Summer Adventures ...

This is my introduction for the Eco-Stewards blog. It is probably the most concise account of how I came to be in West Virginia for the summer.

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It has not quite been a month [ok, posting is here means it's been five weeks] since I first saw the full description of the Eco-Stewards Program internships– and I have now been in West Virginia for a week [make that almost two]. Five months ago, I walked across a commencement stage and was given my master’s degrees: one in divinity, one in English. I have not quite figured out what I am going to be doing with these degrees (not in terms of how to hang them on a wall, but rather how I am going to use the knowledge gained in the process of earning them), and so I have spent the time between then and now working in a restaurant and largely trying to ignore the future.

I read through the placement descriptions, and was (I will admit) a little amazed by the thought of an eco-theological ministry; so often ministry is limited to the work done in the local church, to pastoring or preaching or working with the youth of a congregation. This, though, was something different. Working with a Christian camp and a church not just to “save souls” (whatever that may mean), but to work towards saving the earth as well? My first thought was, “Wow. This sounds really interesting–this sounds like something I would love to do.” The second thought was a realization that the application deadline was two days away. (The third thought noticed the start date of the internship.) I figured that if I could get in a good application, and go through the whole process and be accepted to the internship, I would chalk it up to God and head to West Virginia. I hadn’t spent any time off the freeways of West Virginia, but I figured that if God wanted me there, God would shove me, and do some tugging on the other end to work things out the best God could. And so, here I am, considering myself duly shoved.

The combination of divinity and English master’s programs has given me a passion for justice–for people, for the environment, and for just theology. I have a sort of Superwoman mindset, in which I want to save the world (or whatever small corner of it I can actually influence), and I feel like this is a step in the right direction. I want to find new ways of doing ministry, within and without church walls. I want to experience and be influenced by the ministries of others, and to find where and how we can do the most good in the world.

It excites me that there are others who are interested in the same sorts of issues, and churches (and church-related camps) that are willing to take steps to care for all of creation, and not just humanity. I look forward to helping Bluestone Camp & Retreat and First Presbyterian Church of Hinton research their options in “greening” their respective facilities, and finding viable ways to go forth. Working at Bluestone in particular means working with youth, with the next generation of potential Eco-Stewards, and trying to help shape their perceptions of the world around us and our respective places in it.

Now Introducing ...

I suppose all blogs need an introduction.

Hi, I'm Sabrina. I like long walks on the beach and quiet conversation ... Nah. Actually, I'd rather be in the mountains than on the beach. I'm not very good at introductions, because for every thing I say about myself, there are at least ten that I didn't or forgot to say. But, here we go: a brief time-line of my life.

I am now in my mid-twenties. I was born on an August morning, two months premature and a few minutes before my twin sister followed me. I spent my first month in an incubator at the hospital; she died seventeen days later. When I was nearly a year-and-a-half old, my parents moved into their first home, and the next day, my brother was born. Another two-and-a-half years later, my little sister joined us.

We lived in that house until the summer after my eighth-grade year, when we moved into a larger house across town--and for the first time, I had my own room. It was like a dream. The downside was that it put me in a different high school from the rest of my friends. The ultimate upside is that I still have several friends whom I would not have met had I not gone to Riverside.

I graduated high school at seventeen, and had decided to go to a Christian school away from home, so the week before my eighteenth birthday, we packed my stuff into the trunk of the car, and the five of us drove out to Minneapolis, my new home. We spent a few days in town, celebrated my birthday, and moved me into my dorm on Saturday. The family took me out to breakfast after unloading the car, and they left for a family reunion in Wisconsin.

I was extremely lucky in my roommate assignment, and spent my three college years living with Jenny, along with two other girls each year. Thanks to AP classes in high school, I was able to get my bachelor's degree in three years. I majored in English, minored in History, and wondered what I was going to do with my life.

As I started looking at post-college options, my best friend from high school was in North Carolina, attending a small university there. She suggested I come down and live with her, and so I did. Six weeks after graduation, I once more packed my gear in a car and drove down south. I entered divinity school the next January with the intent of becoming a children's minister; my plans changed fairly quickly, and I started a dual-degree program that included an M.A. in English as well as the M.Div.

I lived in North Carolina for almost five years, finishing my schooling and making great friends along the way. I graduated this past December, and still don't quite know what I'm going to do with my life.

In the meantime, I moved back in with my parents (rather reluctantly) at the beginning of February, and worked in a restaurant for two months. Then, suddenly, I found myself heading off to an in internship in West Virginia, which is where I sit now. I'll be here for another two months, and I'm excited to see what this time might bring for me.

Blogging is not a new adventure for me; I have had blogs and online journals before, but I have fallen lax in my postings. I am a lapsed writer, in that my instinct is to write even when I don't necessarily follow through on it. This new blog is an attempt to jump-start the writing again, to encourage myself to start fresh, and to keep going. Something about West Virginia has encouraged introspection in me, and hopefully that will allow itself to come in the form of blogs.

This actually turned out longer than I had thought it would, and since most of you probably already know me well enough that this is repeat information, I'm going to lay off here. But, I'll say this before I go:

Thanks for joining me. :) Feel free to ask any questions you might have.