Spring has sprung, but hearts are still heavy. I came across this song by Kris Kristofferson (I know, but it really isn't yaught rock, I promise!) It's a good one. And it is the sigh from my heart as I encounter so much pain in this world.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Holy Grounds: Snowy Spring Mornings
It's April...
15 days after the beginning of spring
13 days after Easter
5 days after April Fools Day
And there is over 2 feet of heavy, wet snow on the ground.
We northerners are a hearty lot. People came in to church, trying to top each other's stories of harrowing rides into church, through slippery driveways and heavy snow drifts.
As the only church open within 50 miles, we gathered together, 40 brave souls, in the front of the sanctuary (after some coaxing) and sang Easter and Christmas songs together.
It was a good day.
15 days after the beginning of spring
13 days after Easter
5 days after April Fools Day
And there is over 2 feet of heavy, wet snow on the ground.
We northerners are a hearty lot. People came in to church, trying to top each other's stories of harrowing rides into church, through slippery driveways and heavy snow drifts.
As the only church open within 50 miles, we gathered together, 40 brave souls, in the front of the sanctuary (after some coaxing) and sang Easter and Christmas songs together.
It was a good day.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Musings... perhaps a hint of holy ground
I've started this post many times- only to be
A. frustrated (having the family around- all of them- requires and inordinate amount of pastoral peace keeping.
B. bored (my rule of thumb with my sermons is if I'm bored, the congregation is. Thus the rule with the blog if I'm bored, you are)
C. distracted (hmmm, I wonder what's on the food network now and can I hope to recreate Ina's fresh pea soup with mint... or would it be better with basil or...)
So, I offer to you some of the many places of the post Holy Week/Easter Sunday haze that have me circling around the deeper questions in life.
Not, what does Jesus really mean when he offers peace to the disciples, but rather, why are there never enough M&Ms in gorp?
A. frustrated (having the family around- all of them- requires and inordinate amount of pastoral peace keeping.
B. bored (my rule of thumb with my sermons is if I'm bored, the congregation is. Thus the rule with the blog if I'm bored, you are)
C. distracted (hmmm, I wonder what's on the food network now and can I hope to recreate Ina's fresh pea soup with mint... or would it be better with basil or...)
So, I offer to you some of the many places of the post Holy Week/Easter Sunday haze that have me circling around the deeper questions in life.
Not, what does Jesus really mean when he offers peace to the disciples, but rather, why are there never enough M&Ms in gorp?
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
13 years...
Perhaps someday we'll stop marking this day
counting the moments we have lived without you
singing your favorite songs absent your voice:
I wish I knew how it would feel to be free
I wish I could break all the chains holding me
I wish I could say all the things that I should say
say 'em loud, say 'em clear
for the whole round world to hear.
Until then, we remember you
counting the moments we have lived without you
singing your favorite songs absent your voice:
I wish I knew how it would feel to be free
I wish I could break all the chains holding me
I wish I could say all the things that I should say
say 'em loud, say 'em clear
for the whole round world to hear.
Until then, we remember you
Friday, March 14, 2008
Calendars: containing or coping mechanisms?
Alongside my calendar I have a scheduling book. It is a simple composition book, with the paper held in with a string so it is not easy to rip out a page.
It is in this book, I carry my life. I write the week at the top of the two page spread, and begin writing all my tasks for the week, bulletins to form, people to visit, confirmation to plan.
I carry this book along with my calendar- they just fit in my work bag, alongside my laptop.
My husband makes fun of me, and tells me I live by my calendar, but it isn't true. I live because of this schedule book. Every time I wake up in the middle of the night, knowing I should talk to someone, re-arrange communion or have a sermon idea... I write it down.
THEN... I can fall back asleep
It is in this book, I carry my life. I write the week at the top of the two page spread, and begin writing all my tasks for the week, bulletins to form, people to visit, confirmation to plan.
I carry this book along with my calendar- they just fit in my work bag, alongside my laptop.
My husband makes fun of me, and tells me I live by my calendar, but it isn't true. I live because of this schedule book. Every time I wake up in the middle of the night, knowing I should talk to someone, re-arrange communion or have a sermon idea... I write it down.
THEN... I can fall back asleep
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Free February 29!
I'm of the mind frame that since my daily devotion doesn't have an option for February 29, today should be a totally free, completely wide open, entirely useless day.
There is a light fresh coat of snow on the ground, covering all the spring ugly, dirty snow. The skis are waxed, the dog is hyper, the thermometer is not in the negative numbers!
But, there are sermons to write, funerals to plan, visits to make and blogs to keep up.
So I'm starting now. In four years, we'll have a movement. Free February 29!
There is a light fresh coat of snow on the ground, covering all the spring ugly, dirty snow. The skis are waxed, the dog is hyper, the thermometer is not in the negative numbers!
But, there are sermons to write, funerals to plan, visits to make and blogs to keep up.
So I'm starting now. In four years, we'll have a movement. Free February 29!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
"Good opinion once lost, is lost forever"
What is it about curling up with a Jane Austin book or movie to provide the nicest of winter distraction?
The British airs, the veiled insults, the poignient social commentary, yet all packaged in a beautiful and polished story. All the heroines, especially Elizabeth, Ann, Elinor and Emma have the wit and wisdom I wish I could sum up at a moment's notice.
Ahh, to only have an afternoon to watch them all, especially the Sunday Masterpiece Theater specials.
The British airs, the veiled insults, the poignient social commentary, yet all packaged in a beautiful and polished story. All the heroines, especially Elizabeth, Ann, Elinor and Emma have the wit and wisdom I wish I could sum up at a moment's notice.
Ahh, to only have an afternoon to watch them all, especially the Sunday Masterpiece Theater specials.
Monday, February 11, 2008
St. Inuksuk at Signs Along the Way tagged me for this meme, I can handle this today!
Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (no cheating!)
Their Eyes Were Watching God
by: Zora Neale Hurston
HarperPerennial, 1990
Find page 123.
Find the first 5 sentences.
Post the next 3 sentences.
Dirt roads so rich and black that a half mile of it would have fertilized a Kansas wheat field. Wild cane on either side of the road hiding the rest of the world.
People wild too.
Tag 5 people!
Well, often when these come my way, all have been tagged- but I will offer it to any of you, but hopefully:
Primary Wonder
Pink Shoes
Sabbath Seeking
Walking Wet
Everyday Soup
Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (no cheating!)
Their Eyes Were Watching God
by: Zora Neale Hurston
HarperPerennial, 1990
Find page 123.
Find the first 5 sentences.
Post the next 3 sentences.
Dirt roads so rich and black that a half mile of it would have fertilized a Kansas wheat field. Wild cane on either side of the road hiding the rest of the world.
People wild too.
Tag 5 people!
Well, often when these come my way, all have been tagged- but I will offer it to any of you, but hopefully:
Primary Wonder
Pink Shoes
Sabbath Seeking
Walking Wet
Everyday Soup
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Holy Grounds: Ashes to Ashes
The honor and weight of imposing ashes initially came as a surprise to me. Somehow during my seminary training I never marked others with ashes myself on Ash Wednesday. Since I have been at this congregation, that duty has gone to me.
Last night the imposition of ashes was very weighty. My role as worship leader became very, very difficult. For me to hear the words is one thing: Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.
For me to give out the words and the ashes is entirely different.
To remind people of death, to mark innocent babies, hopeful youth, a new mother, a wizened grandfather... and especially the woman fighting with cancer...
Well, it was like placing a death sentence on their hopes. I don't want to mark their lives. I don't want to impose ashes.
But as we moved into communion, the ability to give the body of Christ transformed these ashes into new life. Into hope, as I marked the cross on young ones, blessing them, the cross took on new meaning again.
Dust, Ashes, Water, Wheat, Wine. Holy Ground indeed
Last night the imposition of ashes was very weighty. My role as worship leader became very, very difficult. For me to hear the words is one thing: Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.
For me to give out the words and the ashes is entirely different.
To remind people of death, to mark innocent babies, hopeful youth, a new mother, a wizened grandfather... and especially the woman fighting with cancer...
Well, it was like placing a death sentence on their hopes. I don't want to mark their lives. I don't want to impose ashes.
But as we moved into communion, the ability to give the body of Christ transformed these ashes into new life. Into hope, as I marked the cross on young ones, blessing them, the cross took on new meaning again.
Dust, Ashes, Water, Wheat, Wine. Holy Ground indeed
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Sunday, February 03, 2008
1 month later...
January-
the month of reports, retreats, meetings, and annual everything. My apologies for the long silence. It's like the friend you know you haven't contacted in a while, and you should, but then it's a little late for the casual conversation.... so....
Back in the swing of things, coming out from under the the mountain of work, reinvigorating the creative energies to other things than lent planning.
Until then...
the month of reports, retreats, meetings, and annual everything. My apologies for the long silence. It's like the friend you know you haven't contacted in a while, and you should, but then it's a little late for the casual conversation.... so....
Back in the swing of things, coming out from under the the mountain of work, reinvigorating the creative energies to other things than lent planning.
Until then...
Friday, January 04, 2008
Holy Ground: A January Morning
I woke up tired today... the shortened hours of daylight do not help much. But at least it was slightly above zero this morning. Slightly.
It's the post Christmas slump, it's the ache of missing family and conversation I reveled in for 3 days. It's the Christmas tree starting to slump to the side.
But then I read the NYTimes Article
And I am hopeful again.
I have some education to do here, especially when the otherwise open folks here don't "want a president whose name I'm can't pronounce" (they are Finnish, have you ever tried to pronounce Finnish? Obama is nothing compared to that)
But today... this new year... I am hopeful
It's the post Christmas slump, it's the ache of missing family and conversation I reveled in for 3 days. It's the Christmas tree starting to slump to the side.
But then I read the NYTimes Article
And I am hopeful again.
I have some education to do here, especially when the otherwise open folks here don't "want a president whose name I'm can't pronounce" (they are Finnish, have you ever tried to pronounce Finnish? Obama is nothing compared to that)
But today... this new year... I am hopeful
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
We here highly resolve...
A wise person once told me never to start new year resolutions on the first day of the new year.
Sound advice, since this holiday is usually spent finishing up those Christmas cookies, bars and creamy things that survived the previous week and will only head to the trash and that's wasting food...
The guilt is removed if we start on January 2nd. We are ready to begin after the hangover has left.
It is important to begin a year free from guilt. Guilt has never been a good motivator for people, it is simply a fear tactic. The church has been using guilt for years and now it seems to be deteriorating from it. (it only took1600 years, but still)
But I'm starting to see lovely trends where people are no longer starting new year resolutions out of guilt or a desire to refine oneself, but rather as an opportunity to celebrate and enliven the self. However, if you want a cheap treadmill, look for it at the used places in April. Seriously.
These are the resolutions that make it. These are the ones that take root and grow. Successful resolutions from my friends:
Starting a blog, attending a show each month, learning to knit, taking belly dance lessons, cooking a new cuisine every month... the list goes on.
So my resolutions for the new year?
Read more fiction,
Fix my bicycle,
Learn (not master) the art of French cooking, and... lose 15 lbs :)
Sound advice, since this holiday is usually spent finishing up those Christmas cookies, bars and creamy things that survived the previous week and will only head to the trash and that's wasting food...
The guilt is removed if we start on January 2nd. We are ready to begin after the hangover has left.
It is important to begin a year free from guilt. Guilt has never been a good motivator for people, it is simply a fear tactic. The church has been using guilt for years and now it seems to be deteriorating from it. (it only took1600 years, but still)
But I'm starting to see lovely trends where people are no longer starting new year resolutions out of guilt or a desire to refine oneself, but rather as an opportunity to celebrate and enliven the self. However, if you want a cheap treadmill, look for it at the used places in April. Seriously.
These are the resolutions that make it. These are the ones that take root and grow. Successful resolutions from my friends:
Starting a blog, attending a show each month, learning to knit, taking belly dance lessons, cooking a new cuisine every month... the list goes on.
So my resolutions for the new year?
Read more fiction,
Fix my bicycle,
Learn (not master) the art of French cooking, and... lose 15 lbs :)
Saturday, December 29, 2007
and the three mystery days...
I'm too tired to create, so I'm sharing this great classic Christmas song from up north here.
It's just audio, but you can imagine the greatness!
It's just audio, but you can imagine the greatness!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Time?
I think it was the Tao of Pooh that mentioned one cannot save time only spend it...
Well. It seems that there has been a landslide of time being spent... So much so, that it seems the bank is overdrawn.
So if we can't save time, only spend it; what happens when there seems to be none left?
One scenario: get sick and lose one's voice. Thus going into more time debt.
Well. It seems that there has been a landslide of time being spent... So much so, that it seems the bank is overdrawn.
So if we can't save time, only spend it; what happens when there seems to be none left?
One scenario: get sick and lose one's voice. Thus going into more time debt.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Friday Five: Preparation, preparation
Prayers go out to Sally as she writes:
This has been a difficult week for me, the death of a little six year old has overshadowed our advent preparations, and made many of us here in Downham Market look differently at Christmas. With that in mind I ask whether you are the kind of person that likes everything prepared well in advance, are you a last minute crammer, or a bit of a mixture..... Here then is this weeks Friday 5:
Just kinda barrel on through. Although a good glass of red wine at the end of the day often helps...
2. You have unexpected visitors, and need to provide them with a meal- what do you do?
Behold, the power of cheese. We always seem to have cheese available in our household. We love the cheese, and our lovely cheese monger - who we make a pilgrimage to at least once a month- has us set up well, ready for any and all people who come to share the beauty of cheese. Oh. and wine. maybe Belgian beer as well....
3. Thinking along the lines of this weeks advent theme; repentance is an important but often neglected aspect of advent preparations.....
When I lived in Russia I was first introduced to the idea of Advent being a mini-Lent, of sorts. The orthodox priests described it as the 'short' fast. Since then I've come to appreciate colleagues and friends who take this time to return to the source, either by cutting things from their diet, or purposefully stay away from the capitalist Utopia which we call Christmas shopping. Advent is a call to return to our source.
4. Some of the best experiences in life occur when you simply go with the flow.....
Hmmm. Not an easy statement for us type A personalities to, uh, flow with.
5. Details are everything, attention to the small things enables a plan to roll forward smoothly...
Well, details are important, but not everything. There is enough of a rebel in me to enjoy some unexpected aspects... especially when I am reminded that I am not in charge of everything, the world does not rest on my shoulders, it's like the quote I have in the front of my calendar:
"You are not totally, personally, irrevocably responsible for everything.
That's my job.
~God"
Bonus if you dare- how well prepared are you for Christmas this year?
Ha! I laugh at the thought!
Are we really ever prepared for Emmanuel?
but
Emmanuel is ready and waiting for us
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