true Wesleyan!). But the thing is: in my job, I'm helping people in one of their weakest moments. And it's amazing to be able to join someone on their legal journey through a divorce or through a parenting plan. Most of the time, my hope is to empower my clients to think about their life and structure their future in a way that feels good and empowering. I can manage the legal system. But more often, my clients just need someone to talk to. And they need to know that someone will take their issues seriously.
And that's what I'm doing to try to make a difference in north central Montana. Somehow, I feel like all my education and experiences have lead me to a career path that I would have never imagined but somehow it right now all makes perfect sense and suits who I am...
I think my training in seminary gives me a unique perspective. I went to seminary because I wanted to help people and I wanted to be a part of something greater than myself and I wanted to make a difference. Now. I believed I would do all those things from the pulpit and in my own church. Suffice it to say: I don't have a pulpit. Well, I do. The world is my pulpit (such a true Wesleyan!). But the thing is: in my job, I'm helping people in one of their weakest moments. And it's amazing to be able to join someone on their legal journey through a divorce or through a parenting plan. Most of the time, my hope is to empower my clients to think about their life and structure their future in a way that feels good and empowering. I can manage the legal system. But more often, my clients just need someone to talk to. And they need to know that someone will take their issues seriously.
And that's what I'm doing to try to make a difference in north central Montana. Somehow, I feel like all my education and experiences have lead me to a career path that I would have never imagined but somehow it right now all makes perfect sense and suits who I am...
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Learning Luxuries...
One of the things I sorely miss from living in a town bigger than Havre is bakeries. Well and coffee shops. But really, bakeries. Missoula had Bernice's Bakery. What fantastic pastries to be had there...cakes, muffins, cookies, cupcakes...I'm salivating remembering all the tasty treats I enjoyed there! And Boston. Boston had everything imaginable.
One of the adjustments to living in Havre then, is learning to live without bakery treats. Or, more accurately, learning to bake treats for myself. Now. I've been baking for years. I love to bake and I love the science of baking. I make a delectable range of quick breads and muffins. I've gotten darn good at those items, if I do say so myself. But cake. Cake is a different creature. Cake is much more delicate. Cake requires precision. Cake requires real butter, real whole milk, sifted cake flour. Cake, it seems, takes way more effort than say, banana bread. Or does it?
About a month ago, I made my first ever carrot cake. And I was super excited about it. It was moist, delicately flavored, and delicious. But carrot cake is much more forgiving than the more delicate cakes like yellow cake.
This afternoon, I set about the task of baking a classic yellow cake. I used America's Test Kitchen yellow cake recipe. It looked and smelled rich and buttery and silky. And surprisingly, making a yellow cake did not take that much more effort than making pumpkin bread. Oh sure, I had to weigh and sift the flour and yes, I had to incorporate the butter one tablespoon at a time. But I have a kitchenaid. The kitchenaid did all the work. I just followed the directions. And then I made chocolate frosting in a food processor.
I must say. I am very pleased with the outcome. I have not tasted it yet, but it sure looks delicious.
And that is how I have come to enjoy cake in Havre. I make it myself. Sure, I loved going to the bakeries in Missoula and Boston and just picking out the slice I wanted. But there's a simple satisfaction in making all food you consume. It's like the food becomes part of you because you've put in the time and effort to make the food tasty. And I must say, I am more satisfied with the things I eat here because I made them. I can't wait to try this cake!
One of the adjustments to living in Havre then, is learning to live without bakery treats. Or, more accurately, learning to bake treats for myself. Now. I've been baking for years. I love to bake and I love the science of baking. I make a delectable range of quick breads and muffins. I've gotten darn good at those items, if I do say so myself. But cake. Cake is a different creature. Cake is much more delicate. Cake requires precision. Cake requires real butter, real whole milk, sifted cake flour. Cake, it seems, takes way more effort than say, banana bread. Or does it?
About a month ago, I made my first ever carrot cake. And I was super excited about it. It was moist, delicately flavored, and delicious. But carrot cake is much more forgiving than the more delicate cakes like yellow cake.
This afternoon, I set about the task of baking a classic yellow cake. I used America's Test Kitchen yellow cake recipe. It looked and smelled rich and buttery and silky. And surprisingly, making a yellow cake did not take that much more effort than making pumpkin bread. Oh sure, I had to weigh and sift the flour and yes, I had to incorporate the butter one tablespoon at a time. But I have a kitchenaid. The kitchenaid did all the work. I just followed the directions. And then I made chocolate frosting in a food processor.
I must say. I am very pleased with the outcome. I have not tasted it yet, but it sure looks delicious.
And that is how I have come to enjoy cake in Havre. I make it myself. Sure, I loved going to the bakeries in Missoula and Boston and just picking out the slice I wanted. But there's a simple satisfaction in making all food you consume. It's like the food becomes part of you because you've put in the time and effort to make the food tasty. And I must say, I am more satisfied with the things I eat here because I made them. I can't wait to try this cake!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Intro
I've been thinking of doing this for some time. So I thought. Hey. I need an activity for Lent 2012. And here it is. My goal is to use this blog as a way to reflect on the work I do. And here's why:
Ten years ago, I applied for seminary, believing beyond all doubt that I had been called to be a minister. Well. I knew I had been called. I had been called in the night when I was 16 (call story to follow). And I thought, at my ripe age of 22, that if God thought I was good enough for the church, I better follow. And so I applied to and went to my top seminary choice: Boston University. And I got my M.Div. I loved seminary. I learned a lot about myself and a lot about the world. And about God.
Somewhere along the line though, I began to feel myself pull away from the bureaucratic structure of my denomination. Don't get me wrong, I love a good bureaucracy but I just didn't feel like I could be a leader there. Not really.
So. After seminary, I didn't get ordained. I didn't take a church. I worked at Boston University for a few years while I figured things out. And the damndest thing came about. I decided I wanted to/was called to go to law school. WHAT?! I was shocked.
But. I generally believe I was called to go to law school. And so. I went. I moved my (at the time) new husband and myself to Montana where I grew up and went to the University of Montana. I loved law school. I learned even more about myself and the world. And the law. And oddly enough. I learned more about God.
Which leads me to where I am today. I'm an attorney in a small town. And I love it. I tell people: I absolutely cannot even imagine not being a lawyer.
And that leads me to what I want my Lenten 2012 activity to be. I've always been fairly reflective on life. And so this is what this blog will be. Some reflections on my life and my life's work, connections back to my call, and my adventures in a small town. Some of the posts will be reflections. Some about adventures in cooking and baking. But all of them will be about this life I've created. I hope you enjoy the journey with me.
Ten years ago, I applied for seminary, believing beyond all doubt that I had been called to be a minister. Well. I knew I had been called. I had been called in the night when I was 16 (call story to follow). And I thought, at my ripe age of 22, that if God thought I was good enough for the church, I better follow. And so I applied to and went to my top seminary choice: Boston University. And I got my M.Div. I loved seminary. I learned a lot about myself and a lot about the world. And about God.
Somewhere along the line though, I began to feel myself pull away from the bureaucratic structure of my denomination. Don't get me wrong, I love a good bureaucracy but I just didn't feel like I could be a leader there. Not really.
So. After seminary, I didn't get ordained. I didn't take a church. I worked at Boston University for a few years while I figured things out. And the damndest thing came about. I decided I wanted to/was called to go to law school. WHAT?! I was shocked.
But. I generally believe I was called to go to law school. And so. I went. I moved my (at the time) new husband and myself to Montana where I grew up and went to the University of Montana. I loved law school. I learned even more about myself and the world. And the law. And oddly enough. I learned more about God.
Which leads me to where I am today. I'm an attorney in a small town. And I love it. I tell people: I absolutely cannot even imagine not being a lawyer.
And that leads me to what I want my Lenten 2012 activity to be. I've always been fairly reflective on life. And so this is what this blog will be. Some reflections on my life and my life's work, connections back to my call, and my adventures in a small town. Some of the posts will be reflections. Some about adventures in cooking and baking. But all of them will be about this life I've created. I hope you enjoy the journey with me.
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