You don't have to listen. I just like to talk.

Lent is coming, so here's the Friday Five!

2011-03-04T15:18:00.000-05:00

According to the post, my friend KathrynZJ was up at 4:51am posting the questions for today's Friday Five. What was she thinking?!? I hope she went back to bad after typing up...

What are some things you appreciate about the season of Lent? Perhaps you would share 5 of them with us. And for your bonus question feel free to share one thing you could do without.

I appreciate the rhythm of the prayers from Ash Wednesday to Maundy Thursday- the thoughtfulness, the reflection, the penitence.
Home made soup at soup suppers.
The fact that Sundays don't count. Their resurrection nature cannot be denied.
The start date is based on a real day in history and not some borrowed festival.
Purple vestments.

Don't like the whole "give something up" business when it only leads to crankiness and whining and nothing spiritual.

Foxes in the Snow

2011-01-12T10:15:00.000-05:00

"Jumping Fox in the Snow" by Sophy White

I have known for several years that there are a fox or two living in our backyard (aka St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery). Knowing is one thing however and seeing is another. Last night I went outside at about 10:30. The snow had been coming down pretty steadily for a few hours and it was very quiet. It was quite bright outside with the light bouncing off the snow. I was making a trash run and when I lifted the lid on the dumpster, two foxes ran across the yard and over a large pile of snow covered earth. They ran down the little hill and off into the cemetery. It was so lovely to see them. I went and sat on the porch to see if they might come back, but they had gone for the night. As I walked on the drive I could see their tracks- past my car, over to the neighbor's house, under the forsythia bush. It's a wonder what you can see when the light is just right and the world has quieted down.

Friday Five: Holiday Redux

2011-01-07T11:08:00.000-05:00

RevGalBlogPal KJ has posted the questions for this week's Friday Five. They're all about the holiday season.

1) What food item was one of your favorites this year - a definite keeper? Mountain Mama came to visit in December and we made lefse. My father has always claimed that you could eat anything wrapped in lefse. This year I followed his lead and actually ate a hot dog wrapped in my favorite Norwegian flatbread made out of leftover mashed potatoes. He's right! It's good. Much better than a cheap supermarket bun. And for those of you who are offended by this, my grandmother saw street vendors in Oslo selling the same basic item.

2) Was there a meal or party or a gathering that stands out in your mind from this mose recent holiday season? We had a lovely dinner of fondue with friends on Christmas Eve that ended prematurely when the BugMan said he needed to go. While his system totally got the better of him on the way home, he did enjoy the Christmas meal the next day. This was good!

3) Were you involved in a jaw-dropper gift? Were you the giver or recipient or an on-looker? I'm skipping this one. Not sure why, just skipping it.

4) Was there at least one moment where you experienced true worship? Yes, on the 26th. God is sneaky.

5) What is at least one thing you want to make sure you do next year? Actually put decorations on the tree. I managed to get the tree up, but no ornaments made it up out of the basement. It was that kind of year at our house.

BONUS: What is something you absolutely must remember to do differently... or not at all! Listen to the Chick when she advises me to let go of things that aren't that important. Hold on to the things that are.

Reverb#10 - Gifts

2010-12-30T10:23:00.001-05:00

Prompt: Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What's the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

This one is a little tricky. There were a lot of important gifts this year. Incredible gifts of time and presence. Gifts of Ensure- lots of Ensure, which had has much symbolic value as it did monetary. I received escape valves and safety nets. Clean laundry and warm dinners.

The best gift was given quite unintentionally. A gift of tears. Can't say much more about it than that. Just that my husband is not the kind of guy who was taught that it was okay to cry. Or more properly, he witnessed that men didn't cry and so he followed the pattern laid out for him. This year he discovered for himself that some times, tears are warranted and crying does ultimately make you feel better.

A snippet from the December 26th sermon

2010-12-27T20:14:00.000-05:00

On Christmas Eve, we were at our little church where I work with the Sunday School program. One of the joys of my job is leading the family service on Christmas Eve. The children dressed as the various people in the nativity story. The older children read the story of Jesus’ birth. We sang lots of carols and there was a special Children’s sermon. As we were tidying up, one of the teachers said that one of the “wise men" - a second grader named Aaron- told her, “That was the best church experience I have ever had."

Clearly the kid has a remarkable vocabulary but I also think he has a marvelous capacity for insight. This is the first time that he has really been a part of a congregation. His family has gone to church, but they haven’t really joined. And so I think what happened for Aaron is that he really felt connected on Christmas Eve. He was fully a part of everything that was going on and he experienced something new. He was a part of the church family. And in that belonging, he experienced one of the true joys of Christmas- hearing the good news from people who truly care about us.

Reverb10: Note to Future Self

2010-12-23T09:52:00.000-05:00

Future self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead?

Dear You-

You really need to get a haircut, either that or a new blow dryer. It's okay to have gray hair but for goodness sake! Do something with it!

Your daughter has applied to colleges and at least one of them is some distance away. Try not to get too weepy but do make sure to spend some quality time with the Chicky before she leaves the nest.

Clean your room. Since you don't have a traditional closet it might be a good idea to clean out some of the stuff you're not wearing. You are not going to start wearing it this year so enough already. You have too much stuff on the rod collecting dust. (And by the way, so does the Bug Man. Nobody needs to be saving embroidered shirts from a job they had more than ten years ago.)

Get a physical and a mammogram and all that other stuff you keep putting off. It's important.

Go to chapel more often.

Take a vacation.

Read for fun.

Take a walk.

Call your parents!

Reverb 10: Friendship

2010-12-16T12:28:00.001-05:00

Friendship: How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?

Being a pastor and an eldest pink and more of an I than an E- I don't always strike out and make new friends easily. I've been trained about keeping boundaries. I have been trained to not want to inconvenience people. In my professional capacity I can make small talk, but asking someone if they want to have lunch or go to the movies? That's harder to do.

This year I found myself needing to try harder in the outreach department. And what's hard is that there are lessons I learned before that I found myself having to relearn. Sweet Girl and I once agreed that we tend to assume that the other one of us is too busy, too groovy or too something to want to make time to hang out with the other one. This of course, is pure nonsense! I love Sweet Girl! I'd rather eat sushi with her than anyone else in the world. And then there's Doc. Who wouldn't want to hang out with her? These two women have provided me with comfort, conversation and diversion this year when I desperately needed it. All I had to do was ask. That's the trick. Ask, invite, call, email, text. Friendship is all around us, we just need to be daring enough to wade into the water.

An editorial comment: I got my "secret identities confused." This is what happens when you haven't blogged in a while. Sweet Girl is Pseudo's mommy. Dorothy moved south and I miss her dearly! I think we should have a store reunion with all my favorite staff people!

Reverb10: 5 Minutes

2010-12-15T12:18:00.001-05:00

Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010.

Your husband had esophageal cancer. He was in the hospital seven times in seven months. This is why you are exhausted physically and emotionally. They think they got all the cancer but he still has to do some more chemo. This makes him vomit. And vomit loudly.
Oh and he got his gall bladder out, too. Sheesh!
Your daughter has applied to college. She really wants to go to Susquehanna University. She's picked it for all the right reasons. You are hoping that this will all work out.
Your grandmother died at the age of 100. You saw her in January at her party. She was her usual good self just a bit more fragile. Her children miss her so very much. Remember, just because they lived a long life doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye. In fact it may make it harder because you're used to having them around.
Your niece came to stay with you this summer to take care of the Bug Man. She was amazing in her ability to cope with all that was going on. Your mother has visited so many times that you've lost count. The Bug Man clearly has a crush on her. ;-) Your M-I-L was here for ten days as well. It was challenging for both the mom and son, but a good visit. It's hard to see someone you love be in pain.
You wish people wouldn't just ask about the cancer. You know they're concerned, but could we please talk about something else for a little while.
You worry that all you ever talk about is the cancer.
You have papers to finish for that class you're taking at the sem. Deadline is Friday. You may not get them finished, but give it your best shot. It's been a good class for stretching your thinking. It's also helped you see how you could spend the next ten years getting your Master's in Sacred Theology. One class at a time...
You still have a job. So don't forget to order the Spring textbooks for the store. People will want to buy their books and it would really suck if you didn't have what they want at the seminary.
Your cat Timothy died this summer. It was sad to say farewell after 13 years. You adopted a new cat last month. He's a kitten. Not a replacement cat. A new cat named Moonshine.
The Bug Man's employers continue to hold a job for him. This is a really good thing. They have said that he should take his time so that he can come back feeling good. He's shooting for February. You've decided you'll be happy with March.
You have not completely lost your sense of humor, but there are days...

Reverb 10: Prompts for the sloppy blogger?

2010-12-15T11:44:00.000-05:00

So here's the story...

At the end of 2009, Gwen Bell launched a creative end of year project and invited a few bloggers to join. The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge (#best09) encouraged online creators, through daily prompts, to dive into the past year and reflect on it to understand ourselves. Last year was the first year of the challenge. Around a thousand people participated (online), and by all accounts had a blast.

Reverb 10 is now an annual event... It’s an open online initiative that encourages participants to reflect on this year and manifest what’s next. It’s an opportunity to retreat and consider the reverberations of your year past, and those that you’d like to create in the year ahead. We’re connected by the belief that sharing our stories has the power to change us. From http://www.reverb10.com/the-story/

Since I have become a sloppy blogger, I have decided to give this a try. We'll see what happens.

Friday Five... tis the season!

2010-12-03T16:05:00.000-05:00

KJZ at the RevGalBlogPals wrote this week's Friday Five asking for a list of things that mark the season and one that does NOTHING for you! So here goes!

Advent socks. For nearly twenty years, my mother-in-law has been sending her kids and grandkids "Advent Socks." Usually the females get something with a Christmas motif, but every so often there will be a pair that is blue and seem truly like they were made for Advent. I am hoping mine came today in the mail!
Some kind of baking. When I was growing up, my mother did gobs and gobs of holiday baking. Cookies, Swedish coffee bread and I suppose lefse even technically qualifies. I have never quite lived up to the standard she set, at least not since becoming a mother myself. It's not a lack of talent but a lack of time and drive that get me. This year I am feeling kind of guilty since my mother is here for a week and says she's going to make Christmas cookies. Do I still have to bake one thing? Or can I just offer up what Mom made?
A tree in the window. I don't like yard decorations all that much, but I do love having a lit Christmas tree in the front window of the house. We have a new kitten though and I am wondering how we are going to work this all out. Will people notice if there are only ornaments on the top half of the tree? Would it be wrong to build a substantial fence around the tree? Hmmmm......
Forgetting to buy candles. Every year I mean to have the Advent wreath ready and every year it sneaks up on me. Does my daughter know that there are four weeks of Advent and not three?
Wrapping presents in the middle of the night. When I was a parish pastor, there were always presents that didn't get wrapped until the wee small hours of Christmas Eve/Morning. You know the time. It's when the sun has come up in Rome and the Pope is celebrating Christmas mass and you can watch it on WGN or CNN. Last year I was ready before midnight. I stayed up late anyhow.

There is a clear and present theme of procrastination to three out of five of my markers of the season. And I guess that is one of the things that I don't really like about Advent. There is so much to do and never as much time as I would like. I don't mean to procrastinate or eliminate tasks from the "to do" list. It's just that I find that it is such a very long list. When I am old and perhaps not so busy, I would like to have a leisurely Advent. I would do the things that I did when I was an unmarried country pastor with a very small parish. Make my own cards, make my own wrapping paper, sew, craft, bake... but for now I am going to enjoy the cookies my mother makes, get some classy looking wrapping paper that doesn't wrinkle when you use it and try to feel guilt-free when we send out email greetings instead of snail mail Christmas cards.

Friday Five: Pie!

2010-11-26T12:53:00.003-05:00

Pie, pie, me oh my, nothing tastes better,
wet, salty and dry, all at once-
oh, well it's pie.

Apple and pumpkin and mince and black bottom,
I'll come to your place every day if you've got em.
Pie, me oh my, I love pie!

My friend Songbird posted the questions for this week's Friday Five on the RevGalBlogPals and it's all about pie. She was having some pie dilemmas at her house related to gluten and a lack of piecrust at her local Trader Joe's. People across the country offered to make crust for her and one good soul actually delivered a pie to her door. (I may try this strategy for scoring pie next year!) Without further ado, here are Songbird's questions and my answers related to pie.

Are pies an important part of a holiday meal? Well, yes they are! And in the home of my childhood, it was all about the pie, but not the pie you are imagining. In the days before food processors, we would ask my mom to make Cornish pasty for any and every holiday meal. It involved making six pie crusts, peeling and grating potatoes and grinding rutabegas and onions in an old fashioned meat grinder. Nowadays, making pasty is a lot easier, but it is still my idea of THE holiday meal. Sadly, the Bugman and the Chick think that Thanksgiving means turkey, Easter means ham and Christmas should be about beef and seafood. I usually manage to sneak in some pasty before the holiday weekend is over. As you can see from the picture, pasty is like a big turnover filled with ground beef, potatoes, rutabegas or carrots and a little onion. The recipe came from my mother's Aunt Effie who lived in mining country in northern Minnesota. Some crazy people think it needs gravy. Personally, I have found butter is the ONLY way to go! Oh! just to clarify my family's dedication to pie, when we were done with the pasty, I was asked for many years to bake Black Bottom Pie for dessert.
Men prefer pie; women prefer cake. Discuss. Cake baking is easier. Discuss.
Cherries--do they belong in a pie? I don't like cherries but the husband dreams of such things.
Meringue--if you have to choose, is it best on lemon or chocolate? Skip the meringue altogether. The Chick's favorite pie is French Silk Chocolate. (See top photo.) Notice there is NO meringue. We are all about the whipped cream at our house.
In a chicken pie, what are the most compatible vegetables? Anything you don't like to find in a chicken pie? Peas are nasty. I don't much like the cooked carrots either. I once made a chicken pie with potatoes, a little onion, lots of mushrooms and curry in the sauce. It was good! I might have to try that again.

Friday Five

2010-11-05T10:43:00.000-04:00

My friend KathrynZJ posted the Friday Five on RevGalBlogPals and I thought this might be a good way to get back in the swing of thngs.
KJ wrote:

There are many perks in my life for which I give thanks and then there are some that make everything right in the world during the moment I am enjoying them. I'm wondering what a few of those things - five to be specific - are for you.

So here they are in no particular order:

Ice in my drink on a hot, hot day.
Parents who thought it was critical that we have company this year while dealing with the Bug Man's cancer treatment. Mountain Mama was here five times. For this I am thankful to her and my father.
Having had enough gumption enough to say to a friend, "We are not leaving here until we set a date for lunch," and the important lunch that followed.
A daughter who reminds me when I forget.
Communion.

The Fairy That Has Been Living at Our House

2010-08-17T17:06:00.001-04:00

This is the fairy that has been living at our house this summer. Now, don't be shocked, but we call her "the Shit Fairy." This concept of she who shall hitherto be known as just "the fairy" was shared with me by my mother who has a friend who also was visited by the Fairy. The Fairy had delivered to her friend not one or two, but three different kinds of cancer all at the same time. His doctor told him about the Fairy. My guess is that we all get visits from her from time to time. The amount of crap that she deposits in our lives is small enough that we just don't seem to notice. But it seems that in our case, the Fairy just felt we were due for some major visits this summer.

The Bug Man has been diagnosed with cancer and has just finished his second round of chemo and thirty days of radiation. It's third stage esophageal cancer which means that he'll be having surgery in mid September. It sucks. Earlier this summer, while they were figuring out the whole throat thing, he had emergency gall bladder surgery. Then while he was in the hospital getting his j-tube in for feeding post-surgery, I had to put our cat down. The Bug Man's comment, "Oh, fine! I turn my back for one minute and go in the hospital and what do you do? Kill my cat!" (We find that dark, dark humor helps when the Fairy has been to your home.) The cat was 17 years old, well loved and dying of some kind of throat cancer. (It's been the summer of the sore throat.)

We also said goodbye to my grandmother who at age 100 had lived a full and wonderful life. But the truth is, when your grandmother has lived for that long, you kind of get used to having her around. In some ways, her age has made the grieving process harder for her family. We almost thought she would be around as long as we would.
I haven't blogged in a long while and I have been hesitant to blog about my husband's visits from the Fairy. I trust you'll keep what I'm writing to yourself and not tell the Bug Man I've been talking about him on the internet. He hates all the attention. (Hah!) But really, this isn't about him, it's about me. It's about the fact that being married to someone who has cancer really sucks. And getting multiple visits from the Fairy can really put a cramp in your style. On the other hand, my mother-in-law took me shopping when she was in town last week and told the saleswoman that my husband had cancer and so she wanted to do something nice for me for my birthday. (You do the math! Husband has cancer, I get new clothes! If I were a completely pathetic person, who looked better in her clothes, I could milk this for all it's worth.)

But seriously, it has been a long summer of restless nights and impatient days. And yet, I realized today that in the nineteen years we've been married, this is not the worst thing to happen to us. We've had it much harder than this. Those long past difficulties led to separation and tears. This has not. We are in it together. We may lose our tempers. We may wonder if the other person has taken their "happy pills" for the day. We may say things for which we will have to apologize later, but we haven't walked away. This is not the worst thing that has happened to us.

Happy Birthday, Amy Olsen!

2010-01-28T21:12:00.000-05:00

On January 21st, my grandmother Amy Olsen celebrated her hundredth birthday. This weekend, her immediate family of 81 or so folks will gather together to eat cake, tell stories and have a wonderful time!

As a little girl, I always thought Grandma Olsen was the serious grandma. Grandma Rodrick was the one who would let us drink 7-up at breakfast. Grandma Olsen was the one who told us to sit up straight at the table.

Anyone who knows me well, knows I can't abide the smell of cooked eggs. I haven't been able to eat them since I was a toddler. On a day many years ago, my grandmother served us all boiled eggs as we came to the breakfast table. No matter how I protested, there was no getting around her and a hard boiled egg. It took forever to choke that thing down. When my mother finally got up and was asked "How do you want your eggs?" She told her mother, "In the refrigerator" and got away with it. I was so irked! How come my mother could get away with that nonsense? Twenty years or more after that morning, my mother learned that Grandma doesn't like eggs. Never has! While I washed bits of egg down with water and milk- she just kept cooking! Never dawned on me that she hadn't made a plate for herself. I also ate quiche that she made especially for me and a college boyfriend. She said she wasn't hungry! Hah! She probably doesn't like quiche any more than I do!

My grandmother is a woman of many sides. She played goalie on a team in high school. She skated well into her 70s. She drove until she was 90+. She has high heels and sneakers. She knits and bakes and manages her daily life with grace and style.

Thanks be to God for the blessings of all my grandparents, but this weekend I am especially thankful for Grandma Amy. She is a faithful, gracious face in the cloud of witnesses around me.

Dear Void

2010-01-23T17:25:00.003-05:00

To begin, it has been so long since I blogged that I forgot the user name to get on to Blogger. Is it because I've had nothing to say or is it because I've attached myself to Facebook? Or is it something else?

This afternoon I was watching "You've Got Mail." A good movie, although I would argue that the original "The Shop Around the Corner" has charms that the Ephron sisters missed. Having said that, there are phrases from "You've Got Mail" that haunt me.

When was the last time your heart beat faster because someone sent you a card or a letter or an email? When did someone last write to you in words that were nearly poetic and the mere reading of them made you feel somehow more clever, smarter? Is life ever like the movies? Our memories sometimes appear to be as charming as romantic comedies but were they really?

There's a moment when Kathleen Kelly writes to NY152... "Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life, well- valuable, but small. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question into the void. So good night, dear void."

Sometimes I wonder about my own life. It's pretty small as well. Is there something else I am supposed to be doing? I don't know the answer to the question. Don't know that anyone else does either. But I send it out anyway... into the cosmic void.

Film, Religion and Dogma

2009-09-19T09:08:00.003-04:00

When considering whether film is truly a religion, it seems appropriate to begin by defining religion itself. If one simply consults a standard dictionary, religion can be defined as “the service and worship of God or the supernatural.”[1] While workable, this explanation is rather limited. In Religion as Faith, John C. Lyden discusses the historical attempts to define religion including Friedrich Schleiermacher’s that religion is “’the feeling of absolute dependence’ on that which the Christian calls God so that ‘to feel oneself absolutely dependent and to be conscious of being in relationship with God are one and the same thing.’”[2] Lyden goes on to detail Rudolph Otto’s assertion that “religion is the feeling that arises when we encounter the ‘holy’ or ‘numinous,’ that which transcends us so totally that it inspires a mixture of fascination and fear.”[3]

These definitions which stem from nineteenth and twentieth century theology influenced scholars such as Mircea Eliade who “defined religion by its relation to ‘the sacred’ in distinction from ‘the profane’.” Perhaps the most influential modern definition came from Paul Tillich who “defined religion as ‘ultimate concern,’ meaning that each of us has something that receives our highest devotion and from which we expect fulfillment. It demands the total surrender of all other concerns to it as the primary concern of our being.”[4] Furthermore, Tillich felt that when we give our devotion to that which is nonultimate, finite or nontranscendent, we will become disappointed.

In considering film as a religion, Lyden seems unconcerned with the numinous or sacred as a part of his definition. Although I understand the merit of approaching the discussion of film and faith as an interreligious dialog, I find Lyden’s definition to be lacking some of the strength of Schleiermacher and Tillich. The idea that we are drawn to devote ourselves to that which is of ultimate concern resonates very deeply in me. In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."[5] In my experience, when we yoke ourselves to the nonultimate we are sorely disappointed. If one accepts the notion of film as religion, I am convinced that this particular religion will not give us the peace and joy that comes from faith in Jesus Christ.

In contrast to Lyden’s proposition of film as religion, in her book, Seeing is Believing, Margaret Miles states that “what films do best… is to articulate the anxieties of a changing society. In films, the competing issues of society intersect and can be formulated for consideration, for understanding, and for negotiation of meaning.” [6] I find her notion that films “help Americans consider the ancient and perennial question of human life. How should we live?” much more palatable than Lyden’s idea of “film as religion”.

When considering whether I am a greater fan of Miles or Lyden, I felt much more in tune with Miles. As a proof text for this, I offer Kevin Smith’s film “Dogma”. For those who couldn’t tolerate the language or graphic violence, “Dogma” is the story of what happens when two fallen angels are clued into a loophole which will allow them to reenter heaven. Charged with stopping Loki and Bartleby from inadvertently destroying all of creation is Bethany, the last Scion, Jesus’ great-great-great…. grand niece.

When it was released, “Dogma” attracted a lot of negative attention, particularly from the Roman Catholic Church and conservative Christians. I, on the other hand, found it to be incredibly insightful. (And terribly funny!) Writer Kevin Smith, who also plays one of the “prophets” Silent Bob, wrote a screenplay that demonstrates a keen insight into many of the frustrations and confusions that Christians experience. This is not the stuff that one can base a system of faith upon, but it does give us food for thought when considering, how should we live

+ + + +

LIZ: That kills me. You and church. We work in a field that specializes in pissing off the cloth and you add insult to injury by breaking bread with them every week.

BETHANY: I sit there every Sunday and I feel nothing. I can remember sitting in
church when I was a kid and being moved - like everything meant something, like I was important. And the stories of all these holy people were so inspiring. Now I sit there and think about my checking account, and what I'm going to wear to work the next day.[7]

+ + + +

SERENDIPITY: I have issues with anyone who treats faith as a burden instead of a blessing. You people don't celebrate your faith; you mourn it.[8]

+ + + +

SERENDIPITY: When are you people going to learn? It's not about who's right or wrong. No denominations nailed it yet, and they never will because they're all too self-righteous to realize that it doesn't matter what you have faith in, just that you have faith. Your hearts are in the right place, but your brains need to wake up.[9]

+ + + +

BETHANY: You're saying that having beliefs is a bad thing?
RUFUS: I think it's better to have ideas. You can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier.[10]

[1] Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion. Accessed September 17, 2009.
[2] John C. Lyden, Film as Religion, (New York: New York University Press, 2003). p.37
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid, p. 38
[5] Matthew 11:28-30
[6] Margaret R. Miles, Seeing is Believing, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1996) p. 193
[7] Dogma, Director and Writer: Kevin Smith, Performers: Linda Fiorentino, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Lee. View Askew Productions, 1999.
[8] Ibid
[9] Ibid
[10] Ibid

Remembering Grandpa Olsen

2009-05-25T19:47:00.005-04:00

I received this as an email from my uncle, Rev. Will Olsen. (He's the young man in the suit. My mother is the eldest girl.) It is a reflection on my grandfather and his family. A wonderful gift of memories on this Memorial Day.

As I drove into Rapid City on an errand today, PBS was on the car radio. They were reading a large quantity of e-mail messages for Memorial Day. Most of them began with something like, “I want to honor [or remember] my Father, Brother, Uncle, etc., etc. for his service during ________ [fill in the war].

I began to think about a man who would not make that program. He never served a day in any of the Armed Forces or fought in any of our wars. Not that he did not try. Before WW2 began, Stan Olsen had tried to get into a couple of the Depression created government programs and was turned down. As the war clouds loomed every closer and every adult male was required to register for the draft, he complied with the order. The US Government, in the person of his local Draft Board, declared Stan Olsen to be deferred from the draft because of his critical job. Telegraphers were in short supply. There weren’t enough to go around and they were badly needed on the home front to keep the trains moving.

After we moved to Watertown, he helped insure that the grain products and meat products moved smoothly from processor to user. There was an Army Air Corps station at the airport. Food and fuel, supplies and men all came to town by rail and he helped insure their safe and timely delivery to that important installation.

I remember how impressed I was with his importance when Dad was told by the Depot Agent and the Division’s Dispatcher [or Roadmaster or someone] that he had to get a phone installed at home so he could be called to work at any hour of the day. When Mom or Dad applied to Bell [the only game in town at that time], they were almost laughed at. “There’s a war on, you know,” was the response their request received. Dad reported his lack of success to the Huron office. Apparently they made the call to the phone company. Within the week, a man was at the house, asking Mom where she wanted the phone put. Dad wanted a wall phone so none of us could talk and sit at the same time. He reminded us that the phone was for emergencies, not for our pleasure. Oh, yes, on top of it all, we had a one-party line. No one would rubber-neck on railroad business or learn about the time of troop trains off that phone.

So, Dad did not go to war, but we saved scrap iron, bacon grease and who knows what all. Dad could have had a business allowance for gas at one time. He elected to pass it up as he felt with careful use of the car we could get by with just an “A” sticker in the windshield. The whole family was enlisted to be faithful citizens in all we did, including the huge garden that he convinced his wife that she should preserve.

So, I believe it is fair to honor and remember a loyal citizen who was told to stay home and do his job well. It would be the best way he could serve and win the war. This does not mean that he did not recognize the value and honor of military service. Both of his sons enlisted in time to serve in the Korean War. Two sons-in-law have worn uniforms. By my count, half his grandsons [Dennis and Per] have served honorably. In the next generation, Dennis and Adam are the only two I know have answered the call to service. It’s a bit interesting that with all the girls in the family, I don’t know of any that have “joined up” [as they used to say].

So, as you reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day, I hope you can look back with renewed appreciation for those that did not earn medals and battle stars, but made it possible for those that did to win. As a final word, I would invite you to save and/or share this with your kids and grandkids. Print it and save it somewhere for their scrap books about this ancestor who advance the cause of freedom by staying out of the fight, but giving all he could.

Peace be with you!
Will/Ole/Butch

Memorial day memories

2009-05-25T10:00:00.004-04:00

When I was growing up, my parents decided that we should all wear POW-MIA bracelets in support of those who were captured during the Viet Nam War. My two sisters and I were in grade school. I must have been about ten when I received my bracelet. I wore it every day and night. The metal plating wore off the inside of the bracelet after a few years. I remember coating the inside of it with maroon fingernail polish so that it wouldn't turn my wrist green.

I wore the bracelet beyond the end of the war and the return of the prisoners. My bracelet bore the name of Commander James Griffin. He did not return from Viet Nam. His plane was shot down over Hanoi and he was taken prisoner. A few days later he died.

When the bracelet broke in half, I had to stop wearing it. But I remember.

The following comes from a web posting made by his wife.

Commander James Lloyd Griffin

Born in Gates, Tennessee, 27 December 1932,

He attended the University ofTennessee at Martin before entering the U.S. Naval Adacemy. Upon graduation from the academy in 1955 he entered flight training in Pensacola, FL and got his wings in 1956. He attended the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA and received a professional degree in aeronautical engineering from University of Michigan in 1963. He served in VA-83, deploying to the Mediterranean and flying missions in Lebanon in 1958 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Essex and in 1959-60 aboard USS Forrestal. He joined RVAH-13 in 1964, servinge in Vietnam on two cruises from 1965-1967. In April of 1967 Commander Griffin had completed 100 combat missions; his plane was shot down over Hanoi on May 19, 1967--HoChi Minh's birthday. Commander Griffin's awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross with gold star; the Air Medal with bronze Star (eight awards); the Naval Commendation Medal with gold star and combat distinguishing device; the Navy Achievement Medal; the Purple Heart; Navy Unit Commendation Medal with bronze star; Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal Colorwith Palm); Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze stars; and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

On the day of his "shoot-down" a radio broadcast from Hanoi announced that Commander Griffin and his navigator had been captured, and, although gravely injured, he read a statement which was broadcast. A photo of his military ID card was displayed in a museum in Hanoi. He was carried in a "missing inaction" status until January, 1973, when his death on May 21, 1967 was revealed by the North Vietnamese. On January 16, 1974 the Secretary of the Navy verified that Commander Griffin had died while a prisoner of war. A plaque marking the event of his "shoot down" stands on the corner of a building in downtown Hanoi. Survivors include his wife Dora, his son James, and his daughter Glyn Carol Griffin, his parents, two brothers and a sister.

Beginnings and endings

2009-05-18T19:53:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was commencement at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. This year's MDiv graduates started their studies the same year I started working at LTSP. It was wonderful to see them complete their degrees, but I will miss them!

Every year at a seminary brings a new group of students. Young ones. Older ones. People with stories and dreams. Wishes and fears. When summer comes the campus gets quiet and I wait for them all to come back in the fall. It is starting to get quieter at school...

Seeing a class from start to finish has been a wonderful thing, but let me say one more time, I will miss them.

Perimenopause - the things they didn't tell us in fourth grade

2009-04-28T21:11:00.005-04:00

Okay I am now officially complaining! And yes, it's personal! They have all kinds of ads and info and comedy about menopause, but why isn't there more public info about perimenopause? I'll tell you why! It's because it's perhaps a bigger nuisance than when you first started getting your period. So, here's the rant and the 411. The signs of perimenopause include:

Hot flashes - they're just what they sound like. And when they happen at night- night sweats. Oh! And they're also a part of menopause. So the fun just continues. Nothing like wondering "What, oh what, should I wear to bed at night? I'm cold. It's winter, but come 3:00am it may feel like I'm sleeping in a sauna!"

Breast tenderness - Why does every life transition include this one? Puberty, pregnancy, pms, etc.

Worsening of premenstrual syndrome - like the other symptoms weren't enough to make you cranky. Cramps like you had when you were first starting out.

Decreased libido - Lots of women in this age group have teenagers... You know, those people who say, "Not my mom and dad!"'

Fatigue - see the note on breast tenderness.
Irregular periods - this does not necessarily mean less often. It may mean twice as often! How is that fair?

Urine leakage - If you didn't learn to cross your legs when you sneezed during pregnancy, now is the time to start!

Mood swings - No kidding!

Difficulty sleeping - You have cramps, you're cranky, you think you might pee in your pants and you can't regulate your body temperature- yeah, you're going to have trouble sleeping!

Okay, I feel better now. I think I'll go have some chocolate, even though "they" say that I shouldn't!

She-Words

2009-04-27T17:38:00.008-04:00

She took

She found

She entered

She did

She wondered

She bowed

She remembered

She came back

She told

She-Word exercise as described at http://revgalblogpals.blogspot.com/

Mary Magdalene in Luke's account of the Resurrection.

Artwork from Mozambique.

Soda Chicky is 16!

2009-04-21T17:02:00.003-04:00

At about 8:35am this morning, my girl officially turned 16! She is very excited. Not about driving, but about the milepost in her life. Also, very excited to know what her parents got her for a present. And then there's the party on Friday. It's a little different. A 1970 theme party being held in the church hall. (It's a lot bigger than our living room.) We're having fondue, listening to old music, tie dying. It should be very interesting.

Tonight the BugMan is bowling for the opportunity to be the first place team in his league. As a result, he is unable to go out to dinner tonight. The Chick insisted we go out TONIGHT! So we are going along with Pseudo Baby and his mom. Ack! Bug Man is home. Gotta go watch her unwrap the present.

To grieve or not to grieve

2009-04-19T19:12:00.004-04:00

This week the longtime Phillies' announcer Harry Kalas passed away. In part because I've only lived in Philly for 4 years and in part because I haven't been a big fan of the Phillies, I found myself on the outside looking in. I get it, but I don't get it.

It's that way with a lot of things. An event becomes important because you care about the people involved. If you don't know the people, if they haven't been a part of your life, the event becomes less newsworthy in your estimation. I'm not trying to be coldhearted about this whole matter, but it's interesting how I find myself clicking away from the coverage of this whole issue.

My mother threatened to move to Canada if Obama lost the election. I think she was less than serious, but her passion about the issue on election night was electric. Is there something wrong with me that I didn't think about packing up my own bags?

When Princess Diana was killed, I watched the developing news coverage that early morning mostly because I had an awful headache and insomnia. Maybe I am cold hearted. Or maybe it's something else. I suspect it is something else.

And you?

Friday Five: What's Cooking?

2009-04-17T09:01:00.002-04:00

This week's Friday Five on the RevGalBlogPals relates to the kitchen. I love kitchens!

1. What is the one appliance you simply couldn't be without? It would have to be the frig. When I was fifteen our family moved cross country and beat the furniture to the new house by a week. We had no frig. So a cooler with ice sat where the frig would one day be plugged in. I missed the frig even then. After all, where else can you keep the ice cream?

2. What if anything would you happily give up? Not much! Love the dishwasher. Love the garbage disposal. The rice cooker is a fave! And although I remember the days before microwaves, it sure makes life easier.

3. What is the most strange household appliance you own? Most strange might be the little electric sauce pot that stirred itself. It was strange but you could make great chili con queso in it. There was some mourning when it died.

4. What is the most luxurious household appliance you own? There are not a lot of luxurious appliances at our house. My dad however has an electric potato peeler. Does a good job on the veggies and you can't cut yourself with it.

5. Tell us about your dream kitchen- the sky is the limit here.... Well, it's in a house we own, not rent. And it's big! It has a gas stove that self cleans. It does not allow the smell of fried onions to permeate into the rest of the house. You can sit down and hang out in the dream kitchen. It has two dishwashers, a huge freezer, and a maid to clean up when I'm done cooking!

What's happening now?

2009-04-16T20:44:00.002-04:00

Once again, it has been a long while since my last blog entry. I think Facebook is responsible for much this state of affairs. Another reason is that life has been complicated. For four years I served as the Manager of the Augsburg Fortress store in Philadelphia. It has been a wonderful calling. Almost hard to describe. In November, AF announced that it would be closing its stores. For several weeks I was unsure of where I would be going next. I wasn't ready to leave the seminary community that I have come to love, but what did God have planned? I am glad to say that the Lutheran Theological Seminary has invited me to stay on as the manager of their new campus bookstore. The process has often brought up the question, "How hard to I want to work for the next year?"

This week my friend Wil Gafney, Hebrew and OT prof at LTSP is off to the RevGalBlogPals' BE 2.0. I had so hoped to be along for the ride, but the changes at work have kept me here. I do hope she is enjoying her adventure. In the meantime, I have to settle for looking at pictures and getting greetings via Wil's Iphone.

Christmas Eve Memories

2008-12-25T16:39:00.005-05:00

Last night I was delighted to be a part of a Christmas Eve service for children. And in the planning, I wanted very much for the children to be the worship leaders. The expectation was that they be cute and costumed. There should be the telling of the Christmas story and we should sing some of the top Christmas carols. Beyond that, I had lots of freedom.

I have been a part of other church staffs where we basically did away with the Christmas pageant. All too often, these things degrade into the kids being bored or disinterested. Grown ups get stressed. Rehearsals are scheduled in the midst of already swamped schedules and it just gets crazy.

Last night was fairly low stress and not too crazy. We had a service of lessons and carols with the kids participating in a "living nativity" as a part of the readings. Two brave boys, one in second grade and one in fifth, read the narratives from Luke and Matthew. Two other second graders led the congregation in the offertory and responsive prayers. They did a wonderful job!

The living nativity went well, with unexpected moments that warmed my heart.

When the shepherds came forward, rather than kneeling or sitting decoratively facing the congregation, they just stood and looked at the baby. (A real baby that it is! Female, doe-eyed and lovely.) They had to be reminded to sit down. I thought they got it just right! They were there to see the baby, not have their picture taken.

At one point, I looked over to see Mary with her headdress a little askew looking tenderly down at the baby. The baby who is old enough to smile was beaming right back at our third grade Mary. I was so glad to be up on the chancel platform to see that moment. I won't forget it any time soon.

The angels, who are both four year old girls, greeted the shepherds and were then to return to the choir area which is also in the chancel area. But they couldn't keep still. They kept leaning over the rail so they could get a look at the baby. They were so excited.

Despite an abundance of cameras in the congregation, the children for the most part were focused on what they were doing. They didn't pose. There was only one or two quick waves. They caught on to what was happening. It wasn't a pageant, it was worship. Thanks and credit be to God.

Christmas To Do List - Friday Five

2008-12-19T14:35:00.003-05:00

With a flair for simplicity, SongBird challenged us all to list five things we have to get done before Christmas:

Get my haircut. Haven't looked respectable in weeks. That's the trouble with short hair!

Buy three dozen small brass bells for the children's sermon on Christmas Eve.

Come up with a plan B if number 2 doesn't get done.

Finally decide if we are putting up the tree or not. The problem is: our current home has very, very short ceilings. Our old home did not. Is it worth dragging the big old box upstairs only to find that it doesn't work? Plus there would need to be major furniture moving or we block the front door with the tree. I'm voting for a different motif!

Make sure everyone is okay with the children's program for Christmas Eve. When last I checked there was a major kerfuffle about to brew regarding whether or not we should have a live baby Jesus. And if we do, who should play the baby? Does the baby have to be a member of the congregation? Does it have to be the baby born closest to Christmas? If the baby is being baptized in January, do they count as a member? We may just use a baby doll. Done! Baby Jesus will be played by a young lady whose parents are members as is her great-grandma. Many photo ops!

Great lines from my favorite movies

2008-12-13T13:55:00.007-05:00

This bit of silliness came from a friend on Facebook. The rules are simple.

Pick your 15 favorite movies.
Go to IMDB.com and pick a great line from each one and post it.
Players are not allowed to go and look up your favorite films or google or go to IMDB to get the answers.
Players post their guesses.
Correct answers with the the name of the guesser will be posted.

So here they are! Fifteen great bits of movie dialog.

One
Woman: It's going to be a long night.
Man: True.
Woman: And I don't particularly like the book I've started.
Man: Ah.
Woman: You know what I mean?
Man: let me think. Yes, I know exactly what you mean.

Two
How dare he make love to me and not be a married man.

Three
Man: Wow, when you come on, you come on, don't you?
Woman: Oh, come on!

Four
…. was a tired old town, even in 1932 when I first knew it. Somehow, it was hotter then. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning; ladies bathed before noon, after their 3 o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frosting from sweating and sweet talcum.

Five
Here's one I've been pondering: How do I talk to Isabelle?

Six
Speaker 1: Were they sent to Hell?
Speaker 2: Worse. Wisconsin. For the entire span of human history.

Seven
Speaker 1: You think I'm nuts, don't you? They wanted to ask me about older women.
Two: Why?
One: Because they wanted to have sex with them.
Three: Where?
One: Here! Right here in Nelson. They wanted to start a colony of supermen who would have sex with older women because they said, and I quote, "they really know what they're doing."
Four: We do!
Two: It's been so long!
Three: Oh, girls, girls! Do you actually believe that there are creatures from outer space who want to have sex with older women?

Eight
Man: How do you say in French my sister has a yellow pencil?
Woman: Ma soeur a un crayon jaune.
Man: How do you say my brother has a lovely girl?
Woman: Mon frere a une gentille petite amie.
Man: And how do you say I wish I were my brother?

Nine
Jerry: Now you've done it! Now you have done it!
Joe: Done what?
Jerry: You tore off one of my chests!

Ten
Man: Apes don't read philosophy.
Woman: Yes they do. They just don't understand it. Now let me correct you on a couple of things, OK? Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not "Every man for himself." And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked them up.

Eleven
Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!

Twelve
Despite the fact that you're one large pain in the arse last night was the best thing that ever happened to me, girl wise, and if you weren't behaving like such a horses rectum you would know that we could be inside touching and fondling all day long until I've got to go to rehearsal. Personally madam, I think you blew it.

Thirteen
Woman: You don't dare go!

Man: Say that again at noon, you'll say it to my horse's ass! Lamb, I'll be rid of you by Easter: you can count your reign in days!

Fourteen
A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside, the brightness blinded her and erased every trace of the past from her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness, and pain. Eventually, she died. However, her father, the King, always knew that the Princess' soul would return, perhaps in another body, in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath, until the world stopped turning...

Fifteen
Well, sir, here we are again. We've had quite a time of it lately, but it seems that the worst of it is over. Course, the fireworks all blew up, but we can't very well blame that on you. Anyway, everything's turned out fine, as it usually does. Alice is going to marry Tony; Mr. Kirby, who's turned out to be a very good egg, sold us back our house - he'll probably forget all about big deals for a while. Nobody on our block has to move; and, with the right handling, I think we can even thaw out Mrs. Kirby here. We've all got our health; as far as anything else is concerned, we still leave that up to you. Thank you. Bring it on, Reba!

Elizabeth's Shout for Joy!

2008-12-11T19:45:00.006-05:00

I was just a girl when I married. So young and full of dreams of what the future might bring. We were just children when Zechariah and I were promised to each other. My mother was so pleased. Her daughter Elizabeth would be the wife of a priest. Her grandchildren would be in the line of Abijah- the family of priests.

When the time came for our wedding- I was ready to be Zechariah’s wife. My mother had carefully taught me the Torah. Together we had sewn the linens I would need to keep a household. My brothers had built me furniture for my new home, including a cradle for the children they knew I would soon have.

But there were no babies. My friends, my sister, my cousins- each one blossomed with new life. But I was barren. No babies to cuddle. No toddlers to laugh with and play with. No daughters to teach. No sons to follow in their father’s footsteps.

Zechariah is a kind and faithful man. He didn’t point a finger of blame. He has told me again and again how much he cherishes our life together. He has held me when I have cried. He has promised that even if he had known there would be no children- still he would have married me.

But I know that he too has grieved the lack of children in our lives.

It is hard to be a woman without children. Our friends and family are understanding. But there was a time, when we were younger, when Zechariah was advised by well meaning friends to divorce me. To put me aside because of my barrenness.

I have heard the whispers over the years. “Poor Elizabeth,” they say. “What could she have done to have the Lord treat her this way?” I have seen the sympathetic looks. People looking at me or glancing at Zechariah. “Poor man, they say. He could have had a large and happy family, if not for her. She’s barren, you know.”

It wears on a person. You never get used to it. It’s exhausting.
We prayed for a child. But the answer was always, “No.”

And then things changed.

On a very ordinary day- a Sabbath- much like any other, Zechariah was serving at the temple. It was his turn to burn the incense that morning. He entered the temple, while we waited outside. And we waited for a very long time! It was strange. I wondered if something had gone wrong. After all, Zechariah wasn’t a young man any more.

When he came out, he could say nothing. But that wasn’t the thing that was most noticeable about him. He had an aura about him. There was a change about him. And I knew at once that something grand had happened to him. Something holy.

When we got home, Zechariah shared with me what had happened to him. He drew pictures and wrote words. The Lord had promised to give us a child. And not just any child, but one who would be a messenger- a prophet of the Lord.
And because of John, the angel said, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. That is how John will get people ready for the Lord.

Because he questioned the Lord’s promise, Zechariah lost his voice. And I can’t say I blame him. I had my own doubts, but I kept them to myself. And after several weeks, I realized that a miracle had truly happened. At a time in their lives when most women are becoming grandmothers, I was going to have a baby.
I knew that the birth of a healthy child would bring me honor. People would no longer look down on me as barren. The whispers would stop. The pitying looks would be no more.

I took no risks. I stayed at home. I ate healthy foods. I got plenty of rest. And I prayed every day for our baby.

When the time came for the baby to begin moving, I felt nothing. No kicks, no turns, not even a flutter. I tried not to worry. But I wondered if maybe something had gone wrong.

The angel had promised we would have a child. He even gave us the baby’s name- John. The child had to come. Strong and true and alive. And yet it was hard not to worry.

Zechariah tried to reassure me. He wrote in large script on a piece of parchment- “God will not disappoint us.” And so when I found myself feeling nervous or anxious, I would look at those words and pray.

When I was about midway through my pregnancy, I got a letter from my sister telling me that her daughter Mary was coming for a visit. Mary had always been a special favorite of mine. Together we could work on some of the preparations for my coming baby. There were diapers and clothes to finish making. And the old cradle made so long ago by my brothers, needed some mending before the baby was born.

When Mary arrived a few weeks later, I was in the house, washing dishes. I heard her at the door and when I turned she called my name, “Elizabeth, peace be with you.”

And then the most remarkable thing happened- the baby within me leapt for joy.
I couldn’t contain my excitement. I was yelling. I was hollering for anyone to hear.

“God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.”

I was so excited. No, it was more than excitement. It was pure joy and the fulfillment of a long held hope. Not just my hope for a baby or my joy at his coming. In that moment I knew that all of our people’s ancient longings for redemption had finally come to pass. Mary, my dear sweet Mary, was going to give birth to the Messiah. She was carrying the Redeemer of all humanity. And in that moment I knew that we could face the future with confidence and excitement.

Can you imagine? Two impossibly pregnant women- the barren wife of an aging priest, and an unknown virgin with neither royal blood nor an important family- singing and praising God- because he had blessed us with this impossible gift.
Mary said, “With all my heart I praise the Lord, and I am glad because of God my Savior. God, the All-Powerful has done great things for me. Hisname is holy. He always shows mercy to his people. He made this promise to our ancestors, and now it is coming to pass.

In the time since that day, I have come to know more deeply that the world is desperately in need of the kind of joy and hope that Mary and I have come to know.

There is great pain in the world- both public and private. People’s hearts are longing for something more. Something different than what the world usually offers. Their souls are hungry for hope and joy.

Despite the fact that we have a connection to God, there are times when, rather than depending on God, we look to our selves for fulfillment. We try to fill the emptiness inside us with the things we can do or the things we can get.
And if we look only to ourselves for hope and joy we are sorely disappointed. Because the good news that we long for- the good news that will fill us up- cannot be found in the world alone or in our selves alone.

And it is to this very longing- to this very emptiness that we sometimes feel- that Mary’s child was sent. The delight, the love, the wonder that we felt that day was sent to fill all the world’s pain- to fill our pain.

We sang that day, not because of anything we had accomplished, but because of the new life that we shared.

We celebrated because although the world and nature itself named us as barren- we were instead suddenly filled with life.

A life that shook the foundations of the world. Even though the world had absolutely no idea what was going on.

I invite you to join in our rejoicing, for one reason, and one reason only, and that is: because God loves us enough to act.

God loves us enough to come to us- to the most barren, the most unnoticed, to the very least of us- TO ALL OF US. And he comes to plant in us, and in our world, God's own life, God's own hope, and God's own promises of peace.

Friday Five for Advent

2008-12-05T09:14:00.007-05:00

Today's RevGalBlogPal posts brings the following:

Christ is with us at this time of advent, in the darkness, and Christ is coming with his light- not the light of the shopping centre, but the light of love and truth and beauty. What do you long for this advent? What are your hopes and dreams for the future? What is your prayer today?

In the vein of simplicity we've been asked to list five advent longings. And I have to admit this is a tricky list to make. Do you wish for the big things for the whole world? Or the smaller thinks for your corner of the neighborhood? I did a little of each.

Less arguing. Not just peace for the world but peace in our daily lives.
More wishes that we all have "a blessed day". This way of saying farewell was new to me when I came to Philadelphia. But there are a lot of church people who rather than saying "Have a good day," when they leave a place or just saying "Good bye" use this phrase instead. It is always a blessing to me when I receive these words. I only wish it was said more often and by more people.
People reading the Bible and knowing how much they are loved by God.
A personal wish for some quiet time for rest, relaxation and reflection.
A deeper appreciation for all that God does, has done and will do in my life. Sometimes I just need to be reminded to stop and give thanks.

So that's my list! The artwork is by Roger Hutchinson. Hope you have a Happy Advent and a blessed day.

Santa Baby- Bookstore Style!

2008-12-03T22:58:00.006-05:00

Over the last three years, I have sent quirky emails to the seminary faculty and students to entice them to come down to the store for various reasons. One of my favorite students suggested that I should just blog these things. So here's today's email sent to the faculty with the hope that they will send me their booklists- soon!

To the tune of Santa Baby....

(baboom baboom baboom baboom) (baboom baboom baboom baboom)

Santa Baby,
Just slip some book lists under the tree,
For me!
Been an awful good girl,
Santa Baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight!

Santa baby,
Some January syllabi too
They’re due!
I'll wait up for you, dear
Santa baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight!

Think of all the fun I've missed.
Think of all the students that I haven't dissed.
Next year I could be just as good,
If you'll check off my Christmas list!

Santa Baby,
I want to mark the invoices “bought,”
Really that’s not
A lot.
Been an angel all year,
Santa Baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight!

Santa honey,
one little thing I really need
To read
Dr. Wengert’s book list,
Santa Baby,
So hurry down the chimney tonight!

Santa cutie, and fill my mailbox with some fed ex
And texts,
For the purchasing line,
Santa cutie,
and hurry down the chimney tonight!

Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some emails from the profs at LTSP!
I really do believe in you.
Lets see if you believe in me!

Santa Baby,
Forgot to mention one little thing
A ring.
Yes, I mean on the phone!
Santa Baby,
please call me with the book lists tonight!
Hurry down the chimney tonight!
Hurry...tonight!

Where has she been?

2008-11-24T10:21:00.003-05:00

It has been an incredibly long time since I last blogged. This has happened before. A dry spot in the need to write. It's an oddity among bloggers. It started when our desktop pc died and Soda Chicky took over the laptop. It was summer and she seemed to always be attached to the machine. The girl was reading Fan Fiction, instant messaging her friends, swapping books on Swap Tree. I just gave up trying to get a turn.

Then I learned to knit. And so it seemed that much of my blogging time was filled with trying to figure out how to knit on double pointed needles and looking for dropped stitches. Fall began and the Chick had her own laptop provided by the school system. Hurrah! I thought. Now's my chance. But there are restrictions to the Chick's use of her school computer. Any fan fiction or other silliness needed to happen on my laptop. Plus I was out of practice. So still no blogging. And even less reading of other blogs.

This last month I learned that my job is going to change in April. For those who haven't guessed what an ELCA pastor with a specialized call does in Philadelphia- I work at the seminary. I manage the Augsburg Fortress store that is on campus. It was announced that Augsburg Fortress will be closing all of its retail stores on April 30, 2009. So I will be looking for a new call. It may be possible that the seminary will retain the bookstore under its own management and I would be the likely candidate to manage the store. But there is a lot to look at on both sides before that decision can be finalized.

In the meantime, I had hand surgery last week. I had a trigger thumb which means lousy tendonitis that kept my thumb from bending the way thumbs are supposed to bend. It gets better every day, but I have been accused of trying to keep up with the Bug Man who had a second hand surgery earlier this Fall. He is still off from work and so now we begin the process of doing hand exercises together. (This is not as much fun as it sounds.)

I've also taken on a sweet little part-time job at a small church nearby. I am the "Minister of Christian Education." This means working with the Sunday School of a dozen or so kids aged 10 and under and doing the weekly children's sermon. I am having a great time on Sunday mornings and this experience may help greatly in the ongoing discernment process.

So that's where I've been and what I've been doing. I've been thinking about blogging for the last few weeks, so I think the dry spell is over!

Visiting Molly and her Mom

2008-07-20T21:16:00.002-04:00

This past week the Chick and I were in the northern state where Molly lives with her mom Songbird. We were on a work related trip that we were pretending was a vacation. Visiting with Songbird's family made it seem LOTS more like a vacation. We had some of the best fries ever and a lovely visit! We even got to hear Molly's famous Ruu-ruu.

We spent a lot of time in our car over the ten days we were gone. At one point it felt like we had spent an entire day just in the Bronx as we ventured south. Actually it was just two hours but what a long two hours!

We saw our friend the Jersey Girl for a couple of days. As always we had a great time with her. One night we went to the local boardwalk where there was a dance. It was a fascinating combination of people. Many of the young adults were a part of a program for mentally challenged teens. They were having a great time along with moms, dads, little kids and seniors. There were people from all kinds of backgrounds, in all kinds of colors. It made for wonderful people watching. And as the Chick pointed out, nobody seemed to notice or care about all the differences. They were just there to dance and listen to the music.

I had more than one opportunity to just sit and stare at the ocean. It was good for the soul. And on one night we sat on the beach and watched a spectacular fireworks show. We were as close to the place where they shot them off as you could be without being in danger of sparks in your hair. The Chick said it made her nervous but I thought it was exhilarating. You could feel the booms in your body as the rockets went off. It was fabulous! Not crowded. Not hot. Just a wonderful show of light and sound with the ocean at your feet. Such a treasure!

Friday Five: What's in a name?

2008-07-18T21:00:00.003-04:00

It's my week to post the Friday Five and after having dinner with Songbird and her Princess, I knew what I had to do!

If you are a regular reader of Songbird's blog, you know that "The Princess" has requested a new name. Her older brother changed his "secret identity" a while back and now this lovely young lady is searching for a new name on her mother's blog. This got me to thinking. How do we come up with all of these names? There must be at least a few good stories out there.

In honor of the Princess I have posted a picture of one of my favorite members of fictional royalty, Robert Munch's "Paperback Princess." She is a brave young woman who doesn't need anyone else to fight her battles. And she knows that what is most important isn't tiaras and finery but what's on the inside. If you haven't read this little fairy tale, I highly recommend it. But I digress.

So how did you come up with your blogging name? My blogging name RevHRod is related to a high school nickname. My friends in the art department used to call me H. Rod because of the sloppy way I signed my photograph. Before I was a Rev it was my aol screen name. Post ordination, I modified. And/or the name of your blog? I wanted to feel that my blogging was more about the writing than the reading. And Baby Sister really did say this to my mother one day when Mountain Mama was too tired/preoccupied to listen to the musings of a five year old. Baby Sister said, "That's okay, Mom. You don't have to listen, I just like to talk."
Are there any code names or secret identities in your blog? Any stories there? Soda Chicky is my daughter's secret identity. She gave it to herself when she started IMing people. Don't know what it means and I'm not sure she does either. But some how it fits. The Bug Man is my husband who does pest control. My sisters named themselves as did my mother. My staff has been given names that have a strange little connection in my brain.
What are some blog titles that you just love? For their cleverness, drama, or sheer, crazy fun? Pink Shoes in the Pulpit; Freshly Ground Freshly Brewed (I love her handle- Hot Cup Lutheran); The Vicar of Hogsmeade.
What three blogs are you devoted to? Other than the RevGalBlogPals blog of course! When I have no energy to read any other blogs, I find myself coming back again and again to see how Will's Mama, Songbird and Presby Gal are getting along in the world.
Who introduced you to the world of blogging and why? My dear friend Lutheran Zephyr introduced me to blogging. His wife told him he needed a blog because he had too many opinions and she couldn't listen to ALL of them. It seemed like a good reason to blog.

Bonus question: Have you ever met any of your blogging friends? Where are some of the places you've met these fun folks? I met a bunch on the BE and it was wonderful! I've also run into Pink Shoes at the ELCA National Assembly and some others that I'm not coming up with right now because I'm too sleepy!

Friday Five - Fireworks Edition

2008-07-04T09:01:00.004-04:00

On the RevGalBlogPals Friday Five, Sally has this to say:

I have to admit that I am chuckling to myself a little; how strange it seems for me a Brit to be posting the Friday Five on 4th July! I realise that most of our revgals will be celebrating in some way today, but I hope that you can make a little room for Friday Five! From my short stay in Texas my memories of the celebrations are of fireworks and picnics, one year we went in to central Houston to watch the fireworks and hear the Symphony Orchestra play, we were welcomed and included, and that meant a lot!

So lets have a bit of fun:

1. Barbeque's or picnics ( or are they essentially the same thing?) Barbeque to me always means staying put- our house or someone else's. Picnics are for the park or in a family twist- a blanket on the living room floor eating pizza. The only exception is when we were kids. My parents would take us to the community pool and send us off to swim. While we were in the pool they would heat up the little hibachi grill they had brought along. Then it was hot dogs or burgers after our swim.

2. The park/ the lake/ the beach or staying at home simply being? The Bug Man and Soda Chicky feel that if it's a summer holiday then we need to have ribs. Ribs means babysitting them for four to six hours while they slow roast in the oven before grilling them outside. A spice rub, basting with pineapple juice and a great sauce at the end. Yummy, messy, good eating!

3. Fireworks- love 'em or hate 'em? Love the fireworks. Hate the crowds, the sweaty heat and the bugs. There are enough local fireworks that we frequently sit in the yard and watch from afar.

4. Parades- have you ever taken part- share a memory... In my first parish in little town Missouri, our church took part in the local Memorial Day parade. We decorated a hay wagon with a large red bow and huge gift tag. On the float were our Sunday School kids in the Christmas program outfits. The gift of Jesus and his love were our entry in the parade.

5. Time for a musical interlude- if you could sum up holidays in a piece of music what would it be? No specifics but it is always fun to hear a brass band- often a military one- playing great marches for the holidays.

When I was a kid we weren't allowed to set off fireworks at home. Papa Joe saw a friend get seriously hurt when he was a kid, so he made sure his own kids were kept at a distance from such things. As an adult I visited friends in Southern California who had to stay home over the fourth in case their homes were hit by stray sparks. With wood shingles, there was a great risk of fire. I love the fireworks show, but here is hoping you and yours have a Fourth that's safe as well as fun!

Are you addicted to Facebook?

2008-07-02T17:41:00.004-04:00

In April, Baby Sister double dog dared me to get a Facebook account. Actually, she said that if I didn't sign up she would do it for me. What choice did I have?

So now I have a Facebook account. If you know my real name you can find me pretty easily. I mostly wanted to join up so that I could play Scrabulous. I love Scrabble. And now I can play Scrabble with Songbird, Baby Sister and other online friends.

But I also find that I want to know what's going on with my community. My workspace is in the basement of our building. Things happen above ground and sometimes I miss things. Now I know stuff that I don't even need to know. It's a strange lurking kind of thing. And yet it's not.

Soda Chicky has a Facebook account. I can look at the pictures she posts from various parties and field trips. A couple of her friends have also "friended" me. One of her friends thinks it is too, too strange that I have Facebook. But the Chick and I have agreed that there is nothing creepy about all of this and we feel comfortable with seeing what the other one is up to.

I have had chats with kids who used to be in my youth group and are now grown up. I caught up with a friend from high school and two of Baby Sister's old boyfriends. (They found me, not the other way around.)

And then there's Flair. It's an addictive thing. How much Flair can you send? How much Flair do you get? Do you make your own Flair for special occasions?

And that Lil' Green thing. How can sending an email really help the environment? I think it might be a scam and yet people keep sending me these pretend plants. I'm totally confused about that one.

So I am trying not to become too addicted to Facebook and yet...

Why do they yell from the other room?

2008-07-01T20:34:00.003-04:00

I love my teenager. Really I do. But why is it that she is forever trying to tell me something when she is down the hall in another room. Say... the bathroom. Not only are there walls between us but it's summer and the air conditioner is making its own little strange noises. And the room where she is... the one with the running water... is also the room where the dryer is spinning and the washer is running.

Unless I develop some kind of super sonic hearing, I am never going to hear her. And then when she comes into the room where I CAN hear her, she over enunciates because clearly the reason I couldn't understand her before was because she was talking to quickly. Did I do this when I was fifteen? If I did, my mother should have given me a smack. I haven't smacked my kid, but it is times like this that make me think, "What is the deal with this girl?"

Sigh... Okay, I love my teenager. She helped me with my sermon on Saturday night and even gave Cheesehead a hook for her sermon.

She refuses to leave early for our combination work trip/vacation to the far northern state because she wants to go to the going away party for a member of my staff. She knows that there will be nothing there that she wants to eat. (Ooh! Boiled seafood! I'll eat before we go!) But she is determined that she be there for the Tinman's fond farewell. Gotta love it!

So that's what's happening at my house tonight. I just wanted to grouse. Thanks for listening.

Friday Five at the Beach

2008-06-13T19:44:00.004-04:00

Well it's been a month since I blogged. A busy, crazy kind of month. But I am determined to get back into this whole blogging thing!

This week Mother Laura at RGBP posted a set of memory joggers related to a day at the beach. So here goes!

1. Ocean rocks, lake limps? Vice versa? Or "it's all beautiful in its own way"? When I was a girl we used to go to Asilomar near Monterey, California every year in October. I fondly remember looking in tide pools for anemones and other creachers. I loved the beach in the autumn! But then again, there are some lovely lake memories from Canada and Colorado! It's all good as long as it's not too hot. (The picture is of Asilomar State Park.)

2. Year round beach living: Heaven...or the Other Place? Really don't like to be very, very hot or sunburned. So the beach in August is not my favorite. But I might be willing to reconsider if the commute wasn't too long. I do love the beach in the cold months though.

3. Any beach plans for this summer? I'd really love to take the Chick to the Jersey Shore a few times this summer.

4. Best beach memory ever? See number one above. Also, Corpus Christi on a weekend break from CPE, Cocoa Beach with my extended family, Nice with waiters bringing Mademoiselle a gin and tonic, Delawanna in Canada with my family... too many to choose.

5. Fantasy beach trip? Open the door and there it is! That would be the fantasy. No long drives. No flies. No dead fish like you sometimes get at Lake Michigan. Not too hot. And right outside the door. Oh! And maybe the French waiter stops by every so often.

A Bad, Bad Blogger

2008-05-14T10:05:00.002-04:00

I have been a bad, bad blogger. Haven't written. Haven't read. It's sad and it's computer related. First the desk top pc did some funky smoky thing. We've turned it off permanently. This means the Chick became attached to my laptop. While I was gone on a business trip, something bad happened to the hinge on my pretty little laptop. Soda Chicky says she doesn't know how it happened. I have not fumed or cried, but it does mean that the laptop is now functioning more like a desktop computer. It's sitting quietly upstairs until I take it to have it's hinge fixed. We still have my old laptop which is very persnickety about going online. It thinks. It ponders. It whirrs and then after about twenty minutes you can get online. But will you stay online? This is the question and the frustration.

Since last blogging, I have been to Chicago and spent time with Baby Sister and Adventure Girl. (This is a three year old picture of me and AG at the Shore.) Other things have also happened.

The boss of my boss came to visit for 36 hours. It went well but it was a little nervous making.
The big boss took us to a swanky restaurant. Very good.
Bug Man continues to recover from his surgery. Workers' Comp is saying this surgery is not related to his injury from two years ago. The doctor says "Oh, yes it is!" Now the lawyers get to fight it out. We hope they give us some money soon. Sigh...
Baby Sister insisted I get a Facebook account. Did you know you can play Scrabulous all day long? Every hour or so you check on it... Can be distracting....
The Chick's friends sometimes send me notes on Facebook. It's a very interesting thing.
Mountain Mama and Papa Joe arrive today to celebrate the Chick's Confirmation on Sunday. How did she get so old? When was the last time I dusted? Why can't the Bug Man run the vacuum one handed?
I saw JVZ on Saturday. I got lost on my way to the cute little university town north of here. She patiently waited and gave me directions via cell phone. I think I broke the law talking on my cell phone in the little state next to ours. I don't care. I blame their passive aggressive turnpike for my getting lost to begin with!
The MIL arrives on Friday. The Chick still needs to clean her room some more before then. Should be fun. Hah!

That's all for now. Dorothy graduates on Sunday. Yeah for her!! She is so smart and clever and now she will be the "Master" of all she surveys.

Looking for some homework help!

2008-04-22T23:23:00.001-04:00

Dorothy is completing a paper related to the internet and prayer communities. She could use a little more input from folks. If you are so inclined, please answer these questions in the comments and I will forward them on.

Thanks!

How long of you been blogging?
What do you mainly blog about?
Are you a church leader?
If so, what is your position?
Do you use your blog for ministry? If so, how?
Do you use prayer in your blog? If so, how?
Are you a member of an online prayer community?
How do you feel this impacts your prayer life? Your faith? Your ministry?
Why is prayer important to you, particularly over the internet?

Friday Five: For just 24 hours...

2008-04-19T11:14:00.002-04:00

It's my week to post the RevGalBlogPals Friday Five. So here it is...

Yesterday I had the 24 hour flu. I had been told by the people who had it first that it really was a twenty-four hour bug. And so while I dealt with all the blech of the flu, I kept reminding myself that morning would come and I would feel a lot better.

This is certainly a strange way to start out a Friday Five but it made me think about what I might like to do if I knew it would only last for 24 hours. There are no reality boundaries to these imaginings. So here are the five things for you to consider...

If you could dramatically change your physical appearance for 24 hours, what would you do? I think I would like to be another color. Not sure which one. I'd just like to know what it would be like to be a different race for the day.
If you could live in another place for 24 hours where would you go? Paris! I love Paris in the Springtime....
You get to do somebody else's job for a day... I want to be the pope and straighten some things out. REALLY FAST!
Spend the day with another person from anywhere in time and space... Right now I think I'd pick my paternal grandfather. I have some questions and I think it would be a very fun and memorable day. He'd have to buy me some M&Ms though.
A magical power is yours. Which one would you pick? My first choice was flying which seems strange since I am afraid of falling. But given the fact that my hubby is recovering from wrist surgery and I am still feeling a little woozy from the flu, I think I might pick miracle healing.

Am I really that old?

2008-04-14T21:30:00.004-04:00

Tonight the Chick told me that I was old enough to be the mother of one of her favorite tv people. We're watching "One Tree Hill" and Nathan aka James Lafferty is 22. So at 47 I am old enough to be his mother. Sigh...

The character has been married for six years and has a five year old son. The Chick did the math... "Grandma! Grandma!" Giggling of teenager....

I don't feel old enough to be a grandmother. I don't feel old at all. I can't do a cartwheel, but I couldn't do one when I was a kid either. So what makes us feel old? What makes us feel like we have to act our age? Or act the age that we feel? When I'm not looking in the mirror, I feel some mystical, magical age that can dance like a banshee, stay up too late, skip through the park and laugh, laugh, laugh.

I'm not sure what the point of this all is... Just want to say, I'm not that old. Not really. Not in my soul.

Nine Dollars a Pack

2008-04-09T23:27:00.003-04:00

This is it, people! I promised the Chick that when I got home from this trip, I would be a smoke free mother. While in the Windy City I bought my last pack at the hotel. It cost me nine dollars. The math says 45 cents a smoke. Yikes!

I have been away from blogging this week due to travels and having the cruddy laptop with me. Plus I forgot the wireless card at home. At least I think it's at home. While being gone a few interesting things (or at least interesting to me) happened.

Spent some time with Adventure Girl. We went to the Tom Skillings' Tornado Seminar. I now know far more than I ever thought I would know about tornados. At some points, the speakers started to sound like Charlie Brown's teacher....
Went to a couple of great restaurants: Carnivale for Peruvian food and Tuscany on Taylor. Both great places. Had yucca... still don't like it, but the paco paco and the sangria were great. Had veal with a white wine sauce, squares of gorgonzola and asparagus. Yummy!
Spent time with Baby Sister and her gang of boys. Baby Sister convinced me to open a Facebook account. Not sure how dedicated I will be and Chatterbox said, "Mrs.. I am shocked you have a facebook!"
My major project for this trip went great!
I've slept in seven different beds in two weeks. Fell out of bed number six when the wake up call rang me awake. Have a carpet burn and a nasty bruise on my knee. Feel pretty goofy about it. My uber boss says it has happened to him when he has travelled. Felt goofy but better after that.
Going home tomorrow. Hope the BugMan remembers to fetch me.

Can't stay up ALL Night!

2008-04-03T23:09:00.003-04:00

The gift of the BE is twenty new friends. And most of them are blogging and emailing and chatting to beat the band right now. It's fifteen minutes past my bedtime and I don't want to go to sleep because I am afraid I'll miss something. (We call it "Family Reunion Syndrome" at my house.)

I said this in another spot, but it can't be said too often. When you have online friends they are wonderful. I have prayed for these folks. I've tried to cheer them and cheer for them. I've laughed and cried and sighed with them. But now they are no longer two dimensional. As I told Will Smama, the package got fuller. As a result, the things they have written over the last few days have been much deeper. Much truer. And I can feel the blogged hugs because I know what the real hugs feel like.

I can hear their laughs and their lovely voices. Such a blessing I had not imagined when I made my deposit six months ago.

But now I really should go to bed. Tomorrow is another day of work. And I do need to do some work. Although it will be hard not to check a few blogs in between the tasks of the day!

Bloggers are decent people at bottom

2008-04-02T17:31:00.010-04:00

So on NPR today, this was the quote from some guy who apparently gets negative feedback from bloggers, "...even bloggers are decent people at bottom." The guy's a political commentator and clearly he doesn't know the RevGalBlogPals. Beyond decent! Just fabulous people!

I had a great time on the BE aka The Big Event with my RevGalBlogPals. Didn't even need to leave the dock in New Orleans. We could have just sat on the aft deck and I would have been happy. The scenery was just icing on the delicious cake!

Since getting back, lots of folks have wanted reports on what the BE was all about. It was about JOY! Pure joy. I am so glad I got out of my midwestern, Norwegian, mildly introverted box and went on this trip. All the extra supply preaching to pay the way was well worth it!

Some highlights were definitely...

Charbroiled oysters at the oyster bar with GracebytheSea. Also enjoyed the raw oysters and the melt in your mouth oysters in my not to be believed gumbo at Emeril's. A food previously described as slimey or boiled erasers now has a very joyful spot in my heart.

A Joy Tattoo! We were all given a word to meditate on during the trip. Mine was joy. Couldn't get a spray paint tattoo of joy- so I took the one shown above- energy. The joy of the trip has given me energy. Hope my boss appreciates my new artwork on Sunday. Hee hee hee! If it washes off before then, I may color it in with a sharpy marker! Several us went under the paintgun. Mine is the one on the wrist. Will Smama's is the real one!

Three martinis and twelve olives! This was my quote for the night before we went home. I slept real well and I remember, Cheeshead, I remember! What a lovely, lovely night!

The back of the boat. We sat on the aft deck in the afternoon alternately amusing and scaring off other cruisers. It was a blessed place and very close to the soft serve ice cream.

Learning about geocaching. The Vicar of Hogsmeade is a geocacher. It's like a scavenger hunt with a GPS. She took a group out on Cozumel and they FOUND it! I'm thinking we all need to hide geocaches on our church signs.

Mexican food in Mexico. Fabulous food with Songbird, RevDrKate and our own English rose. Still can't believe she came all the way from England! What a treat!

Laughing. Crying. Listening. Talking. Reading. It was all good!

We're almost outta here!

2008-03-26T08:58:00.004-04:00

In an hour and a half, the Bug Man will come home from his bug job to take me to the airport. I am LEAVING for vacation with the RevGals on the Big Event cruise. I have tried to get all my work done before I left. I have prepaid bills so that the Bug Man has no worries. I have confirmed the Chick's doctor's appointment for Friday. And I think I am all packed.

As I have been getting ready to leave, I have found less time to even consider blogging. But here are a few of the things that have been true of my life:

I was unable for many weeks to remember what part of Mexico we were docking at for our daylong excursion. I really didn't care. I just want to eat some Mexican food and they have that everywhere in Mexico. I can now say with confidence that we are docking in Cozumel.
I have had insomnia. This even happened last night when I crashed at about 1:30am. All of my usual tricks have been only moderately successful. I want to take a nap on my vacation.
I am really not worried about leaving my staff for a week. They are way too competent for me to worry. I love this!
We had a lovely Easter meal with Dorothy and her hubby. Ham and asparagus and cheesy potatoes and a fabulous rendition of a "poke cake" that Dorothy made with strawberries and fresh whipped cream. Think strawberry shortcake and then kick it up a notch!
I wonder if I can take a ham sandwich on the plane. Probably not. We have a lot of leftove ham.
I have a major project at work that is 90% done. It is due a few days after we get home. It involves writing and powerpointing. My eyes got bleary and I decided to stop at 4:00 yesterday. It will just have to wait.
My folks are almost home after spending Holy Week at Spring Training in Arizona. They continue to make retirement look like a really fun deal! I hope to try it when I'm their age.

Well, that's all I can think to say for now. I am not taking my laptop on the ship. It's heavier than it looks and I also think I need a little "radio silence" in my life. I'm going to give every effort not to go to the computer lounge to check my email. Or at least not more than once a day....

The V Crowd

2008-03-22T09:26:00.004-04:00

I was over at Dorothy's blog and saw this photo of our "Vagina Monologues" cast. Just had to add it to the blog. What a wonderful group of women to play with! I'm in the very back in the middle.

Good Friday Five

2008-03-21T08:38:00.003-04:00

When I was a little girl I really didn't get why we called today "good". It didn't make sense. I wondered if the adults had made a mistake. This was the day when Jesus died on the cross. How could that be good. Fortunately, I caught on after a while. This is a good day. A day when we try to understand the heighth and depth and breadth of God's love for us.

On the RevGalBlogPals I posted these questions today:

Our prayer concerns are as varied as we are this day. For whom would you like us to pray? Please pray for Jim and his family.

Are there things you have done or will do today to help the young ones understand this important day in our lives? It was important to me as a parent that the Chick understand from an early age that Jesus really did die. I didn't want her to misunderstand and think that he was just resting. We didn't do anything special, beyond bringing her to worship and talking it through. But she knew fairly early on what happened on Good Friday.

Music plays an important part in sharing the story of this day. Is there a hymn or piece of music that you have found particularly meaningful to your celebrations of Good Friday? "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" touches something deep within me.

As you hear the passion narrative, is there a character that you particularly resonate with? I think it must be Peter in his desires to get it right and his failures even though he loves Jesus deeply.

Where have you seen the gracious God of love at work lately? In the children I spent the last five Sunday's with. They so got what was going on in worship. And they are ready to share the good news.

God's blessings on your Good Friday.

From Palms to Passion

2008-03-15T15:00:00.003-04:00

This is a transitional piece I will use at the end of our mostly Palm Sunday service tomorrow.

Today is a curious sort of day. A day which began with an exciting parade and children singing praises to the Lord. It's a day of wonder as we remember that Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph with all the pomp and circumstance of a beloved king.

And it is tempting to just stay at the Palm glory and give little thought to what will happen next. For Thursday brings a last meal with treasured friends. And a new covenant of love and forgiveness. But it also brings betrayal and denial.

And then it's Friday. A day of accusation and fear. A day of wrenching torment and brutal death. All too quickly the shouts of "Hosanna!" will give way to the call to "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
As you make your way through this holiest of weeks I would invite you to follow the way of the cross. Let yourself be caught up in this most wonderful of all stories. Hear the words as if it was the first time. For there is always more to discover on this holy journey.
Let yourself be transformed by the passionate love of Christ.
Our postlude for this morning is based on the hymn "O Sacred Head Now Wounded." And I encourage you not to leave with the dismissal today. But instead, stay and listen to the postlude. Take a moment for meditation and prayer. And consider all that our Lord has done for us. For he chose the path which led to pain before joy- the cross before glory. May the cross be planted in our hearts this day, so that in its power and love we may come at last to joy and glory.

The Bug Man's Wrist Hurts

2008-03-14T22:09:00.003-04:00

For the last 18 months, the Bug Man has been complaining that his wrist hurts. Now don't get me wrong. I try to be a sympathetic wife, but when someone complains about something every other day, you get numb.

He broke his wrist in July 2005 while trying to get rid of some wasps. (It's his job, don't you know.) The wasps weren't mad or anything. It was the ladder that was not cooperating and the Man fell off and landed all wrong. He put the ladder back on the truck, said goodbye to his client, and drove himself to the hospital. This was no small feat what with the truck having a manual transmission. The doctor reset the wrist and he was in a cast for six weeks. Six long weeks. The only thing that kept us all from killing each other was a subscription to MLB.com. The Bug Man watched a lot of Cardinals games on the computer to the frustration of Soda Chicky who couldn't use the computer as much as she might like.

After feeling sore and achey for over a year, the Man went back to the doctor. After doing an MRI and seeing a specialist, it has been determined that he has a torn ligament and the bones did not heal correctly. The ligament may well have been torn the entire time. This only shows up on an MRI which they didn't do at the time. So at the end of April he will have surgery.
They'll repair the ligament and put a plate and a screw in as well. If they need to, they will take bone chips from his hip to fill in the gaps. This is all out-patient surgery.

I asked my mother-in-law if she wanted to come take care of him. She said, and I quote, "Hell, no." This is very strong language from the MIL and indicates what a delightful patient her son is.

I am thankful that we will be into baseball season come the end of April. I am thankful that we know that some of this pain will be ended. I am not thankful that the Bug Man will be miserable for some time to come. And I am praying for patience for the Chick and I! Sigh....

Friday Five... How Time Flies By!

2008-03-14T21:20:00.002-04:00

At the RevGalBlogPals, Mother Laura writes:

Our Lent is almost over, while our Orthodox sisters and brothers, whose liturgical year follows the older Julian calendar, are just starting theirs. Nicholas did a recent book report on George Washington, and we were surprised to find out that our first President's birthday was originally Feb. 11, since he was born just before the change to the Gregorian calendar. Apparently the change almost caused rioting, as some indignant people were sure that they were being cheated out of eleven days of their lives! To help you adjust--and enjoy the process--here's a Friday Five about time and transitions....

If you could travel to any historical time period, which would it be, and why? I would like to go to a time with indoor plumbing.... I think it would be interesting to wander around in the 1920's. Can't remember all the plumbing details, but there was so much happening before the crash.
What futuristic/science fiction development would you most like to see? Beam me up, Scottie!
Which do you enjoy more: remembering the past, or dreaming for the future? I love to hear stories. "Mom tell us a story about when you were little?" was always my request on long car trips.
What do you find most memorable about this year's Lent? I've preached for four weeks in a row. Haven't done that in years! It's rare that a person doing supply gets to fill in for five weeks in a row at the same church. It will be a little bittersweet to say goodbye this coming Sunday.
How will you spend your time during this upcoming Holy Week? What part do you look forward to most? Since I don't serve a traditional parish, my week will not look like most pastors. I have a new employee that I'm training. I have a shorter work week. I'm the "go to girl" when someone doesn't show up to read, lead or acolyte at church this week. I am looking forward to worshipping in my home congregation. I haven't worshipped there in almost two months. It will be nice to be home.

More About the Vagina Monologues

2008-03-07T10:22:00.005-05:00

When Eve Ensler was developing "The Vagina Monologues" she started with hundreds of "Vagina Interviews". Women were asked a series of questions and the monologues came out of these varied and fascinating interviews. I have been thinking about the questions this past few weeks and decided I would dare to post my own answers.

If your vagina got dressed what would it wear? A white cotton batiste nightgown, soft from several washings. It would be long and tailored like a man's shirt.

If it could speak, what would it say? Whatever it wanted to say. Whenever it wanted to say it. Without fear. It's always been gutsier than I am.

What does your vagina remind you of? "The Dinner Party" by Judy Chicago. The Emily Dickinson setting especially. It reminds me of the vagina and the vagina reminds me of it.

What's special about your vagina? It's mine. They're all special. They're defining.

What does it smell like? An October walk on the beach in Monterey.

If this prompts you to write your own thoughts, wonderful! If this is too much information, relax!

And Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore.

Friday Five: Signs of Hope, Signs of Spring

2008-03-06T22:45:00.004-05:00

Sally posted these hope filled questions for the RGBP Friday Five.

Sign of hope? Tonight I was part of a group that performed "The Vagina Monologues." As we heard the challenge to end violence against women and girls in the next decade, I was filled with a sense of hope. Hope that perhaps this is possible. If not in whole, at least in part. I was delighted by this strong group of women who dared to speak such amazing words. And delighted by the response of the men and women who shared the evening with us.

An unexpected word of light in a dark place? A friend noticed something in me this week and said so... It's too long and complicated to explain the whole thing, but being noticed for a certain gift affirmed it... affirmed me... and it was a light for my day that I will hold onto for days to come.

A sign of spring? There are groovy little green things poking up from the ground in the churchyard. My favorites are on their way... tulips!

Challenging/ surprising? Being invited to participate in the Vagina Monologues was a surprising challenge. (I got to moan a la Grace Slick at one point in the evening.) I never tried out for plays in school. My dramatic performances have been mostly the kind that pastors take on during VBS. That and first person sermons. It was a challenge to speak vagina vocabulary tonight. And a surprise that I like wandering out of my box. I need to do more of that.

Share a hope for the coming week/month/year.... See number 4.

Bonus play... a piece of music/ poem guaranteed to cheer you? I have been listening to Cole Porter songs on my Ipod of late. Cheers me up every time.

Strange Days Indeed

2008-03-03T21:55:00.003-05:00

Tonight the television was on and suddenly I looked up to see Julia Louis-Dreyfus do something strange with her lipstick. "The New Adventures of Old Christine" is not my favorite show, but I do so wish I could have saved the two opening minutes of the show. The reason is this....

.... Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in the delightful shade of "Nutmeg." Last night the Bug Man walked into the bedroom looking like a bad Lucille Ball impressionist. He had picked up the Chick's Lip Shimmer and used it like regular chapstick. It is NOT regular chapstick. He did know how goofy he looked before strolling into our room, but he wanted to "share".

Tonight, "Old Christine" was moaning about her recent boyfriend break up and did the exact same thing. I paused the TiVo and waited until the Bug Man came back into the room. Too strange to be believed.

The really hard to believe part is that the Man couldn't tell the difference between chapstick and lip shimmer. Here's hoping he doesn't throw the nutmeg colored stuff in a coat pocket before heading off to work some day!

All About Soda Chicky

2008-02-23T20:27:00.006-05:00

The Chick made a point this evening of sitting next to me and requesting/ordering that I pull up my blog. She wanted to see what I had written about her lately. She was saddened to find that there was nothing about her recent illness on my blog. Not wanting to win any more points in the "Bad Mother Contest" I will now tell you the painful story of the Chick's health of late.

For nearly four weeks, the Chick has struggled with stomach aches and nausea. On Trip #1 to the doctor it was decided that she had a virus. She was given an anti-emetic prescription and we went home. The little pills helped her not throw up but it really "bound her up" as my father would say. A week later she was still feeling rather punk. Trip #2 to the doctor was for her "well baby" check up. (What do you call it when the baby is 14?) We caught her on a good day except that she went into total meltdown when it came time to get her HPV vaccine and a flu shot.

Visit #3 found me suggesting that perhaps she had inherited all of her parent's collective bad genes. The doctor found some merit in all of this and ordered an xray of the Chick's abdomen. Sure enough, she was full of crap! (This is the less technical explanation.) She is now taking the new wonder drug MiroLax. It seems to be doing the trick along with regular doses of Pepcid.

While we were trying to figure out what was really ailing her, I found myself feeling really useless. I'd done what everyone was suggesting. I'd taken her to the doctor. I'd gotten the prescribed meds, but the kid still felt horrid. I told her one afternoon that I felt like I had been given a really great toy that I had somehow misused and now I couldn't figure out how to fix it. Rather than making her feel objectified, it helped her know that I really was concerned and I really did want her to feel better. (When I forced her to go to school on more than one occasion, she wasn't too sure about me. I got lots of votes for "Bad Mother" on those occasions.)

So the Chicky is feeling much better. She had a Snow Day yesterday which also helped her mood immeasurably. The good news is that she was bored today. Always a good sign that one needs to get out of the house!

Between bouts of feeling truly yucky, the Chick and her friends Barnum and Lovely Girl redecorated the Chick's room. They moved the furniture around. Lovely Girl made some style suggestions. Barnum came along for a trip to Linens n' Things and the place is almost the room of their imaginings. I need to do some minor sewing and a little craftiness and the place will be put together.

So Chicky... I hope this meets your expectations. Not too embarrassing. Not too personal. And yes, Lovely Girl finally has her own blogging secret identity.

Love, Mom

Prayers for Rusty

2008-02-22T20:29:00.003-05:00

A very dear friend of my parents died last night. Her name was Alta. The day after she retired from her job in November, they found that she was seriously ill. Almost three months to the day, she died in hospice care. My heart aches tonight for those who love her.

At Christmas time we visited my folks. My mother asked me to make a prayer shawl for Alta. I was honored to be asked and we quickly went to the Ben Franklin store to pick up the supplies. For two days I prayed and crocheted while football games, BBC reruns and other goofiness went by on the television. I prayed for Alta and her husband Rusty. I prayed for my parents whose lives have been so warmly touched by these dear friends. I prayed for their small mountain congregation and their priest who serves them.

After we left, Mom and Dad delivered the shawl to Alta at the hospital. She was due to have her second major surgery in a month. In the movement from room to room, the shawl was misplaced. But last weekend, Rusty found it packed in with some things. He tried to give it back to my mother. But she said no, it was his and it was packed with prayers for him to hold onto.

I sit tonight hundreds and hundreds of miles away from my parents, wishing I could do something to help them in their grief. I can't fix a meal or stay up late for a long chat. I can't help with practical matters. I can't do much of anything. But I will keep praying. And my mother has reminded me again, what a precious gift that can be. And so Mom and Dad, please know I am praying for Rusty and his family and for the two of you. Praying for comfort and love and strength.

A Heavenly Friday Five

2008-02-22T19:38:00.004-05:00

On the RevGalBlogPals, Singing Owl posted the Friday Five as a memorial of sorts to her dear sister who died this week of Alzheimer's. Singing Owl asked what is your idea of a heavenly (i.e. wonderful and perfect):

Family get-together: Some place where the grown ups could talk and relax while all the kids were having fun. The beach sounds good. Or a lake some place where it was not too warm and not cold.

Song or musical piece: Hmmm.... nothing immediately comes to mind. I like a lot of different kinds of music. A thrilling Bach postlude. A totally cool Marty Haugen hymn with guitars, piano, claves and flute. Little kids singing a sweet Sunday School tune.

Gift: Time with a dear friend for a good meal and good conversation. Time would be the gift.

You choose whatever you like-food, pair of shoes, vacation, house, or something else. Just tell us what it is and what a heavenly version of it would be. Tonight we watched Gordon Ramsay trying to turn around an Indian restaurant. It made me remember a stellar meal I had last Fall in Minneapolis. The restaurant was delicious to smell! The food was authentic and marvelous. The company great. The service good. I want to go back!

And for a serious moment, or what would you like your entrance into the next life to be like? Not too difficult for those who love me and all that Christ promises. What, from your vantage point now, would make Heaven "heavenly?" .When asked if there would be sex in heaven, C.S. Lewis once said that no, there wouldn't be sex in Heaven. But we wouldn't miss it because Heaven would be too wonderful for us to regret the loss of this important human connection. So I guess I think heaven must be beyond my imagination. And when I try to imagine it, I find that there are always faults with my notions. I am trusting that God has it well taken care of. And that is the most heavenly bit of all.

Playing Tag

2008-02-15T21:06:00.004-05:00

I've been tagged by The Quixotic Pastor.

The rules for the meme are:

Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Share six non important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

So here are the six non important things/habits/quirks:

I'm afraid of heights and as a result I have a standard way to get on downward bound escalator that is so engrained I didn't know I was doing it until Adventure Girl pointed it out one day.
I like cheerios dry, straight out of the box. I have stolen/borrowed/shared cheerios from Pseudo Grandbaby's diaper bag on more than one occasion.
I can't get to sleep at night if my feet are cold. So I wear socks but once my feet are warm the socks have to go. Sometimes at the end of the week, when we change the sheets there are three pairs of socks buried at the end of the bed.
I really like cottage cheese mixed with green salsa. It's a disgusting looking but tasty dip. Nobody else in my family likes it. That's okay! More for me!
It kind of bugs me that Barak Obama is younger than I am.
I have ignored hair balls on the floor knowing that the Bug Man will find them in a few minutes and clean them up. I am a bad, bad wife......

Whether they like it or not, I am tagging Cheesehead, the Lutheran Zephyr, Pink Shoes, Soda Chicky, Papa Joe and Hot Cup Lutheran.

Friday Five: The Water and The Word

2008-02-15T11:46:00.006-05:00

In this Sunday's gospel Nicodemus asks Jesus, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" Poor old Nicodemus! He was so confused about the whole "water and Spirit" business of baptism. Maybe he was just tired, all that wandering around looking for Jesus in the middle of the night!

For today's five, I asked everyone to tell us about their baptismal experiences.

When and where were you baptized? Do you remember it? Know any interesting tidbits? I was baptized as a baby on January 1, 1961 in the church my parents belonged to before my dad was drafted into the army. They came home over the holidays and had me baptized. My sisters and I were all baptized at St. John Lutheran Church- but they are three different churches. This has made it more difficult for my mother to be sure whose momentos are whose.

What's the most unexpected thing you've ever witnessed at a baptism? While baptizing my nephew, he spit up. I've done a lot of baptisms but that had never happened before. Not wanting to create a fuss and wanting him to put "his best face forward" I took the baptismal napkin which was damp from drying his head and made a quick swipe across his face. I have wondered if my sister washed the napkin later or if that's just a part of his baptismal memento.

Does your congregation have any special traditions surrounding baptisms? The church we belong to currently has a lovely font up in the front of the chancel. When there is a baptism, a gentleman in the parish creates a wreath of greens and flowers that fits around the top of the font. It's really quite sweet.

Are you a godparent or baptismal sponsor? Have a story to tell? I am the godmother of Little Sister #2's daughter. She was very good at her baptism, but I cried more than I might have. The service was at the Easter Vigil during my second year at sem. I was having a real crisis of faith and the baptismal service really put me in touch with my fears and questions.

Do you have a favorite baptismal song or hymn? Why do I ask questions that I don't know the answers to! I really like "O Blessed Spring" by Susan Cherwien and Bob Farlee.

O blessed spring, where Word and sign
embrace us into Christ the Vine:
here Christ enjoins each one to be
a branch of this life-giving Tree.

Through summer heat of youthful years,
uncertain faith, rebellious tears,
sustained by Christ’s infusing rain,
the boughs will shout for joy again.

When autumn cools and youth is cold,
when limbs their heavy harvest hold,
then through us, warm, the Christ will move
with gifts of beauty, wisdom, love.

As winter comes, as winters must,
we breathe our last, return to dust;
still held in Christ, our souls take wing
and trust the promise of the spring.

Christ, holy Vine, Christ, living Tree,
be praised for this blest mystery:
that Word and water thus revive
and join us to your Tree of Life.

Text: Susan Palo Cherwien, b. 1953
©1993 Susan Palo Cherwien, admin. Augsburg Fortress

Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator.

I wasn't really all that hungry!

2008-02-08T23:12:00.001-05:00

Last Friday, Sweet Girl, Scarecrow, the Bug Man and I were scheduled to go out for dinner. It took us several weeks of negotiation before we found a time when Sweet Girl didn't have internship stuff happening; Scarecrow didn't have youth group stuff happening; Bug Man didn't have to get up early to kill bugs; and as for me.... my schedule was pretty open.

Scarecrow is a foodie! There is no other way to explain it. He loves to cook. He loves excellent food and he refuses to pay good money for a meal he could have made at home. For more than a week he googled, contemplated and debated the best place for us to have dinner. Then we needed to figure out what to do with the kids. Should Soda Chicky watch Pseudo Grandbaby? Could we find another sitter for PGB? Should we find a place where the Chicky and PGB would be welcome?

Last Friday the Scarecrow changed the restaurant four times. He called me several times and silly me! I only remembered the converation up to restaurant number three. At 6:15, the Bug Man and I were 45 minutes early for our reservation. We sat in the car listening to the radio until we thought that might be bad for the car. Boy were we right! The car ceased to start. Only made a "click click click" noise. We decided to go in the restaurant in the hopes that absence would lead the car into a cheerier state of being.

We gave the hostess Scarecrow's name and she seemed to think that there was a misprint in her list. Like many Philly dining spots, this was a BYOB. So we drank half a bottle of wine and ate the tasty bread while watching people and the various plates of food go by. At 7:15 we began to be concerned for our friends. I didn't have my cell phone or their phone numbers. But we called Sweet Girl's dad (they were babysitting). The two were "on their way, must be caught in traffic." We waited ten more minutes until our server explained that we didn't have a reservation and that they needed our table. Sigh....

Three phone calls later we knew that I had forgotten we were going to restaurant number four, not number three. Sweet Girl and the Scarecrow were miles away drinking their own bottle of wine. Our car still wouldn't start and the Bug Man was starting to do "the potty dance" on the sidewalk next to our car.

Thankfully, Sweet Girl's dad was only fifteen minutes away and came to our rescue. He had jumper cables so we got the car started. We drove towards home only stopping at the WaWa to get sandwiches and so Bug Man could use the bathroom. (We took turns sitting in the car with the engine running.)

Needless to say, I have been teased quite a bit about all of this. I had a roast beef sandwich for dinner. Bug Man had pastrami. Scarecrow had oysters on the half shell and duckling. Sweet Girl said the Snapper Soup was delicious. We hope to go out sometime before PGB enters kindergarten.

Friday Five - Lenten Reflections

2008-02-08T22:48:00.001-05:00

This week on the Rev Gals it's questions about Lent.

Did you celebrate Mardi Gras and/or Ash Wednesday this week? How? Shrove Tuesday I made pancakes for Soda Chicky. It's a bit of a tradition. On Ash Wednesday I went to chapel with Scarecrow, Dorothy, the Tin Man and Pseudo Baby.

What was your most memorable Mardi Gras/Ash Wednesday/Lent? At a former parish we celebrated by having "The Mad Monks of Melody" play for a Mardi Gras dinner and worship. They're a Dixieland jazz band which is made up of musicians who met as Barbershoppers. A fun time was had by all. Nothing like marching around the sanctuary to "When the Saints Go Marching In".

Did you/your church/your family celebrate Lent as a child? If not, when and how did you discover it? Lent was always a part of our family. We went to church on Wednesday nights. Often there were special family devotions. No giving up of things. Not a Lutheran thing really.

Are you more in the give-up camp, or the take-on camp, or somewhere in between? As a kid, giving-up was "a Catholic thing." As an adult and pastor, I feel that giving things up only makes sense if the abstinence leads you to think about God. If it's just something to be unhappy and grouchy about- forget it.

How do you plan to keep Lent this year? Midweek worship at night or mid-day. Reading and having a four week preaching gig.

Not my kind of brownie pan!

2008-01-29T18:37:00.001-05:00

For a mere $34 you can buy this pan so that all your brownies have edges. BUT I LIKE THE ONES IN THE MIDDLE! This was posted in an AOL piece on strange cooking gadgets. There was also a thing that is meant for cutting hotdogs so that they look like octopi. Sheesh! You can do that with a knife. But don't! I think it may actually make the dogs taste worse. At least that was my experience at "Under the Sea" nights at our kids' midweek program. Usually served with blue jello jigglers that had Swedish fish "swimming" around.

The 47 year old acolyte

2008-01-20T12:01:00.000-05:00

One of the strange things about being clergy and not on the staff of the church where you worship is that you are a good emergency fill in. I've filled in at the last minute as the reader and the assisting minister, but today was a first. I was the acolyte.

I've trained dozens of acolytes but this was the first time I had performed the job and this church. Since it was all very last minute I got one of the worst fitting robes to wear. I forgot to light the Paschal Candle because I didn't know there was a baptism. I wasn't sure when to take the offering plates to the ushers. And my hubby critiqued the way I carried the processional cross.

The woman who trains and schedules the acolytes frequently fills in when the acolyte doesn't show. There were lots of acolytes at worship but they were all singing in the youth choir this morning. The last time Soda Chicky filled in to acolyte on the spot, the boss of the acolytes gave her the business. "What are you doing? You're not supposed to be doing this. You haven't been trained. You did it wrong."

This in front of witnesses. Soda Chicky was doing the pastors a favor. She'd been trained by her mother in her last parish. There hasn't been an acolyte training meeting for the last two years. AND she was talked to after she had lit the candles but before the service had even begun. As you may guess, I was glad that this woman was not at church today. I'm sure she would have given me the business!

All of this brings to mind that although there may be a "correct" or preferred ways to perform these tasks, what is important is that the tasks are performed with a sense of worship and devotion. Does it really matter which candle gets lit first? Does it really matter if the acolyte is wearing tennis shoes? Will God be offended if we don't always remember to reverence the altar at the prescribed times? I think not.

Friday Five: Read any good books lately?

2008-01-17T21:27:00.000-05:00

Well, it's my week to write the Friday Five for the RevGalBlogPals, so here goes!

The website promoting this piece of art says, "For the first time, the worlds most influential religious texts are brought together and presented on the same level, their coexistence acknowledged and celebrated”. The shelf is made of reclaimed wood that contains seven religious books. The designers have put them – literally – on the same level.

Well, pish posh! I think that some books ARE better than others! How about you?

1. What book have you read in the last six months that has really stayed with you? Why? I just finished reading "Look Me in the Eye" by John Elder Robison. It tells about his life as someone with Asperger's Syndrome. Soda Chicky's friend Flying Monkey has Asperger's which is a mild form of autism. It is a fascinating book. The guy designed special effects for Kiss when he was a teenager, among other things. It was helpful in understanding what Flying Monkey deals with every day and it was also a very poignant read.

2. What is one of your favorite childhood books? I've gone on and on about Madeleine L'Engle so her books are a given but before I got to her books I read every Beverly Cleary book I could get my hands on.

3. Do you have a favorite book of the Bible? Do tell! Why did I write this question??!! It's too hard to pick just one! Some favorite though are definitely Mark, Romans and I Corinthians.

4. What is one book you could read again and again? C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" come off the shelf once a year.

5. Is there a book you would suggest for Lenten reading? What is it and why? I strongly suggest getting a copy of "The Last Week" by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. You may not agree with everything they have to say but it's a tremendous book. And there is some great fodder for Lenten and Holy Week sermons.

And because we all love bonus questions, if you were going to publish a book what would it be? Who would you want to write the jacket cover blurb expounding on your talent? I'd love to write a children's novel for that tween age range. I also have an idea for a "How To" book for congregation councils. As for the blurb writer.... Madeleine L'Engle would have been my first choice. Hmmm.... not sure who to pick now....

St. Matthew's Prayer Rug

2008-01-16T18:46:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week, Bug Man asked me if I had seen this letter we had gotten from some church. I shilly shallied for a while before opening it, but then curiousity got the best of me.

This "church" called St. Matthew's had sent me a prayer rug. The photo to the right is a copy someone else posted to the net.

“Look into Jesus’ Eyes you will see they are closed,” it instructed at the bottom. “But as you continue to look you will see His eyes opening and looking back into your eyes. Then go and be alone and kneel on this Rug of Faith or touch it to both knees. Then please check your needs on our letter to you. Please Return this Prayer Rug. Do not keep it.” On the back of the “rug,” it warned that it “must be mailed to a second home that needs a blessing after you use it.”

Strange stuff, indeed. Not the way I usually go about my daily prayers. A letter was included which said, “Would you like to have God’s blessings upon your home, your family and finances?” it asked. “Just put a (check) mark by your needs below, telling us that you want prayer.” There were boxes to check if you wanted health, a better job, to stop a bad habit, a new car, a money blessing, or “a home to call my own.” There was even a blank space to write in the amount of money you wanted God to bless you with. The letter was signed, “Your Brothers & Sisters in Christ, Saint Matthew’s Church.”

There was another sheet with testimonials to the power of this “prayer package.” Most of the
"proofs" were related to money. Y.G.” said she had only $50 to last until payday, but that after using the Prayer Rug, she was blessed with $46,888.20.

Yikes! This is some kind of powerful paper prayer rug! In looking into the matter further, it seems this outfit is only a little bit like church. They didn't have a building until a few years ago and apparently they only offer services in Spanish. English will be coming soon! The monies sent to this group go to some attorney/pr person and according to a legitimate news source there is little evidence to support the group's claim to be a church.

It is troublesome at best. Although they said they really needed my prayer rug back, I put it in the recycling with yesterday's newspapers.

Out of the loop

2008-01-12T21:57:00.000-05:00

It has been a quiet period on this blog of late. We came back from a week with Mountain Mama and Papa Joe. The mountains were beautiful and the visit was great. Now that January has begun, it is a very busy time for me in my unorthodox pastor job. Lots of paperwork and details. I've come home and found myself less inclined to write. So to catch up, here are a few tidbits.

SodaChicky has been sick of late. I took her to the doctor and they seem to think she might have enlarged adnoids which cause her to get really nasty sinus headaches. Clearly something is going on. Every time the barometric pressure changes she complains of pain and dizzinesss. Being one of the meanest moms on the planet, I sent her to school on Friday anyhow!
Pseudo-baby has learned to sit up all by himself. This is good but he also falls over. Took a couple of good crashes last week. Nasty bump on his forehead. It's amazing though how quickly he forgets it all and moves on to the next discovery. Babies are an amazing bunch!
Made a great "clean out the frig" stir fry tonight with shrimp, peppers, onions, cabbage and noodles with a curried peanut sauce. It was totally without a recipe but tasty. SodaChicky said in passing, "If I liked curry, I'm sure it would smell great." She had leftovers instead.
Dorothy is off to Europe next week as a part of a Eastern Europe study program. We will miss her smiling face around the place. I asked her to bring home some good chocolate!
Music Girl's son journied to Rome this week for a semester abroad studying architecture. Clearly I went to the wrong schools! ;-)
I'm trying to quit smoking. I've cut my intake more than half but it is tough on the weekends. Sigh...

So those are my random thoughts for now. Blessings to one and all!

Clinton.... who knew!?!?

2008-01-07T18:32:00.000-05:00

The Bug Man and I have been talking politics this weekend. He has always been a Republican. I've always been a Democrat. Who knows how we ended up together!

Bug Man has said repeatedly that perhaps he could vote for Obama but he could never vote for Hillary Clinton. Four years ago he voted for Bush even though a survey showed that he had more in common with John Kerry.

Tonight we took another survey. I agreed with Clinton 63%- more than any other candidate. But here's the fun one! The husband also agrees with Clinton more than any other candidate. His percentage was in the mid 40s but still- she scored a lot higher than a lot of his Republican buddies. However, he has said he will NEVER support her. When I tried to figure out why, it came down to a distaste for the candidate. He just doesn't like her. Why is likeability such an issue? Why is Obama getting a bump in the ratings because people just like him more? Why isn't it more of an issue of qualifications and experience?

I suspect that people will continue to struggle with the idea of voting for Hillary Clinton because they don't like her. She isn't warm and cuddly enough for them. But really- do you want a warm and cuddly president?

It's Almost Christmas Friday Five!

2007-12-20T21:17:00.000-05:00

As I told the RevGals, I have debated with myself for weeks about today's Friday Five.

Self 1: It should be deep and theological.
Self 2: But it's almost Christmas, it should be fun and warm and sweet.
Self 1: But your last Friday Five was sort of silly. You should show your more serious side.
Self 2: You worry WAY too much!

So after consulting with Soda Chicky, I went playful, pals o' mine! I love stories, so I hope you'll tell some about your favorite Christmas memories.

What was one of your favorite childhood gifts that you gave? It wasn't really a childhood gift, more of a young adulthood gift. I made some water color note cards for my mom. I knew it was a good gift when she rationed them out for only very special notes.

What is one of your favorite Christmas recipes? Bonus points if you share the recipe with us. One of my favorite Christmas recipes is something Mountain Mama makes called, "Sandwich Cookies." I think it came from some really basic cookbook. You make dough the consistancy of pie crust with flour, butter and cream. After rolling the dough out, you cut little circles, flip them in granulated sugar and prick with a fork so they don't puff up too much. Mountain Mama uses an old teaball to cut out the circles. It works best. After baking the cookies you make sandwiches with great frosting: butter, powedered sugar, a little cream and a tiny drop of color. When they're all done, you find that they are best eaten in one bite. If you try to bite them they crumble all over your clothes. They are the best. Papa Joe once left them as a "tip" for the housekeeper when we were having Christmas on the road. They're that good.

What is a tradition that your family can't do without? (And by family, I mean family of origin, family of adulthood, or that bunch of cool people that just feel like family.) Many years ago, Mountain Mama got tired of writing "Love from Mom and Dad" on the gift tags of presents given to me and my sibs. (We didn't do Santa Clause at our house.) Instead she would put down the names of fairy tale characters, tv people, movie stars, book characters... Some times the names were clues: Miss Goody gave a pair of two shoes; Pele gave a soccer ball; Julie Andrews gave the soundtrack to "The Sound of Music." Sometimes the names were just silliness. The Chick is adament that the tradition continue. And really, I hope I get at least one gift from Billy the Brownie!
Pastors and other church folk often have very strange traditions dictated by the "work" of the holidays. What happens at your place? When we were still a parish pastor's family, the tradition was that all three of us went to church on Christmas morning. (It is still my favorite service.) Bug Man would always vacuum. Soda Chicky would help with ushering or acolyting. I found that this quieter, smaller service was the time when I could most tune in to the joy that really is Christmas.
If you could just ditch all the traditions and do something unexpected... what would it be? I think it would be truly glorious to go to another country and experience the week around Christmas. What's it like in Paris on Christmas Eve? Or Jerusalem on Christmas Day? Or London on Boxing Day?

Blog Pals, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

The Delinquent Blogger

2007-12-20T20:25:00.000-05:00

So when your blogging friends ask where you've been... it's clearly time to get back on the keyboard! I have been busy with work stuff, home stuff, holiday stuff.... blah, blah, blah. No real excuse. Perhaps I've had nothing to say. This is also a possibility.

Next week I am going on an actual vacation. BugMan, Soda Chicky and I are flying to see Mountain Mama and Papa Joe. We leave on Christmas Eve Day and come back on the 30th. This is the first vacation I have taken since starting my latest gig. I have five weeks of vacation time due me and I will manage to eat up three days of it. This is silly! And the vacation is so overdue. I can feel myself yearning for the wonders of laziness. Days of it in a row! I have no need to see sights or be entertained. I just want to hang with the family and enjoy the thrill of NO WORK!

So, one more day of work and then a couple days off to do last minute shopping and packing. Hopefully we won't get trapped at Midway Airport on our way west. Papa Joe is sure we'll get trapped on the way back. But hey! It's all part of the holiday!

WinterSong: Book Talk for the Rev Gals

2007-12-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

To participate in Monday's Book Talk or to learn more about the authors of these pieces, go to my post on RevGalBlogPals. We're discussing the book WinterSong by Madeleine L'Engle and Luci Shaw.

After Annunciation

This is the irrational season
When love blooms bright and wild.
Had Mary been filled with reason
There'd have been no room for the child.
- Madeleine L'Engle

Winter Nights

Your father, when he died,
left this thing behind, his head thing,
he called it - a square
of knitted wool, beige, blue,

to tuck around his head,
like a small rug. I finger it
now, (the stitches like
his body cells, like all

the intricate minutes of his life),
almost the way I fingered it
growing on the needles
knitting for him a meager defense

against those Illinois nights
in December when he'd wake
with a headache
from the cold. Afterwards

I slept with it hugged
to my chest like a stuffed
animal - a brief blanket for
my heart, a comfort. like him.
-Luci Shaw

That Tiny Flame

I think of James Clement (in The Love Letters and Certain Women) telling of the making of cider in the winter, when it is put outdoors to freeze. In the center of the frozen apple juice is a tiny core of pure flame that does not freeze. My faith (which I enjoy) is like that tiny flame. Even in the worst of moments it has been there, surrounded by ice, perhaps, but alive.
- Madeleine L'Engle

The Winter Concert

2007-12-06T21:26:00.000-05:00

Tonight was Soda Chicky's high school Winter Concert. At 3:15 the Chick called to say that she needed to be at school at 5:45pm. I said, "I can't do that." I said, "Call your father." When contacted, the Bug Man said that he was in the Little State across the river and there was no possible way he would be done killing pests in time to get her to the school. So I adjusted.

I told the Chick that she and her friend Barnum had better be ready to go when I walked in the door. (Barnum's mother a lower GI thing going on and couldn't make the drive. Been there. Empathize deeply.) Aside from putting on earrings, they were ready and away we went.

The high school is a definite "Main Line" institution. (You drive through the campus of a hoity toity famous women's college to get there. You guess which one...) I usually feel under dressed and outclassed, but that's life.

The concert was the Jazz Band, Concert Band, Orchestra and four choirs. A long night... I enjoyed most of it but was fascinated by the selection of music. There was lots of Christmas music both sacred and secular. There was non-Christmas sacred music. There was a long piece from The Pirates of the Caribbean. But no Hanukkah music! There are a lot of families at the school celebrating Hanukkah this week, but no Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel! The choirs are doing a combined concert with the local middle school next week at one of the local synagogues. I asked the Chick if there would be Hanukkah music then. "Not from our choir." Hmmmm...

Waking up with Arthur

2007-12-06T07:50:00.000-05:00

At 6:45am Soda Chicky leaves for school. She hollars that she's leaving, which really means, "Mom, if you don't wake up now you have nobody to blame but yourself." I turn off the alarm and look for caffeine. After watching the first half hour of the Today show, I turn to PBS and watch Arthur. The Chick hasn't watched Arthur for a few years, but I keep watching. Why? Oh why? There is no intelligent, adult reason, I just watch Arthur. It's a secret pleasure or at least it used to be. Anyone else out there still watching the shows their kids are now too sophisticated to view?

It's beginning to look a lot like the Friday Five!

2007-11-30T08:14:00.000-05:00

This week's Friday Five comes from Wills Mama. She says, " I know, I know.... pretty grumpy for November but why not get it out of our systems now so we are free to enjoy the rest of the festivities."

Please tell us your least favorite/most annoying seasonal....

dessert/cookie/family food: This would have to be any cookie that looks good, but tastes bad. Stale is bad. Hidden coconut is bad. Candied fruit is really bad. But the worst is something that should be a chocolate treat but turns out to be yucky tasting!

beverage (seasonal beer, eggnog w/ way too much egg and not enough nog, etc...) Real eggnog is kind of nasty in my book. On the other hand, the store bought kind with a little something to warm it up- good. And if you can mix it up with some good vanilla ice cream and a little warming agent- real good.

tradition (church, family, other) Sunday School Christmas Pageants when the kids are paraded around just for the Kodak moments. Or when the rehearsals involve middle aged women yelling at little kids who are BORED.

decoration: Santa and the baby Jesus in the same venue. Santa does not belong in the manger scene. Jesus should stay out of the sleigh.

gift (received or given) How could you have a least favorite gift? I sometimes wish they hadn't invented gift cards. I know that Soda Chicky likes the shopping part, but it means that the gift giver doesn't have to use their imagination. I like the creative part of gift giving. I love when the gift I've received reflects thought and care.
BONUS: SONG/CD that makes you want to tell the elves where to stick it: I really think that Santa should stop running over the reindeer. Also, I want sacred music to stay away from commercial products.

Oops! Grandma got run over by a reindeer! Thanks for helping me see the error of my ways, Songbird. As you will read in the comment below, I have Santa issues.

So that's my list. That wasn't too grumpy, was it?

Blogging Buddies

2007-11-28T19:43:00.000-05:00

So I got to meet Lutheran Flavor in the flesh today! This is the second time I've met a blogging friend. And on the same afternoon there was a piece on NPR talking about virtual friends and why "Seinfeld" was such a good show.

The premise of the essay was that "Seinfeld" although its characters could be fairly unlikeable, showed a group of four people who always stuck with each other. They were friends through thick and thin and even thinner. The writer suggested that this something we all long for, but that we can't find the same thing with our virtual friends.

He makes a good point. You can only have virtual coffee with your virtual friends. And yet, I have remembered Lutheran Flavor in my prayers. I have listened as she has discussed her calling and vocation. And I care about what happens to her next. Meeting her in person was a bonus!

Perhaps blogging friends and real time friends are similar in that, the depth of the relationship depends on how much you share. And how much you care. Granted, it's not the same kind of friendship, but blogging buddies- I am ever so thankful for you!

Friday Five: After the Tryptophan

2007-11-23T09:24:00.000-05:00

The Friday Five is all about the day after Thanksgiving.

Did you go elsewhere for the day, or did you have visitors at your place instead? How was it? We spent the day at home. The Tin Man joined us for dinner after he spent the day working at Starbucks. Yikes! We had a great time and Soda Chicky was delighted that her "Pretend Brother" could join us for dinner.

Main course: If it was the turkey, the whole turkey, and nothing but the turkey, was it prepared in an unusual way? Or did you throw tradition to the winds and do something different? Since there were only four of us, we had a turkey breast. I had bought three legs because they DON'T SELL NECKS at our grocery store. What's that all about? So two of the legs went into making stock for the stuffing and gravy. The third leg was devoured by the Chick. ........................ My family of origin never had turkey. Papa Joe and Lil Sister 1 don't like it. As a result, we always had home made Cornish pasties. A meat pie made with potatoes, onion, rutabega and ground beef. Slathered with butter it is the best! Today I will make it in honor of MY Thanksgiving tradition. Yesterday was the Bug Man's day!

Other than the meal, do you have any Thanksgiving customs that you observe every year? No traditions in my family. My grandmother however, has a tradition of making chop suey the night before and then in days gone by, the grandkids who were present would make a Christmas ornament. We never lived nearby so I only made one ornament when I was about 19. It is still one of my favorites made out of popcycle sticks. It's a sled.

The day after Thanksgiving is considered a major Christmas shopping day by most US retailers. Do you go out bargain hunting and shop ‘till you drop, or do you stay indoors with the blinds closed? Or something in between? I have no desire to shop but the Chick and four of her friends are going to the local mall. I think I'll unload the dishwasher and take a nap.
Let the HOLIDAY SEASON commence! When will your Christmas decorations go up? I'm not really sure what we'll do. This year we are going to visit Mountain Mama and Papa Joe for Christmas. Plus, our tree is seven feet tall and our new living room is not that tall. (I'm 5'5" and I can put my hands flat on the ceiling.) We'll probably do a little decorating in the weeks to come. But no full fledged whoop-dee-do this year.

You've got to be kidding!

2007-11-18T09:16:00.001-05:00

I was reading the latest Bed, Bath and Beyond flyer and I could hardly believe this was a real thing! It seriously made me laugh out loud.

MANGROOMER™ is the essential do-it-yourself electric back hair shaver for men. The unique design enables a man to remove unwanted back hair by himself in the privacy of his own home or while traveling. It's quick, easy and painless. The fully extendable and adjustable handle locks into place at various lengths to reach the most difficult portions of the middle and lower back. Its sleek, lightweight, compact design folds completely flat and opens to 135 degrees for instant use. The large 1 1/2" cutting edge blade enables extremely close and smooth results without the potential of ingrown hairs. Measures 9 1/4" L x 2" W x 1 1/2" H. Uses two AA batteries, not included.

I suppose it's better than getting a wax, but do men really worry about this? And why?

Is anyone surprised?

2007-11-09T11:25:00.000-05:00

My Liberal Identity:

You are a Peace Patroller, also known as an anti-war liberal or neo-hippie. You believe in putting an end to American imperial conquest, stopping wars that have already been lost, and supporting our troops by bringing them home.

Take the quiz at www.FightConservatives.com

The Friday Five

2007-11-09T07:38:00.000-05:00

This week Sally has posted the following:

I am looking at the possibility of finding little gaps in the day or the week to spend in extravagant unbusyness ( a wonderful phrase coined by a fellow revgal)... So given those little gaps, name 5 things you would do to:

to care for your body: I've been having troubles with an old shoulder injury. (I broke my humorous two years ago decorating the sanctuary for Christmas Eve. Hospitals are a very strange place to be when you're supposed to be preaching.) Scarecrow has suggested I call the doctor. The Bug Man says I have arthritis. If I am smart, I'll take time this week to do the physical therapy exercises from two years ago... But what I'd really like is a massage.

to care for your spirit: I need a vacation! I need some solitude. Hopefully I'll get some after Christmas.
to care for your mind: I read a WHOLE book last weekend. The Children of Henry the VIII. I need another good book to read to get my brain going.
to bring a sparkle to your eye: A nap might be good....
to place a spring in your step: See number four.

Enjoy the time to indulge and dream.... and then for a bonus which one on the list are you determined to put into action? I think I'm most determined to do number one. Plus, I really need a haircut. If I don't get THAT done before Sunday morning I may go completely nuts!

Elvis has left the building!

2007-11-04T19:23:00.000-05:00

Let me begin by saying that I am not making up any of this. It is too strange to be a fabrication!

In 1993, the Soda Chicky was only 6 weeks old. My family of origin had all arrived at the outskirts of St. Louis to celebrate the baptism of the Chick and her slightly older cousin. (Lil Sis #1's boy-child who is four months older.) We travelled one afternoon to Wright City, MO to have lunch at the Ruiz Castillo, home of some of the best green pork chili nachos you'll ever have. On the way to or from, Baby Sister noticed that there was possibly the tenth or eleventh wonder of the modern world in Wright City- The Elvis Is Alive Museum.

The people in the photo are not my relatives but they are standing at the place. We paid our money and went in. After all, it's not often one gets to see proof that the FBI, the CIA and Nixon were all in on some plot to fake the death of a rock and roll icon.

The museum was housed in a double wide trailer with an add on. It was hoaky, repetitive and silly. But this week the Associated Press actually reported that the museum was closing.

Bill Beeny, the 81-year-old proprietor of The Elvis is Alive Museum, said he has placed his Elvis Presley memorabilia on eBay in hopes that someone else will take up the cause. His collection includes photographs, books, FBI files, replicas of the Cadillac the King drove and of the casket and gravestone from his 1977 funeral, even a painted Elvis head.

Beeny, a self-described "western Kentucky hillbilly" Baptist minister who wound up in Missouri 50 years ago, is selling the contents of his roadside attraction, a transformed coin-operated laundry 55 miles west of St. Louis that he opened in 1990, to satisfy something else that drives him.

"I have a burden to help people," said Beeny, wearing the penciled dark mustache, long sideburns and slick black hair of an Elvis aficionado. "Someone else can run, will run, the museum. No one in the whole county is doing the job I intend to do."

Beeny wants to put his energy into serving the needy in rapidly growing Warren County by providing child care, senior services, a food pantry and counseling for the addicted.
Beeney said he'll miss Elvis, "but life has its changes. You have to let go."

He hopes someone will buy the collection and open a new museum dedicated to the theory that Elvis lives — although the look and feel of Beeny's place could be hard to duplicate.
Outside, a 16-foot sign of a rhinestone-belted Elvis holding a microphone dominates an otherwise humdrum small-town landscape. A replica of Elvis' old Cadillac that hasn't been started for years is parked out front.

Inside the small museum, signs in large, bold letters and exclamation points scream out, "FREE MUSEUM," "SEE FUNERAL ROOM," "10 REASONS WHY I BELIEVE ELVIS IS ALIVE!" and "DNA PROVES ELVIS IS ALIVE."

Visitors wind their way around a casket, complete with a mannequin that doesn't look anything like Elvis, hundreds of photographs and yellowed news clippings, and a poster of the famous photo of President Nixon and Presley from 1970.

Visitors can hear what is said to be a tape recording of Presley's voice, supposedly copied off a telephone answering machine six years after the funeral, as well as see piles of documents that Beeny said are FBI files proving Presley's involvement with federal authorities.
Beeny, who had been only a nominal fan of Elvis Presley, started to doubt his death when customers at Beeny's former 1950s Cafe in Wright City asked questions that couldn't be answered.

Beeny said he eventually showed that the tissue samples of Elvis he says he obtained from a Memphis doctor did not match samples he says were taken from the cadaver "purported to be Elvis." Beeny later wrote a book, "Elvis' DNA Proves He's Alive!"

He also claims Presley had good reason to disappear: He's in the federal Witness Protection Program for assistance he provided federal law enforcement authorities.

David Beckwith, a spokesman for Elvis Presley Enterprises, which manages Graceland, the King's estate and mansion in Memphis, Tenn., said the company has no comment.

So if you ever get to Wright City, Missouri- you can still stop at Ruiz Castillo and order the nachos. (They also make a great chile relleno.) But unfortunately, you won't be able to check out Bill Beeny's museum and his assertion that, Elvis is alive!

This must be the day for interview questions!

2007-11-02T18:27:00.000-04:00

My friend the Lutheran Zephyr was recently interviewed by a fellow blogger over at The Heart of a Pastor. He then offered to interview another blogger. I jumped at the chance because I was curious as to what LZ might ask me. So here are the questions.

You are ordained and currently serving in a "specialized" call. What do you miss most about the parish? What I miss most is other people's kids. I miss doing baptisms. I miss being hugged about the knees. I miss having kids ask me important questions about life and God and everything else.

What do you like most about your current call? Grown up kids asking me questions and really wanting to hear the answers.

What is the most important thing you learned in seminary? Tell the truth and live God's love in word and deed.

What did you not learn in seminary that has been most helpful for your ministry? Technical stuff. Practical stuff. Budgeting. Creating a website. How to buy a copy machine.

If you were not a pastor, what can you imagine yourself doing? Being a teacher.

You've moved a few times in your life. Which place that you have called "home" is your favorite, and why? Colorado. As much as the Bug Man misses Missouri, I want to retire in Colorado.

Bonus Question: Please ask and answer a question you would like someone to ask you. Would you like to go to a dinner and a movie? Yes.

For anyone interested in being interviewed, here are the rules. You have to post these at the end of your interview response.

1. If you are interested in being interviewed, leave me a comment saying "interview me."

2. I will respond by posting 5 questions for you. I get to post the questions.

3. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment, asking to be interviewed, you will ask them 5 questions.

Friday Five - All About the Interview

2007-11-02T18:08:00.000-04:00

This week's Friday Five is about interviews.

1. What was the most memorable interview you ever had? Well this is a challenging one... Would it be the time that the manager of Waldenbooks asked me if, since I had worked at a church camp, I would be disturbed by having to sell Playboy? Or would it be the time the call committee expected the Bug Man to participate in the interview and actually asked him questions? Or maybe the one when I fully expected that there would be at least an hour of questions and instead they offered me the job.

2. Have you ever been the interviewer rather than the interviewee? If so, are you a tiger, a creampuff, or somewhere in between? I tend to be a creampuff during the interview but a tiger when I'm looking at resumes.

3. Do phone interviews make you more or less nervous than in-person ones? Phone interviews seem to be less intimidating but there was a time when the interviewer completely spaced the call and I waited for an hour. This was followed by a comment from a loved one that this "was probably a sign..."

4. What was the best advice you ever got to prepare for an interview? How about the worst? Best advice... being nervous will give you an edge. Just be yourself. Worst advice... can't think of any.

5. Do you have any pre-interview rituals that give you confidence? No. Just the usual self doubt and nausea.

Trick or Treating at Tiffany's

2007-10-31T20:53:00.001-04:00

Soda Chicky was determined to go trick or treating tonight. She wanted to be "something real." I was never quite sure what this meant except that she rejected some of my more creative costume ideas.

On Friday I took her to the doctor because she had sinusitis. We bought some scrubs at the medical center pharmacy, thinking she could be a crazy doctor. A little fake blood. A fake knife. But after a few days this idea was rejected. (Of course there is no returning the scrubs...)

The Chick has a little black dress that she thought might be the basis of a costume. We decided she could wear her "Audrey Hepburn" sunglasses and a french twist- a costume was born! And then I realized on my way to work... I was going to dress my daughter up as Holly Golightly! Fortunately, she probably won't be watching "Breakfast at Tiffany's" any time soon, so she just thinks she was cute while asking the neighbors for candy.

And if like the Scarecrow and GinnyLee you are too young to remember who Holly Golightly is.... let's just say that you don't want your 14 year old to follow in her occupational footsteps.

Details of the Last Supper

2007-10-28T20:53:00.000-04:00

As of this weekend, you can now view DaVinci's The Last Supper in 16 billion pixels. Now for art historians this is a big deal. Even for those have only a passing interest it's kind of cool to look at the close ups of paint and brush stroke. But it seems that this wonderful advent in technology, meant to help artists study the painting, has led to more goofiness over the DaVinci code.

The figure above has never seemed very feminine in my estimation. And if she was really Jesus' favorite gal pal, would Leonardo have painted her in this manner. Doubt it. Plus, The DaVinci Code is a novel! Fiction! Yikes!

Some guy has done studies to prove that the Mona Lisa once had eyebrows. Give me a break. Why can't we just enjoy the art and marvel at the technology rather than getting all wiggy about some big secret? Sheesh!

The Friday Five: Celebrating Halloween

2007-10-25T21:46:00.000-04:00

This week the Friday Five is about celebrating Halloween.

1. How did you celebrate this time of year when you were a child? When I was a little girl we weren't home for a lot of Halloweens. My dad managed the LA branch of what was then the Lutheran Church Supply Store. Later it became Fortress and now Augsburg Fortress. Every year for eight years we went to the Lutheran Church Women's annual convention held near Monterey at the Asilomar Retreat Center. It was much better than trick or treating! We got off from school for the week. Hundreds of "ladies" watched my sisters and I grow up. They brought us treats, took our picture and generally fussed over us. One memorable year Papa Joe asked us to each read a book. Then he put us on stools on a stage (see below) in front of hundreds of women and interviewed us. We gave our book reviews and of course, Dad sold out of those three books in a flash.

I think if you asked my sisters we would gladly trade a big bag of candy for a week at Asilomar any time.

2. Do you and/or your family “celebrate” Halloween? Why or why not? And if you do, has it changed from what you used to do? We don't overly fuss. There's way too much candy and decorations are usually to a minimum. Soda Chicky still wants to dress up. "It's free candy, Mom!"

When I was in the parish there was always a night of youth ministry that required dressing up. I kind of miss it.

2 again... Candy apples: Do you prefer red cinnamon or caramel covered? Or something else? I would rather not eat it if it's red cinnamon. Caramel by all means and if it has salted nuts and chocolate- even better!

3. Do you do Jack O'Lanterns? Any other ideas what to do with them? Sometimes... One year when I was in seminary and feeling very "Less is More" I cut up the pumpkin after Halloween and froze the pulp. We had pumpkin soup and later a fresh frozen pumpkin pie. I prefer the canned to the real stuff.

4. Do you decorate your home for fall or Halloween? If so, what do you do? Bonus points for pictures. Nothing worth taking pictures of.

5. Do you like pretending to be something different? Does a costume bring out an alternate personality? I love dress up! Always have. Dressing up tends to bring out the comic actress that lies somewhere beneath the skin.

Bonus: Share your favorite recipe for an autumn food, particularly apple or pumpkin ones. I love your basic Betty Crocker apple crisp with some pecans thrown in for fun. Then serve it with really expensive vanilla ice cream and the richest caramel sauce you can come up with.

Just Curious, I Guess...

2007-10-24T20:34:00.000-04:00

I haven't had anything in particular to say in the last few days. (My family would find this odd.) But there are a few things I am just curious about.

I saw an elderly woman crossing the street yesterday using a sponge mop as a cane. Was this her normal walking stick? Or was it just convenient as she needed to take the mop somewhere? And if it's option two, where on earth would she need to take this used mop? She had no bucket....

Why do people persist in thinking that Pseudo Grandbaby's dad, the Scarecrow, is babysitting? He's not babysitting, he's parenting. Nobody ever asks me if I'm babysitting for PG. When will people finally figure out that fathers are parenting and not providing some sort of unusual service for their spouse?

Why are shows like Entertainment Tonight spending so much air time on the fact that Marie Osmond fainted on Dancing With the Stars? And why does the Bug Man find these stupid shows so entertaining? If we had learned that Marie was seriously ill- well that might be a news story. But the woman is simply tired. She's doing this physically draining show, touring on the weekends, she just got divorced and she's got eight kids. No wonder she passed out! She needed a nap!

Why are Kristin Chenowith, Swoozie Kurtz and Ellen Greene co-starring on ABC's Pushing Up Daisies? These are three extremely talented stage actresses. Award winning, acclaimed and all that jazz. I suppose time will tell if this was a good choice for these three. It just seems a little strange is all.

Chenowith plays Olive Snook, a waitress at the Pie Hole, as well as Ned's neighbor, Olive is a tenacious sprite. Her can do attitude can do anything, except win the heart of the Pie Maker. She must settle for the company and affection of Digby, who relishes her caring touch. (BTW, Ned is the lead character, bakery/restaurant owner, who can bring people back from the dead by touching them.)

Kurtz is Lily Charles, formerly one half of the renowned synchronized swimming duo the Darling Mermaid Darlings, Chuck's aunt is now a one eyed shut in with a glib, grim outlook on life. After Chuck's father died, Lily and her sister Vivian moved into Chuck's house to take care of her. Lily and her sister share matching social anxieties and a love for fine cheese. (BTW, Chuck is a girl and the Pieman loves her. Oh and she used to be dead.)

And Ellen Greene portrays Vivian Charles. The other half of the renowned Darling Mermaid Darlings, gentle and moony Vivian does not enjoy being touched. The more "artistic" of the sisters, she and Lily share a love of fine cheese and a fear of the outside world.

The Friday Five: Homage to the Top Chef!

2007-10-18T21:59:00.000-04:00

This week I have the privilege of writing the RevGalBlogPals Friday Five. I thought about doing something cosmically theological but went with silly instead. Here it is...

This Fall my family has been energetically watching Top Chef on the Bravo channel. My teenage daughter watches with the dream of some day being a chef. My husband watches because he loves reality shows and I mean, really loves them. Plus the whole competition thing really works for him. Me, I love cooking and good food. Every so often I get an idea from this group of talented young chefs who are competing for big money and honors galore.

The winner for this season was Hung. Not the fan favorite, but he won fair and square. In his bio, he says if he were a food "I would be spicy chili - it takes a while to get used to, but once you eat it you always come back for more!" With that in mind, here is this week’s Friday Five.

If you were a food, what would you be? Mashed potatoes with a little horseradish and sour cream stirred in. Pretty ordinary stuff but every so often, a little surprise.
What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where? My parents and I were on holiday in Paris. (They paid. Thanks, Mom and Dad!) We went to a Basque restaurant and had the most wonderful meal. My first course was a small canteloupe filled with port. The entree was fabulous veal with a sauce. And dessert- chocolate. Nobody shared tastes with anyone, it was all so good! However, Mom and I think the reason the owner kept hovering was because Dad ordered calf brains. He insists it was not, but the word for rice and the word for brains only differ by one letter. And Dad did NOT get any rice.....
What is your favorite comfort food from childhood? Corn chowder or creamed tuna on toast. (I know it sounds strange.)
When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to be a hit? My mother's recipe for fudgy brownies
What’s the strangest thing you ever willingly ate? Chocolate covered grasshoppers.

Bonus question: What’s your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great meal? If it's Italian: campari and soda with a lime. If it's steak, a martini with 4 olives.

The Stages of Life

2007-10-17T20:32:00.000-04:00

Pseudo Grandbaby is going through a new phase. At almost five months he is totally into oral stimulation. (Freud would be so proud!) He drools, he sticks out his tongue and he can almost blow a good raspberry! Everything goes in his mouth. His thumb, my thumb, your thumb. The postcard from Tanzania that Auntie Amanda sent. The FedEx envelope that looked so good with all that red ink! The antlers on his toy giraffe. It all gets covered with drool. And if the chewing comes too soon after having his "elevensies" then sometimes there's more than drool covering things! It's been a long time since the Chick went through this whole process. I'd forgotten that there's a reason that desperate parents let their kids chew on the car keys when they're standing in the grocery line. Recently we found that clerical shirt tabs are not a bad chew toy. PG can hold it himself and it has a pleasant bendiness to it. Do you suppose there's a market out there for such things? Hmmm.....

Those Ugly Shoes You Had to Have!

2007-10-16T18:38:00.001-04:00

For two years Soda Chicky has been asking for a pair of Uggs. She's been dramatic, subtle and earnest in her requests depending on her mood. The Bug Man and I finally agreed, with certain stipulations, to buy her a pair. We headed off to an outlet place where we had seen them before, but no luck! The only Uggs to be had were either too big, too small or some goofy metallic color like the ones pictured here. With much sighing, we got back in the car. As luck would have it, we found ourselves in front of The Walking Shoe Company. They carry Uggs for men, women, children and even babies. They have Ugg boots, Ugg slippers and even Ugg flip flops. But only one pair that the Chick liked in her size. We bought them.

After we got home, I wondered why she wanted these, by definition, Ugg-ly shoes? Why are all these teenage girls wearing shearling lined boots with shorts or leggings or whatever else strikes their mood? I just didn't get it.

The next day, I was looking at The Walking Shoe Company catalog and it all made sense. This company sells Earth Shoes. Yes, Earth Shoes! The ugly shoe I HAD to have when I was the same age as the Chick. Mine were uglier than these. Tan suede with laces. They were goofy looking but very comfortable and I HAD to have them. After months and months, my parents got them for me. At the time, we lived in Southern California and Earth Shoes were all the rage. Before my pair wore out, we moved to Colorado where nobody had ever seen such funky shoes. But I still liked them.

Nowadays I'm looking for comfort first and fashion second when it comes to shoes. The Chick thinks I have this backward. But fortunately for her, her new shoes, while trendy, are also incredibly comfortable. (They should be! They cost enough!) I did buy a pair of shoes for myself this weekend. Dansko heels. They are very comfortable but still cute. Stylish even. Now the only problem is the Bug Man says that when you buy a new pair you have to toss an old pair. Poor man! He just doesn't get this shoe thing, at all!

Now the Feast and CELEBRATION!

2007-10-14T20:16:00.001-04:00

This has has been one of my favorite settings of Holy Communion for years and I am amazed that the Hymn of Praise still brings me such clear joy. In searching out Marty Haugen's name on YouTube I found this wonderful presentation of the hymn of praise on Lutheran Husker's blog site. What a joy!

The May Day Flowers

2007-10-12T23:22:00.001-04:00

There once was a little girl with big brown eyes. She had short brown hair which her mother called "a pixie cut." The little girl wasn't sure what a pixie was, but she dearly wished that her mother would let her have long hair. Long hair that you could curl and tie up with ribbons.

The little girl was four years old. She lived in a big white house at the top of Strawberry Hill Lane with her parents and two little sisters. Her littlest sister was only a baby, barely a month old. She was a very sweet baby who for now, was taking up quite a bit of her mother's time. The other sister was just turning two. She too had big brown eyes but she had lovely blonde hair that hung to her shoulders.

One Saturday, the girl with brown eyes went out in the yard to play. Her little sister went with her and together they chased about blowing the heads of dandelions. As they watched the clocks drift off in the breeze, the little girl began to wish there were other flowers in her yard. The day before she had learned all about May Day. The class had made little May baskets out of construction paper to hang on the doors of their friends. The teacher had said that sometimes people would also give flowers to their friends to celebrate the first of May. The little girl thought this sounded like a marvelous idea! She and her sister would pick a bunch of flowers for their mother. But where would they find them?

Mother had always said that the girls must stay inside their yard. They must stay inside the fence that surrounded the yard. The girls walked along the fence line hoping to find flowers on the edge of their yard. All of a sudden, they found an opening in the fence. The girl with the brown eyes couldn't remember seeing this opening before. She thought about this very carefully. Mother said to stay inside the fence, but they weren't going outside the fence, so this must be a doorway into another part of the yard that they had never seen before.

The older girl took her little sister's hand and through the opening they went. The little sister wasn't too certain that this was a good idea. But her big sister assured her that they were breaking no rules and as long as they stayed together, they would be fine.

As they went through the opening in the fence they passed through some trees into a clearing. There were flowers everywhere. A whole garden of flowers to pick and choose. As they walked through the garden they saw other houses that they couldn't remember seeing before, but on they went. After all, they were in their own backyard.

The two girls picked handfuls and handfuls of flowers. Red and pink and yellow- even blue. They tried to be careful and not cut the stems too short. This would never do for Mother's beautiful bouquet! When their arms were fairly laden with flowers, the two girls turned back to go home. They made their way back through the trees and the opening in the fence and hurriedly went to the back door.

They rapped on the door and beamed as their mother came to answer. "Happy May Day!" they shouted. Their mother looked stricken. "Where did you get those flowers from?"

"From the back yard," said the girl with the big brown eyes. Her little sister kept quiet, knowing that they were in some kind of trouble. And after all, she was just two years old and not expected to speak for the group.

"But we don't have flowers like that in our yard," said their mother. The girl explained about the opening in the fence and the marvelous gardens in the secret part of their yard. Her mother still didn't seem happy, which confused the girl because the flowers were so beautiful.

"Honey, that's not our yard. That's a gate that goes out of our yard into the neighbors' yards." The little girl was sure there must be some mistake. But Mother explained as she walked out to firmly shut the gate.

That Sunday, the flowers picked by the two little girl were placed on the altar at church. Mother said she wanted to share their beauty with the rest of their friends, but the little girl suspected there was more to the story.

Friday Five: All about the B-I-B-L-E!

2007-10-12T14:11:00.000-04:00

1. What is your earliest memory of encountering a Biblical text? I'm not really sure, but I have to say that "The Good Shepherd Bible Story Book" was probably the source. The cover was Frances Hook's illustration to the right. My mother would come into our room and sit on the end of one of our bed's. (We took turns... bed 1, bed 2, bed 3...) Then she would read us one of the stories before we said our prayers and went to sleep.

2. What is your favorite biblical translation, and why? The NRSV is my favorite for its scholarship. Sometimes I miss wording from the RSV because it was the translation of my childhood.

3. What is your favorite book of the Bible? Your favorite verse/passage? See what love the Father has for us that we should be called children of God- and so we are." I John 3:1. I also am especially fond of Jonah and the gospel of Mark.

4. Which book of the Bible do you consider, in Luther's famous words about James, to be "an epistle of straw?" Okay, so first of all I want to defend my man Martin. This is from a longer article by James Swan

"... this quote only appears in Luther's original 1522 Preface to the New Testament. After 1522, all the editions of Luther's Bible dropped the "epistle of straw" comment, along with the entire paragraph that placed value judgments on particular biblical books. It was Luther himself who edited these comments out.

It is true Luther had a contextual problem with the content on James. He saw a contradiction between Paul and James on faith and works. Some conclude Luther missed the harmonization between these two Biblical writers, but this isn't true either. Luther's great biographer Roland Bainton pointed out, "Once Luther remarked that he would give his doctor's beret to anyone who could reconcile James and Paul. Yet he did not venture to reject James from the canon of Scripture, and on occasion earned his own beret by effecting reconciliation. 'Faith,' he wrote, 'is a living, restless thing. It cannot be inoperative. We are not saved by works; but if there be no works, there must be something amiss with faith' " [Here I Stand, 259].

Having said that, I really think that if you are patient and if you are willing and if you are kind- all of the books make for good cradles for Christ.* All of them have something to say about God's goodness and grace.

5. Inclusive language in biblical translation and liturgical proclamation: for, against, or neutral? I learned this one best from my dad who once said that if the language used for proclaiming the Word made someone feel left out of the good news, then we need to make a change. I am for inclusive language by all means. But I am also for serious scholarship, accurate translations and language which calls to mind all of the wonders of God. Inclusive does not mean deadly dull and neutered.

Bonus: Back to the Psalms--which one best speaks the prayer of your heart? Like a lot of Lutherans, Psalm 46 has a special place in my heart.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

After a long dark period, I found Psalm 13 which spoke to something in my soul.
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me for ever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes....
But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

And then there's 150. A shout and dance and join the band kind of song!
Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness!
Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

*Another Luther quote which says that the Bible is the cradle in which we find the Christ child. It is the book in which we find God's Word.

Shwoo!

2007-10-11T17:59:00.000-04:00

We had our IRS audit today. Bug Man hates to be late, so we were 45 minutes early for our 8:30am appointment. But we didn't hit traffic! (Of course not, everyone else was still drinking their coffee at the kitchen table.)

Since I am the one who does the taxes and keeps the books, this was scary for me on two levels. 1) What would the IRS say and do and 2) what would the Bug Man say after we left the audit. Last night after we had our goodnight kiss he said, "If it goes well, I'll buy you lunch. If it goes bad, you buy lunch." When the two hours were over, the auditor said Bug Man had to take me out. Shwoo!

I still have papers to collect and fax to the IRS, but it's nothing I can't get together. The relief was such that we both took long afternoon naps. To everyone who kept their fingers crossed and sent up a little IRS prayer- thanks ever so! In talking to the auditor it was interesting to see how boring we were. She told us of a "horrible incident" that took place in her cubicle earlier this year. As the couple was providing her with paperwork, it came out that the wife had been forging W-2 forms in order to trick her husband into thinking that she had a job that was taking her out of town. In actuality there was another man in the other city and no job. Yikes! Neither the audit or the marriage turned out well.

I will sleep much better tonight. And thankfully, the Bug Man will be right there with me. Oh, and when we got into the restaurant this afternoon, he forgot his wallet. I bought lunch. But it's okay, he knew the truth! ;-)

playing with pictures

2007-10-10T21:31:00.000-04:00

Re-arranging the Furniture

2007-10-09T21:08:00.000-04:00

So I changed the cosmetics of my blog. I'm not sure it's what I wanted, but I was bored with green. (It's the long green season, don't you know!)

The need to recolor the blog made me remember stories a friend used to tell about his mom. When he was a kid, you never knew when you might come home and find that mom had completely switched the living room around.

I decided it was genetic. He grew up to be a pastor with a modular chancel platform and "flexible seating". You never knew when you might come into worship and everything had moved.

Hooray for the Big Burrito!

2007-10-09T18:28:00.000-04:00

Back in the 1990's Little Sister #1 and I went to this little Mexican restaurant in Denver. It was kind of cute. Corrogated metal was on the walls. Stacks of supplies were part of the decor. There was very little seating available. We sat at a counter that faced an exterior window eating the hugest burritos I had ever seen. The food was great and the line for lunch went right out the door.

Fourteen years have passed since the first Chipotle Grill opened and now it is a huge chain. But up until now, there was no Chipotle in my city. This was not a crisis but I did experience withdrawal. In my last city, Adventure Girl and I would declare it was "big burrito day" at least once every ten days. This was especially important when the midweek children's ministry would be serving boxed macaroni and cheese or hot dogs cut and boiled to look like octopi. (It does nothing for the hot dogs, at all!)

Well, I am glad to announce that Chipotle has finally made it to the home of the Liberty Bell. Half way home I spotted the bright lights on a new location. I can hardly wait to step in the door to order a Carnitas burrito (pork seasoned with thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries and freshly cracked black pepper - seared, then braised for hours) with cilantro lime rice, black beans, cheese, sour cream and the medium heat corn salsa. Yummy!

What do the acorns say?

2007-10-09T10:08:00.001-04:00

Will Smama recently posted photographs of the acorns that completely cover her driveway. There was considerable posting related to the hazards of getting a twisted ankle on said acorns, but nothing about the impending snowstorm!

According to yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer an abundance of acorns on the ground is a sign of a hard winter. Or more appropriately, it's an old Farmer's Almanac kind of sign. The Inquirer tends to depend a bit more on meterologists.

Only time will tell if the acorns are right about this coming winter. October has been unseasonably warm in this part of the woods. But just in case, I'm going to start looking for a nice pair of warm boots!

The Little Black Dress

2007-10-06T20:38:00.000-04:00

Well, Soda Chicky and her friend Chatterbox left earlier this evening to attend the Bat Mitzvah of Flying Monkey. The girls looked stunning. Far too grown up for a couple of fourteen year olds heading to synogogue. The Chick is wearing "a little black dress" with spaghetti straps, an empire waistline with rhinestones at the waistline. Looks better than it sounds. I put her hair up in a chignon bun and she had black hose and some sweet slingback shoes. Chatterbox had on a similarly designed dress in a lovely shade of fuschia.

They will return late tonight after having way too much fun. These events usually mean a bag load of stuff comes back with the party goers. Monogrammed sweatpants, socks, photos, things that light up and glow in the dark. We spent less on our wedding and honeymoon combined. And we went to Europe for two weeks!

The big worry early on was whether or not Chatterbox would be able to break her Ramadan fast before the food was served tonight. (This is an eclectic group of girls.) Fortunately, the sun set before the service was totally over. They will party with no hitches.

When did they get so grown up, though?

Black is good. Red is bad.

2007-10-05T20:05:00.001-04:00

My friend Megan is off in South Korea this year teaching English. I love reading her stories and knowing she is safe and sound. (Hooray for technology!) The following story was so dear and funny, I just had to share it.

So one funny(ish) story. Last week I was told of an old Korean superstition (that people and kids today still take seriously) concerning red ink. It is said that if you write or somebody writes your name in red ink... a death wish is laid upon you. So one day (three weeks ago before I knew about this) I was handing out new green workbooks to my students and asked them to write their names and classroom at the top with my marker. All I had was a red marker. The kids were all "No teacher" "Teacher No".... that's as far as their limited English could take them. I thought that of course they don't want the red because it doesn't match the green. So through the "Teacher No Red"s I said "Yes, red!" And then I got annoyed and made them write their names in the pen... I JUST PUT A DEATH WISH ON MY STUDENTS!! So when I heard about the superstition I was soooo ashamed once again at my ignorance. But evidently the students don't hold it against me because they don't seem to hate me...

Friday Five of Thanks

2007-10-05T08:53:00.000-04:00

This week the list is simple: five things you're thankful for.

The Bug Man called me this morning to say he loved me. This is unusual for a man so very practical. (Although he did say he'd be late getting home from work. But on the other hand, he suggested ordering a pizza for dinner.)
Soda Chicky is starting to enjoy school again. Finding her place in high school, with her friends at other schools has been hard. She seems to be settling in after a tough few weeks. I am thankful she is more adaptable than her old mother.
That I have work that I enjoy and colleagues who make the day blessed.

That my parents are still having fun in their retirement. They make it look so good!
That I didn't run out of gas on the way to work this morning. I ignored the little red light and just kept on going. Definitely gotta get gas before I go home though. Bug Man hates it when I call and tell him I've done something really stupid. Sheesh! ;-)

For all these things, dear Lord, thank you!

Tag! You're It!

2007-10-03T18:09:00.000-04:00

I was tagged by the Dog Blogger. This one comes in sets of four. They're a collection of strange little tidbits.

Four jobs I've held: Avon Lady, Babysitter, Weekend Housekeeper in the dorm (disgusting), LCA Youth Staffer.

Four films I could watch over and over: The Americanization of Emily, Crossing Delancey, Indiscreet, Charade.

Four TV shows I watch: reruns of The Gilmore Girls, Ugly Betty, Dr. Who, Top Chef.

Four places I've lived: Ava, Missouri; Canoga Park, California; Aurora, Colorado; Aurora, Illinois.
Four favorite foods: bread with real butter, peanut butter and chocolate ice cream, curry, steak.

Four websites I visit every day: RevGalBlogPals, AOL, my bank, Internet Scrabble Club.

Four places I would love to be right now: Woodland Park, Colorado; Paris, France; Monterey, California; Holden Village, Washington.

Four names I love but would/could not use for my children: Amy (it was already taken), Jacob (my colleague said, "You would name your child after The Deceiver!?!), Jack (it would sound bad with our last name), and Hepziba (fun to say, but not a good name for this century).

Lutheran Zephyr, Pink Shoes, Wills Mama, and Songbird- consider yourself tagged if you haven't already played this one. And if you don't feel like it, no problem!