#GrowingUpAppalachian : Part 1

An Appalachian Childhood: Part 1 of a Series on #AnAppalachianLife

By: Sarah Elizabeth McCarren 

                         Me on a hike in Western North Carolina, a part of #Appalachia that formed me into the woman I am today. Photo by Brian 

 I read a wonderful essay on #GrowingUpAppalachian that has me thinking about the fact that I AM Appalachian. the old rocks and the rich soil are part of my DNA. While I am totally HOME here in Pensacola, Florida, I cannot ignore my Appalachian roots. 

 Let me first share a quote from the author-- a young woman from Kentucky who grew up in very similar circumstances as I did in Rural Greater Pittsburgh. 

 Whitney Allen, a native of Eastern Kentucky says this about growing up in some of the world's oldest highlands: 

    "Culturally speaking, Appalachia is extremely rich. As a community that is poor — monetarily speaking — we have learned to find the wealth in our land and our surroundings. Appalachian culture is marked by strong, pragmatic Christian views, close relationships with family members, and far too often by the belief that those who grow up in the area have backwards beliefs and mentalities. For me, I believe that it has allowed me to appreciate the positive and to grow beyond the negative by being exposed to all different types of individuals throughout my short life. I will take the lessons that I have learned growing up in the mountains through my life and will use them to help educate others on our culture and to promote tolerance in our community for cultures different from our own."**

Let me address the stereotypes I run up against when folks discover my Appalachian roots.

 While poverty exists-- I witnesses some of this in my own rural public-school experience-- but not all Appalachians grow up in shacks in the " hollers" with no running water. Poverty is a problem in these United States that transcends regions. Yet due in part to the works of JD Vance { Ew, don't get me started on what I think of him!} the trope surrounding my home region is that of the " dirt-poor hillbilly"

For instance, my brother and I grew up in a comfortable, middle-class, two-parent home.  Dad is an Army veteran with some college education who successfully managed a retail store until economics forced the store to close. Mom is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University {GO NITTANY LIONS!} My brother and I went to poorly funded public schools, and we both are adults that are always learning. 

Growing up, most of our peers went to church on Sunday. However, growing up in an interfaith home {Dad was raised Irish-Catholic and Mom Jewish} church was not part of our childhood. Sometimes this made me feel awkward, but as an adult I am grateful that my interfaith upbringing {and eventual baptism into Christianity at the age of 20} gives me a unique perspective on religion in general and my own Christian walk in particular. 

Like nearly every child who grew up in Appalachia: I loved playing freely in the woods around our neighborhood. Our neighborhood had groups of children who --in the good weather months--were outside from morning until dusk. I'm still in contact with most of these " kids" now. Some still live where I grew up, others-- like myself-- moved far away. yet the bond of an incredible safe ' free-range' childhood unites us. 

My Dad is one of six children, and I remember Sunday suppers at my paternal grandparents' house. Since our family unit lived the farthest away, we would only drive to Sunday Supper once monthly.  Additionally, in the summer months our aunts and uncles would spoil us with attention. I was nearly ten years old before the first of the McCarren cousins came along and I was thrilled to finally have a cousin. My teen years were spent with other cousins arriving. It was-- and still is-- a joy to be the senior member of that generation of this branch of the McCarren family tree. 

To be honest, living in Florida means that I missed really having that quality time with my cousins. But that solid sense of family allows for me to build my own clan here. 

I grew up just as the steel and coal industry of Greater Pittsburgh was drawing to an end.  While some of Greater Pittsburgh Appalachia has grown beyond steel and coal, other communities suffer from lack of well-paying jobs. To a certain extent the discovery of natural gas in the seams of those old ridges has given the area an economic boost. 

Pittsburgh's entrance into the medical and medical research fields have attracted talent to the area. Yet each time I return I sense deep within my soul that my part of Appalachia struggles economically. The population of the small towns near where I grew up have declined in the nearly 23 years since I've left. 

In spite of all the struggles, my Appalachian childhood was wonderful. The people I know and love who live there are hardworking, kind, community-oriented people. 

I am-- an always will be- a child of Appalachia. 

 ** Allen, Whitney What Its Really Like to Grow Up Appalachian      Thought Catalog June 19 2015

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Debt Forgiveness

 

                                    High Altar at St John's Catholic Cathedral in Savannah, Georgia. Photo by The Pensacola Hippie 

 The news regarding college loan forgiveness has sparked A LOT of chatter on social media {and I imagine among people in real time} People on both sides of this issue share their feelings openly on social media. To be honest, I do not need one more divisive topic in my life right now. People on both sides will double down and refuse to listen to each other. 

 I'm blessed that I do not have any outstanding school loans. However, anyone who has known me or has followed me on social media will know my views on this topic {hint, my views are based on Jesus of Nazareth's teachings in the Gospels} 

I do not wish to further divide my dear readers by tacking school loan debt relief.  Rather, I want to look at what Jesus says about debt forgiveness and what the word " debt" might have meant in His time. We modern American capitalists define the word " debt' as money owed to another, but perhaps Our LORD might have used another word that got translated into " debt". 

Let us take a look at how Luke tells the story of Jesus showing the disciples how to pray. 

    " ... give us each day our daily bread

          and forgive us our SINS , as we forgive those who SIN against us...

        for we forgive everyone INDEPTED to us..." {Luke 11:3-4 NRSV}

According to my source, The Jewish New Testement: New Revised Stanndard Version, the Aramaic word " hav" can be translated to either " sin" or " debt".  In rabbinic literature, sins were considered debts against God. 

Hmm.  Sin= debt against God. 

Christ, by His death and resurrection, paid this sin-debt. 

If we Christ-followers in the 21st century return to the original language of the text and see it as perhaps the original hearers would have understood Jesus' teachings about sin, and what forgiveness we are to pray for, we might understand that our modern sensibilities cloud the Scripture. 

Our economic system gives us a lens that sees "debt" as only money {or other forms of payment owed for goods or services. Given our capitalistic sensibilities, it is natural that we think as debt as some payment one owes another. 

If we look at Jesus' definition of " dept" as a debt of sin to God-- a debt that everyone owes, then perhaps the conversation can be less about money and more about forgiving each other from sins that we all commit daily. 

The prayer that Christ teaches goes on to say 

"  for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. 

And do not bring us to the time of trial...

Maybe the lesson surrounding the college loan forgiveness discussions can take on a more big-picture view now and in the future.  ow can we collectively forgive ourselves and others for the debt of sin that we make each other carry for a long time?

In the Name of the Holy Three...

Amen. 

Sarah McCarren

8/25/22

After a medical emergency....

                                           Brian and I spent some " sabbatical" time this summer hiking the Western North Carolina mountains Photo by Brian. 

Back in April, when I was prepping for a routine procedure, I suffered a medical emergency that could have killed me. My blood pressure shot down to 55/35 {yup, according to the doctors who saved my life by pumping my IV full of endenephrin}Had I gone into full cardiac arrest {which somehow, I did not since my heart was still working, scarily slowly, but working nonetheless}, I most likely would not have survived. 

Long story short: I am blessed to be among the living. I recall vividly some weirdly comforting phenomena that occurred when I was " coding" , but since so few people will believe me, I'm not going to delve into that experience. Ask me in private & I might share. 

I've spent this summer prayerfully re-evaluating a lot of things. After all: I was given a second chance at living as my Creator intends for me to live. 

I've made some changes. For instance: I will no longer be silent on issues of justice in order to maintain the comfort level of acquaintances. We are going into what will probably be another ugly election season, and I cannot remain both silent and live authentically. I promise to not bring partisanship into my discourse, but I shall speak up for the oppressed, the poor and others who exist on the fringe of society. 

I plan to turn some tables and am ready for the consequences.  Already I was unfriended, blocked on social media, and ghosted by someone I love over my stance on reproductive rights and body autonomy for all persons. 

As I've stated before, I can be polite and welcome conversations about touchy subjects-- just as long as those subjects DO NOT include stripping away rights of others and/or taking away their autonomy. Concerning these topics, I cannot and will not waver. 

Namaste...

Sarah McCarren 

8/24/22

#Becoming More " Myself"

 

                                     Quote that has guided me through these past few months. 

One thing which I wanted to pray and work on is my " what next". I turned 46 in May, after a scary medical emergency in April-- one that shook me enough that I sought guidance from my priest. Her advice was to look at the summer months as a " sabbatical" of sorts {unlike her, I could not take an actual sabbatical} but I did lessen my obligations to what was absolutely necessary and took on NO NEW PROJECTS from May - August. 

It was a wonderful experience. I used the down time to pray, journal, and discuss what it means for me to serve God going forward in my second half of life.  I took time to listen to the Spirit and observe my own reactions to living with less busy-ness. 

 My medical emergency changed me by making me realize that I am at a literal mid-life. If I am fortunate, I'll live to age 90-ish. Math shows me that I am halfway there. 

 I cannot afford to waste time. 

 Spending this time in a more relaxed, less busy mode made me understand that my soul craves things that had been missing. 

 For instance: Music. I'd sang in groups for most of my life and just as I was thinking I'd like to get back into choral singing again, COVID struck. 

 Friends, I am happy to say that I'm back singing with the Pensacola Gulf Coast Chorale. We have our " boot camp" on Saturday {lunch, getting to know each other, and running through the music for the Fall Concert} I feel JOY!  I am also singing in the parish choir {as my schedule allows} and again, I feel JOY! I'd sang with the Chorale years ago and it was some of the best musical experiences I've had in my life. 

This is the same joy that I feel when I meet with my Daughters of the King chapter {DOK Is an order for women in The Episcopal Church & denominations in communion with us} I'd felt led to be a " DOK" for years but had not an opportunity for study & discernment until this spring.  I am looking forward to further work of prayer, service & evangelism {that " E" word} with my chapter and Diocese-wide assembly. 

Adding new ways of service means that I'll bid farewell to other activities. For instance, I'm hanging up my mentor 's hat at the local elementary school. There are only so many hours in a day, and so many days in each week. My reasons for arriving at this decision are personal. There are other activities that must be put away, and it is my hope that people understand that I need to match my soul's desire with a need in the community. 

Mae West said " You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. " 

 Shalom...

Sarah McCarren 

August 17, 2022