On this day—my birthday—in 1512...

In the 21st of October, 1512, young monk Martin Luther joined the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg!

It was to be a bit of a tumultuous tenure, as he began teaching through the Bible, and discovering that some of what he had been taught, and some of what was being peddled (literally) by the church of his day was not exactly faithful to the biblical or theological tradition.

Luther taught theology...it was when he was teaching the book of Romans a few years later that he had a significant breakthrough that eventually led him to the actions that we now commemorate as the beginning of the Protestant reformation. (Those actions took place on the 31st of October 1517...just five years and ten days after he took up the post in the theology faculty....and then a mere 489 years after that, I was ordained! Yay reformation!)

I have visited Wittenberg a few times. Aside from the kartoffelhaus—a restaurant where every single one of the hundred + menu items features potatoes!!—the main attractions of the town are the two churches and the Luther house. It’s a fascinating place to visit and I highly recommend it. Not least because Luther moved there on my birthday! Or what would become my birthday, anyway!

(This is the last of this year’s addition to the birthday buddies series!)

On my birthday...in...a lot of years!

I am having so much trouble deciding what event to highlight from October 21 today!

In 1975, Elton John got a star in Hollywood! How cool is that?
In 1520, Magellan and his crew rounded the cape and became the first Europeans to enter the Pacific Ocean! I love the Pacific Ocean...
In 1971, Pablo Neruda won the Nobel Prize for Literature! His poetry is gorgeous and moving.

I think what we can learn from this is that the 21st of October is a most auspicious day, and just like me, there’s too much awesome to be contained!!

#Enneagram7

(We might also surmise that the sermon I am planning to preach on October 21 has a lot going on. Perhaps it could use narrowing down, but it’s all important so what can I possibly leave out???)

Anyway....I know EXACTLY what historical event I’m posting as “on this day” tomorrow, so it’s time to let the clock tick over and turn to celebration! Just as soon as I solve the sermon problem...


In an ongoing birthday buddies series...

On my birthday...in 1797!

I am a mere 183 years younger than the USS Constitution, often known as “Old Ironsides”!
On the 21st of October, 1797, the third attempt to float the massive warship finally succeeded, and a bottle of Madeira was broken over her bow, and she began the first day of multiple centuries of service in a time when the average lifespan of a warship was 10-15 years.

The design of the frigate was slightly different than those typical of the time, being intentionally thicker and heavier—built to last. And last she has, through multiple wars, training hundreds of navy officers, traveling around the world repeatedly, and now serving as a museum to educate visitors—still with an active duty crew!

I visited the USS Constitution during my family’s trip to New England in 2006, just before I took my first call as a Presbyterian pastor. During that trip, in fact, I was going to the UPS store every day to fax documents about buying a house. But despite how crazy that was, I still remember many of the cool places we saw on that trip—from lighthouses to Paul Revere’s house to witch’s houses. We sailed in Boston Harbour and I dumped some tea overboard. LOL. And, of course, because dad was with us, we naturally visited the ship. Because no vacation with dad is complete without at least one ship.

Anyway...I love that this ship was launched on my birthday (well, okay, 183 years before my birthday) and that she has so surpassed every expectation. Not least because when I was ordained, the average pastor lasted less than five years in ministry....and I am currently joking-not-joking about serving until my 50th ordination anniversary. There’s something to be said for outliving the average—as long as you can adapt to the changing needs of your context, which Old Ironsides has done very well. Keep up the good work!



(The latest in my new section of the birthday buddies series, leading up to my birthday, just two days away now!)

On my birthday...in 1959

(A new addition to my “birthday buddies” series, inspired by round six of the Spinny quiz, which is always “on this day”)

The 21st of October, 1959 was a monumental day. Not only because my mother was one year and two months old on that day, but also because it was the day that the Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opened in New York City!

Photo from FrankLloydWright.org

The Guggenheim is an incredible museum, and a beautiful piece of work in its own right. All curves, no traditional rectangular galleries, a curving ramp that takes you past every piece with no possibility of getting lost in a maze of painting...it’s gorgeous.

It was, of course, like apparently everything that happened on my birthday, controversial. But the main reason for the controversy was so fascinating: people thought the building would compete with the artwork inside! They said the structure wasn’t fit for purpose, because it was too beautiful and too unconventional. !!!!!

The museum it was designed to house was literally called “the museum of non-objective painting.” The person who commissioned Wright to do it said she wanted “A Temple of the Spirit!”

Despite the mixed reviews from contemporary artists and architects who had difficulty seeing the vision, the museum is now one of the most iconic buildings and art spaces anywhere in the world. That day in 1959 was a triumph for vision that makes new things possible. Happy birthday, Guggenheim Museum!

(I can’t find my own photos from there...it’s possible I was busy looking at everything and not taking pictures, or that they are only print and not digital and therefore I don’t have them anymore, so I’m using google to show you all how amazing it is!)

https://goo.gl/images/gkVvkw

On my birthday....in 1805

continuing with my new series leading up to my birthday (piggy backing on my Birthday Buddies series a few years ago)

I was born on the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar—the naval battle that shaped Britain for generations. Or centuries, even, if you count things like Trafalgar Square in London, or Regents Bridge in Edinburgh, which are dedicated to the battle and indeed the man who won it, at the cost of his own life, Admiral Horatio Nelson.

I confess that growing up in the USA I knew precisely nothing whatsoever about the Battle of Trafalgar. I mean...I knew that Britain had a navy, obviously. I knew about the existence of Napoleon and that there were long decades of war related to his quest for territory and power. That pretty much sums up my knowledge of an event that is still known as the “most important naval battle in British history.” Apparently the 21st of October is even designated “Trafalgar Day.” Who knew? (Well...probably British people. But not me, until today.)

I have seen Admiral Nelson’s uniform in the museum at Greenwich, and marveled at the visible bullet hole (with clean edges too) in the shoulder. Most of what I know about the battle (still hardly anything) I learned in that museum.

But the reason I decided to feature this event in my birthday blog? Because the REASON it was such a victory is because Nelson went against the traditional form of naval battles, structuring his fleet in a completely different way from the way it had always been done before. Even though he was technically outnumbered, and faced a fleet with at least some of the ships being of superior quality, his choice of non-traditional tactics and structure made him the winner of the day. (Except for the dying part, obvs.)

So of course I would choose a day of unorthodox strategy leading to victory to celebrate! :-) I think that deserves a statue at the top of a huge column in the middle of a busy square in London, don’t you?

On my birthday....in 1964

Many weeks I spend my Thursday evening at my local pub, which has a quiz on Thursdays. Round 6 of the quiz is “on this day”...so I thought I’d borrow that for a little birthday series!

A few years ago I did a series leading up to my birthday, featuring some of the cool people I share October 21st with. This time, it’s exciting events to share the day with!

So, in no particular order, for the week leading up to my birthday...

October 21st, 1964: the film version of My Fair Lady premiered! That’s right, I was born on the 16th anniversary of the first time Audrey Hepburn sang “Wouldn’t it be loverly” on the big screen. Or rather, sang it but then had her voice removed and dubbed over. It was a controversy to cast her rather than Julie Andrews (who played Eliza in the Broadway and West End productions), but what would my birthday be without a little controversy? The ending of the musical provides more controversy too, as sometimes the stage productions differ from the movie, both of which differ from the original story...who knows how Eliza would really have ended it???

My Fair Lady is a delightful musical, and it’s fun to think I was born on the day the movie version was first seen!

birthday buddies: TODAY!

Pretty sure a photo or two will express nicely today's birthday buddy...

and how I feel about sharing a birthday with her...

That's right--happy birthday Carrie Fisher (!) (1956)

And happy birthday to me! Since I share a birthday with someone who was a princess, I'm prolly one too, right? At least for today? ;-) And if that's not what that means, I hope that at least it means I can have a little bit of her courage in being open about her difficulties and past poor choices and moving forward into healthier ways of living.

But first I think I'll take the princess... :-)

birthday buddies: T-ONE day!!

Today we'll make a turn to the latter part of my life so far, with someone well-known and influential in the theological world with whom I share a birthday...

Gerhard von Rad (1901) was a German Lutheran pastor (and hey, I'm part German too! though not Lutheran...) who, after having been through two world wars, began the sort of Old-Testament Renaissance (for lack of a better accessible term). The OT was sort of out of favor, and Gerhard's study and writing began to bring it back to us as an important part of our theological tradition. He used those critical methods we take for granted in a way that opened up the possibilities in the Old Testament as a key to our Christian theology, and is rightfully known as one of the great Old Testament scholars...ever. And his understanding of the Bible has influenced my own--a fellow scholar said about him: "the Bible for von Rad, in the final analysis, is neither history nor literature, but rather the confessions of a community." Yes Yes Yes.

I love love love the OT, and often prefer to preach on it than on the other texts in the lectionary--in part because the narrative and/or poetry is generally so engaging, and in part because I hope to continue in Gerhard's tradition of bringing the OT into our Christian consciousness in a way that goes beyond "foretelling Jesus" and lets the beauty of the oral tradition speak for itself into our day. For all the work he did, there is still an underlying unease and unfamiliarity with the Old Testament among many church goers...I'd like to think I stand in Gerhard's footsteps as I try to change that, one sermon at a time.

Happy almost-birthday, Gerhard. I'm glad to share a birthday with you!

Birthday Buddies: T-2 days!

I love to read. LOVE it. I would spend all my time sitting on the couch reading if I thought I could get away with it.

I also like to write. There have been many days I have dreamed of writing a book. And, of course, many days during which I actually have, in fact, written a book. A book that will be published on September 30, 2013.

But sometimes I've dreamed of writing a novel. Of course, I have zero creative writing skills and I'm fairly certain that while my imagination may be over-active it does not contain a developed story.

In 9th grade we did a poetry unit, during which we had to both read and write poetry. It was, at the time, awful. I did not yet have fully abstract thinking skills and metaphor was often just beyond me (as it is for many 9th graders). Poetry was hard. I'm still working through that trauma and trying to get into poetry. (in fact, I'm hoping to read more poetry this fall, so if you have suggestions, please put them in the comments!!)




But poetry that tells a story? I'm all over that. As is the famous author with whom I share a birthday: Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772)!

Coleridge was the son of a pastor, a voracious reader (he preferred to read over all other activities!), and he daydreamed of starting a utopian commune (me too!). Of course, he was addicted to opiates (oops) and some of his philosophy is a tiny bit out-there, but I love that I share a birthday with someone whose imagination was just active enough for poetry, and who loved to read as much as I do. I love that I share a birthday with a man who was invested in finding ways to write poetry that was accessible to real people, using normal language to tell his stories in their form--with just the perfect words that are also understandable (that's what I try to do with preaching, too!).

my idea of getting out more

Though I doubt his mom made him join a softball team so he would get out more.











Only 2 days! I was born at 5am, Pacific Time, so the last entry in birthday-buddies will go live then. I bet you can't wait to see who that is! But first...tomorrow. :-)

birthday buddies: T-3 days!

Sometimes life takes unexpected turns--all our best-laid plans, our following of the rules of the road, our expectations, occasionally (or maybe even often) turn out in ways we just did not anticipate.

Not unlike Jazz.

I recently read a book called Make the Impossible Possible, and the author regularly compares life to jazz. He wants his life to have "swing"--to get into the groove from which you can venture out and try new things. He talks about how jazz opens the mind and creativity because it's not always obvious where the melody is going, and improvisation is such a part of the art. A good jazz musician can take the elements of music and turn them into something new each time, can hear what is going on around him/her and pull many different threads together into a new melody line, can imagine something that's both unique and fits into what's already being played. Jazz is really about listening, imagining, acting...and if it doesn't work, you just keep going until it does.

So my birthday buddy to think about and celebrate with today is a jazz great--someone who brought the art to the fore and has been an active and well-known part of the jazz world for a very long time: Dizzy Gillespie (1917).

Dizzy was, by all accounts, extremely intelligent, into complicated harmony and rhythm, and able to communicate incredible ideas at breakneck speed in ways no one had ever considered playing the trumpet before. He was mostly a self-taught musician! He drew on a deep spiritual, intellectual, and emotional well in his playing, and he was generous with his time and his knowledge of music. He told stories through the trumpet, and even now is unequaled in his virtuosity. He was known as the ambassador of jazz, going all over the world to play.

Not a bad person with whom to share a birthday (especially as I contemplate my life's unexpected turns thus far, and how to approach the coming year)!

Birthday Buddies: T-4 days

When I was in elementary school, we listened (and sang along) to a lot of what would later be called "Classic Rock" at home. But occasionally I'd hear something else--whether at home or at school I'm not sure, but at some point I heard plain-old Classical music...and it was awesome. When the time came to think about joining the band, I was all over it--and my instrument was chosen for me (because the daughter of a friend of my grandma's had a clarinet and would sell it to us for $60--so I played the clarinet). It wasn't long before I was super into the whole Classical music thing. When I was 11 I told my mom that I wanted to be a professional clarinet player, and there wasn't much looking back. I took lessons, I listened to recordings, and sometimes I even practiced. I had dreams of playing in a major orchestra.

One of the authors of that dream is someone with whom I share a birthday and who would be 100 this year: Georg Solti (1912), longtime conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He coaxed such beauty and mystery and passion and wonder out of a group of people holding apparently inanimate objects...it's like a miracle every time you go to a concert or even hear their CDs. He liked to experiment, to broaden the horizons of both musicians and audience. He insisted on being absolutely-together, an excellence of ensemble that continues today. He took the orchestra on its first ever tour outside the United States. That orchestra wins Grammys for a reason, and Solti is a huge part of their history, reality, and legacy. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra was my goal for a long long time, and going to DePaul to study with people who play in the CSO was such a part of my dream that I didn't even apply to other schools. While concert-clarinetist wasn't my ultimate path, following it to Chicago was a huge part of leading me where I am now. And I do still love the CSO! And I love the ethos of Solti--excellence, ensemble, experiment.

Thank you for the music, birthday buddy!

Birthday Buddies: T-5 days

This weekend (on the eve of my birthday, in fact) the High School youth group is having an 80s lock-in. I've been putting together a youtube playlist of music videos of the 80s, and now that I have that finished (or as finished as it's going to get), here's a little tidbit I found in doing that--I share a birthday with Lee Loughnane (1946)!

Who is Lee Loughnane (pronounced Lock-nane), you ask?

Why, he's one of the original members of the band Chicago!!

I love Chicago. The city, of course, I loved the band long before I ever set foot in the city. They were regulars for sing-along music in the car and kitchen when I was growing up (and one of the things I've discovered on my 80s music playlist search is that Chicago and Styx are just about the only even remotely kid-appropriate music to come out of the 80s...holy cow there's some crazy stuff we used to just sing along to without paying any attention!!). I still have some of their greatest hits in rotation in my iTunes. When I went to college I went to the same school of music as several members of Chicago, including trumpeter Lee (though a few decades later, and not on purpose--that was just a perk!), and whenever the band was in town, the Dean of the music school would receive a couple of VIP/backstage passes...and he often shared them with me, because he knew I was a fan. That's right, I've been backstage at a Chicago concert, and one of my passes is still on my bulletin board. If only I had known then that Lee was my birthday buddy--think of the things we could have chatted about. :-)

Happy almost-birthday, Lee.

birthday buddies: T-6 days

One week to my birthday! woohoo!
Since, as previously discussed (ad nauseum), the week after my birthday isn't that fun, I thought I'd make the week before my birthday a fun blog series where I contemplate my birthday buddies. You know, people who are born on the same day (regardless of the year). Everyone has really interesting birthday buddies, of course. What I think is fun about the ones I've chosen to think about this week is how they are related to the last 32 years of my life.

So, each day I'll be posting a little about one of my birthday buddies. In addition to the zillions of people born on October 21 who don't make the internet lists, there are dozens of famous people born on October 21--athletes, musicians, actors, players on the world stage (Benjamin Netanyahu and I share a birthday), and people who are famous (or infamous) for unknown reasons--Kim Kardashian was born not just the same day, but the same year as me, even. I picked the people for this week because they either represent some aspect of my life or are just super interesting to share a birthday with.

So, for today...

I bet Alfred would get a kick out of these on his cake

Alfred Nobel (1833)

That's right, I share a birthday with the scientist who founded the Nobel prizes. Isn't that cool?
By itself, that's cool enough for a mention.

But there's also the part where the various Nobel prizes are being announced/awarded just now, so there's lots of attention on this tradition of awarding prizes to people who are doing outstanding work in their field, and lots of discussion about whether the Peace prize has "jumped the shark" (lots of people disagree with awarding the Nobel Peace prize to Obama and to the EU, and there are plenty of valid disagreements to be had for probably every recipient of the prize).
And, of course Alfred Nobel invented things, including dynamite...and my personality is pretty explosive. (hahahaha. okay, maybe not!)

I think one of the most interesting things about the Nobel prizes is that Alfred explicitly stated in his will that the prizes should be given "without regard to nationality." Remember this is late 19th century Europe--nationalism was on the rise and recognizing the achievement or worth of others was low on the list of priorities. I love that I share a birthday with someone who had a vision of a world community that could seek, learn, and celebrate together.