A Full Life, A Blessed Life

“You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.”  - Thomas Merton, 20^th Century Catholic author

I am nearing the end of a six-week Working Toward Prayer class at my church Unity Unitarian-Church. We are all encouraged to deepen our own daily spiritual practice and to work on contemplative living as described by Thomas Merton.  The quote above captures the spirit of engaging in each day as a form of prayer. 

Although many times I do not “know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going” I have no doubt that my courageous step of coming to UTS is the right one. As a Unitarian-Universalist (UU) in a Christian seminary there are many gifts offered from multi-faith perspectives.  My small group in one class is comprised of me, a UCC student, a LDS (Mormon) student, and a classmate who describes her spiritual affiliation as “wandering but not lost.” This diversity of faith here was symbolized at last week’s chapel where a broad array of hymnals were displayed on the altar. This broad-range of faith traditions is part of the fabric of this place—I believe it stretches us all theologically and will make us stronger leaders in the multi-faith world we live in. 

Part of the purpose of this blog is to share our lives as seminarians and to give a sense of an average week in the life of a student. Like so many students, I wear many hats throughout the week. 

During this past week I:

• Prepared for and attended my four classes (Historical Theology; UU Social Action; Synoptic Gospels; and Death, Dying and Bereavement). Topics we learned about and wrestled with included: St. Augustine, racism, Luke, and social media’s impact on grieving. 
• Wrote a sermon which I will preach at the UU church in Rochester later this month.
• Hosted a prospective UTS student over a lunch hour.
•  Met with the core planning group about my church’s strategy for working on the anti-marriage amendment which is up for a vote in MN in Nov. 2012.
• Attended three of my son’s flag football games at Ramsey Jr High and Central High School’s homecoming game where my oldest son played in the pep band.
• Joined the director of the Prairie Star District at our weekly UTS-UU Student Group.
• Presented with a colleague to ten UU ministers about the anti-marriage amendment and the intra- and inter-faith work that lies ahead.
• Attended a classmate’s presentation on his summer travels to Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.
• Continued to chair my church’s Board of Trustees nominating committee and spent time managing the teams’ work toward recruiting and interviewing three nominees.
•  Worshiped at a very moving chapel service with the sermon titled “I’m Coming Out.”
•  Spent time at family dinners, walks to DQ, and in transit with my sons and partner, Linda. 

This afternoon I am off to a meeting with a core group of multi-faith leaders who are planning the state-wide faith-based component of the campaign to defeat the anti-marriage amendment in MN.  

Tomorrow I turn 49…if my life is indeed a prayer then all I have to say is amen. It has been a full and blessed week. 

-Laura Smidzik, M.Div. student