The World's Okayest Pastor

It's getting close to the 2024 elections and I'm tired. American society seems to be crumbling, and I feel that regardless of how things play out, it's going "to get real." But nevertheless, it's time for me to speak out on Project 2025. I have tried for months to read the document because I want to be informed. But there is not enough blood pressure medicine in the world to allow me to read it all. It boils my blood, and I argue it should most Christian's as well. When you go to the Project 2025 website it opens with "Project 2025 is a historic movement, brought together by over 100 respected organizations from across the conservative movement, to take down the Deep State and return the government to the people." What is the Deep State? As far as I know there is no Deep State but let's scare people into thinking there is. Who are these 100 respected organizations? They are organizations like the American Family Association, Family Policy All...

 Let's open up Kate's urban dictionary. "Unbiblical-ness" - a word whose definition is evolving - means living a life I deem faithful yet other Christians find morally repugnant and  based in my assumed lack of understanding of “true Christianity” aka their version of Christianity. I’ve decided to embrace the “unbiblical-ness” my existence seems to trigger in others. By embracing my “unbiblical-ness” I mean I’m going to stand my ground as a proud ordained, woman of faith, who speaks when the Spirit compels and do the hard work of creating a space where all know love, safety and justice. My unbiblical-ness has prompted people to call me “preacher gal” even when asked not to. My unbiblical-ness has had people attempt to block me from leaving a rally/vigil because they want to try to intimidate me to take back my statements and to” re-educate” me. My unbiblical-ness has prompted me to leave two calls because in one I dared to utter the name George Floyd and say the w...

On Wednesday, February 8, 2023, The Health and Human Services Committee of the Nebraska Legislature convened to receive testimony regarding LB 574: "Let Them Grow Act." This bill, introduced by Senator Kauth, wants to ban all gender affirming care in the state of Nebraska for individuals 19 and younger. This legislation would go as far as to ban out of state referrals and could punish medical providers for even having the conversation with a patient and their family.  I oppose this legislation because it is a direct attack on people who deserve full access to healthcare. Below is my testimony that I had hoped to deliver before the committee, but due to time limitations, I was not able to speak.  I sat in the hallway, outside of the hearing room, for 3 hours, watching and listening as those in favor of the bill provided outdated and refuted medical information. They told lies about what gender affirming care is. They perpetuated hatred against the trans community by s...

With the election of 45 as the leader of the free world, there has been a resurgence of pro-life. With plans to reform the Affordable Care Act (ACA or more properly known as Obamacare) and the state of Iowa attempting to reform Medicaid, folks have been rallying to cut funding from healthcare providers that offer full women's health services, including abortions. Planned Parenthood has been the main target of these rallies, despite the fact that no federal or state funds can be used to pay for abortion services. But I digress from the point of this blog. There has been a call for folks to rally around being Pro-Life in the political sphere. What I find interesting and puzzling at the same time, is that the same people who insist that life starts at the moment of conception and all babies must be born, despite who they were created or if they're wanted also argue that we need to cut funding for social programs that include but are not limited too: Head Start, senior meal progr...

In this heated season (political, race relations, environmental issues, women's rights and the list goes on for way too long), I feel the need to proclaim that I'm a minister and I'm not an oxymoron. I do not preach my political views from the pulpit - you will never hear me say you should or should not vote for a certain candidate and I refuse all of the "helpful pamphlets" that will help my congregation decide who to vote for - it is also not hard for people to figure out that I am more aligned with one of the major political party than another. Living in a small town, people recognized my car at my designated caucusing site, and once that hit the town's gossip circuit everyone knew my business. And once everyone knew my political affiliation the comments began - "you can't possible be a minister and be a (political party) member." Not only is this no one's business and I have the right to vote as I choose, no it is not impossible to be a...

  This past week has been interesting to watch with the drama going on at the Rowan County courthouse in Kentucky. After SCOTUS' decision that bans on gay marrages were unconsitutional, Kim Davis, County Cleark - an elected offical, refused to issue any one a marriage license so not to discriminate because she believes that gay marriage is against her Christian beliefs.   After filing appeals and losing, Kim was sent to jail for contempt of court after still refusing to issue any marriage licenses. Couples could drive to a surrounding county courthouses to get a marriage license but a lawsuit was filed against Kim Davis and her office for refusing to comply with the law, orders from the govenor and the state attorney. Kim has spent several days in jail and she is still making the news, along with political candidates.   While I agree with Kim being sent to jail for failure to comply with the law and that she should either fulfill her duties she is paid to do by taxpayer...

Below is a link to a Buzzfeed article written by one of my classmates from my undergrad school. Here's my take on what I remember during my 4 years there (2000-2004): - Confederate flags hung from dorm room windows. People had it as bumper stickers, wore it on shirts, etc. - Jefferson Davis and Henry Clay have several connections to the school, both have male dorms named after them. - Old South Week (part of the KA - Kappa Alpha - fraternity traditions) happened every year I was there. - I saw men wearing Confederate solider uniforms and women wearing their finest hoop skirts walk across the campus to attend a ball. - Every year on at the beginning of Old South Week, around midnight, the KA's lined up across from the women's main dorm, Forrer Hall, and sang their songs, one of which was "Dixie" at the top of their lungs. Every year, I watched the stupidity of the drunken brothers (not all were drunk but a good portion were) sing and chant until campus securit...

Below is my contribution to the annual devotional booklet for Light a Candle for Children Prayer Vigil. Clearly I'm way behind in posting this but here it is. Friday, October 10, 2014 Seeing More than Stumbling Blocks Jeremiah 6:21 There are days I struggle to get tasks completed because I don’t understand them. It’s a blessing when one of the church children come up and magically move things or hit a button and things just work. Children see more than stumbling blocks and make a difference because they believe that they can do anything. They haven’t heard society tell them what/who they are or are not yet. Children have a unique way of seeing a different perspective. Jeremiah addressed God’s people, who often refused to change their hearts and see differently. It’s not the most loving thing to put a stumbling block in our way. But sometimes blocks help us to slow down and re-evaluate the situation. The Church has the blessing of children to let us see things in ne...

Ferguson, MO is a hot bed of conversation right now. Last week, a youth was shot by police. The investigation into the situation is currently underway. Society is now polarized as being for the youth or for the police. Here is what I know - an investigation is still underway. Society and the media don't know every thing that happened. Patience and non-violence need to be demonstrated as we look for the truth and try to understand this situation before judgement is waged. My heart breaks for this situation. But I have to believe that we can look at the bigger picture. The fact is that the police in this community have a long history of being excessive in their force in dealing with the community. Many folks in this community have felt that the are lesser than others in the community. The fact is that police are trained to shoot at a critical mass (chest and head) area when forced to shoot at a suspect. Other countries train their police to shot when they feel their lives are endan...

Below is my submission to the GLAD Alliance 2014 Easter Writing Project. They can be found on Facebook and on their website if you would like to sign up to get these reflections. Why Should the Church care about Marriage? Easter writing project 2014 The state of Iowa just celebrated 5 years of legalizing civil unions. It was a moment that I was very proud of. The ruling to legalize civil unions has stood countless vows from the opposition to over turn the law. As a pastor, I have had to answer the question multiple times of “will you perform those?” and “what if your congregation won’t allow it in the building?” My answer has always been “yes” and “if it can’t be in one location, I’m sure God will be at another.” For me, as a straight female, the issue of why the Church, universal, should care about marriage is because it’s an issue of marking a special time in one’s life and social justice. Historically, marriage has and continues to be a matter of the State. The Church added litur...

My religious freedom in public, it's an interesting thing. Last week Kansas passed a law that allows business not to serve customers if it violates their religious freedom. This is heartbreaking news because if someone is or is not something that someone violates their religious belief (interracial marriage, LGBTQ in particular) a business can refuse services. I wonder who's religious freedom we're going to operate under? I mean I have various tattoos on my body that are expressions of my faith journey. What happens if a business owner in Kansas wants to state that tattoos are against their religious beliefs? Who's religious freedom is the winning hand? What if I choose to have a meal/coffee/go to a movie with a female friend? What if someone asks a questions about us - could we be lesbians? Could our possible lesbian appearance offend someone else's religious beliefs yet be something that's a fine to my sense of religion? Who's religious freedom rules the ...

This past Saturday a verdict was rendered by 6 people on a jury in the Trayvon Martin murder case in Florida. Mr. Zimmerman was found not guilt. The country has been captivated by this case. A young, African American boy got into a fight with a white man who was on Neighborhood Watch. When things got out of control and Mr. Zimmerman believed his life was in danger he pulled out a gun, that was registered and Mr. Zimmerman had the permit to carry, and used it. Trayvon Martin died due to gun shots. It has become a case that has led to further scrutiny of race relations in America today. It has caused people to take a look at racial profiling. It has caused tensions to rise between those with power and those without. Here's what I know: this needs to be a time where communities and groups  come together to support each other and to  show love to everyone. Whether or not you agree with the verdict of the case, whether or not you believe that this was self defens...

I work in a field that requires a person to wear many hats at once. I'm a parent, protector, educator, counselor, life guru, plumber, cook, driver, activities director, etc, etc. I have to know the people I serve and I have to know them well. And as I received word that one of these people was being immediately discharged from the company I had a two-fold reaction. At first I was happy, relieved, thrilled that this person was gone. The constant neediness 24/7. The constant "hey hey me me me me," the behaviors - oh the behaviors, gone. No more. The house would be quieter, I might be able to actually use the bathroom without someone talking at me through the locked, closed door. It was an end to the pain in my butt that this person had been. I even did a bit of a happy dance. Then came on the second set of emotions: the defeat, failure that every thing we had tried as a team, the counseling -  with real counselors and us, all of the time and energy. The sticking to the ...

I'm blessed, if you're reading this you're blessed. The more I do intra-personal work and the more I listen and read other's stories and share in their journeys the more I realize I'm plagued by first world problems. Oh my cell phone is shutting itself on and off - and it's borderline panic time. Gas prices went up again. I can choose to boycott various restaurant chains. We can fit about what color the new carpet should be. And while these seem like big problems - the fact of the matter is that it is a privilege to even have these "problems" in the first place. The fact of the matter is I, and dare I say American society, spend too much time fighting and debating these small problems. The reality is there are much bigger issues to tackle - poverty, hunger, lack of basic needs, lack of education, lack of health care, discrimination. To paraphrase the words of a wise Biblical Scholar - if people, the world, focused on these bigger issues then we wouldn...

Today is September 11, 2012 - the 11th anniversary of the tragedy of that day. This event is seared into the memories of everyone on that day. We all remember where we were that day. This was a true event of terror and religion being used as a weapon. As we move further away from 2001 there is still a desire to remember the events of the day. While we all will not and should not forget that day, I think that we are forgetting the other events that came from that day. I remember the hatred of other that was continued - blaming all of the Jews, all of the Muslims, blaming anyone that looked Middle Eastern. We, Americans and others across the world, started to profile, detain, suspect and hate the other. We needed someone to blame, and while we knew who to blame, we decided to blame a whole group of people. This hatred and racism has only continued. True it has died down some because society has decided to hate other groups a little more currently, but we still hate. We still think it...

So question to all of you parents out there: When is it okay for a non-parent person, me, step in and do some parenting? Let me give you an example: This past Friday night my mother and I were stopping at a store/restaurant to grab some dinner. We were at the end of the line and there was a couple that had three boys I'd say age 7 and younger that were running around getting into everything. The oldest two boys decided to run and jump at a lady, causing her to fall. This woman clearly had a medical diagnosis that limited her mobility. The boys did not say anything to the woman and went to playing in the cold display case. After helping the lady up and making sure she was okay my mother and I  looked to see if the parents were handling the situation. They were not, they were choosing to ignore their children's actions, who by this point were playing with glass drink bottles. Needless to say my mother and I had had enough and asked the two oldest boys to leave the drin...

Tips for Interacting with Individuals with Disabilities Remember to see and talk to the person not the disability. -           People are not defined by their disability. Talk to/ interact with them like you would anyone else. -           If the person is age wise an adult talk to them as an adult. Please avoid “baby talk.” -           If a person is with a staff please talk to the person not the staff. Staff might help clarify but they are there to support and not do for. -           If you don’t understand just ask for the person to repeat themselves. -           Just say “hi.” A conversation starts there. Be natural. Keep it simple. -           Sometimes individuals know certain words but may not use them at...

So clearly if you read a post of mine from a couple of days ago you know that I'm not a big fan of places of worship going overboard on crap. This past Saturday I returned with my 2 clients to go to worship to find that they were having their yearly celebration of summer. They rented inflatables, large grills for cook for the community. There was a petting zoo and all of the carnival stuff you could want. Celebrating the summer is great. Feeding the community (it was free and advertised as all are welcome - I'll give them points for that outreach to the community) is great. But there was a crucial thing that forgot - accessibility. In order to do this, this church blocked off a large part of their parking lot. They decided to use their church buses and rent large golf carts to transport people to and from parking spots they were using away from their property so people wouldn't have to walk so far. This was a very nice thought. But yet none of these carts or buses were equi...

When I moved from Des Moines, IA to Lexington, KY I was introduced to this place called Chick-fil-a. I love chicken and theirs is good...I mean good! I understood that the folks who own the company were conservative but then again isn't half of America? I was cool with letting them believe their own thing and I believe mine. But now records and statements come out about how millions of dollars are being spent to prevent my friends, family and people that I don't know from being officially allowed to be who they are. I have a major issues with this because they're dragging in my faith to speak for them. They're quoting Bible passages left and right to say that marriage is defined as 1 man and 1 woman. They're saying that marriage is the Church's to decide. Well let's take a look at all that's wrong with these statements. 1) Marriage did not start out as a Biblical act. It was an act of protecting property therefore it was a civil act first and foremost. R...