OK

posted to wrong blog last night -- RevGal's blog. Oopsie.

No one is in chat tonight.
Please pray for Entropy.
After an exciting night in the ER, it has been determined that she has Rheumatic Fever.
She's on antibiotics and is extremely uncomfortable -- high fever and sore joints.
She also has a 'strawberry tongue' like she had last year when she had scarlet fever.
My face is stinging and burning from the fatigue and the Bell's palsy right now. Somehow that's easier to take.
I'm worried and I can't seem to pray right now except for the "help us, help us, help us" prayer and the "please, please, please" prayer.

Firefly Marathon

The Loving Husband is at his ham radio thingy, so I'm having a one-woman Firefly marathon.

Chaos' has a busy social sked, Entropy has another week of bed rest. I'm tired. More later.

The Book is Ready (I think)

On Sale now for $9.99! down from retail price of $12.99.




Note:
I have not seen the physical actual book. I hope to get it really soon. Nonetheless, with only minor edits, here it is!

Morning Prayer

The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.
-- M. Scott Peck

True vocation joins self and service; it comes from the place where your deepest gladness, your passion, meets the world's deepest need.
-- paraphrased from Fredrick Buechner

"Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
-- Howard Thurman

I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.
-- Frederick Douglass

The next day John was back at his post with two disciples, who were watching. He looked up, saw Jesus walking nearby, and said, "Here he is, God's Passover Lamb." The two disciples heard him and went after Jesus. Jesus looked over his shoulder and said to them, "What are you after?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" He replied, "Come along and see for yourself."
-- John 1:35-39 (The Message)

Dearest and most Holy God,
There are days where I am not settled. Where my body and mind are restless and I do not rest comfortable. Ease my tension, my uneasiness. Strip away the parts of life that make me uncomfortable which are not healthy for me -- I can name a few -- jealousy, envy, being territorial, being prideful. Let me rest in You. Keep those things that make me uncomfortable that are healthy -- a sense of social justice, of being fair to the disadvantaged. Keep me focused on that outside myself and not dwell on the pettiness within myself. Help me be your servant here on earth. Let my hands be Your hands, let my feet be Your feet. In your name I pray, Amen.

Mid-Afternoon Prayer

You are great, O Lord and greatly to be praised.
Your power is Magnificant and Your wisdom infinite.
And that you would care for and glorify humankind,
Humans, who are just a particle of Your Creation,
Humans who bear about them the marks of their own mortality,
Humans who show and witness to their own sinfulness,
The witness that You resist the proud
Yet we humans would praise You,
Us small humans, a particle of Your creation.
You awakes us to delight in Your praise,
For You made us for Yourself
And our hearts are restless, until they rest in You.

Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days;
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy,
that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;
and establish Thou the work of our hands.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;
and establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord.

Let nothing disturb thee,
nothing affright thee;
all things are passing,
God never changeth!
Patient endurance attaineth to all things;
who God possesseth
in nothing is wanting;
alone God sufficeth.

+ In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Covers for the Book

I've two iterations for the cover for the book. Neither were exactly right.

Here's number one.
Here's number two.

1) The publisher and I think I need the editor's names on the cover
2) It doesn't say "Christmas"
3) the figure is male.

SO... Final edition will have mine and MaryBeth's names on the cover along with Gordon's.
The background will be changed to a Christmas Fir (the texture).
The Light will be in the shape of the Christmas Star.
We looked for a female figure -- couldn't find a good one. I love the window idea so much I thought a male figure would be OK. The only pregnant woman figure I could find in silhouette was nude -- not the look I was going for. Nice symbology -- vulnerable and all, but just not the look.

I'll post the final cover as soon as it arrives.
What do you think about it?

Morning Prayer

Long enough, God–-
you've ignored me long enough.
I've looked at the back of your head
long enough. Long enough
I've carried this ton of trouble,
lived with a stomach full of pain.
Long enough my arrogant enemies
have looked down their noses at me.

Take a good look at me, God, my God:
I want to look life in the eye
so no enemy can get the best of me
or laugh when I fall on my face.
--from Psalm 13, The Message

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
--Romans 5:3-6 KJV

The one journey that ultimately matters is the journey into the place of stillness deep within one's self. To reach that place is to be home; to fail to reach it is to be forever restless. At the place of "central silence," one's own life and spirit are united with the life and spirit of God. There the fire of God's presence is experienced. The soul is immersed in love.
-- Elizabeth O'Connor:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way;
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.


God, some days are really hard. It's hard to always be strong by myself -- and I know that I cannot be strong without you. Keep me centered in You today. Physical weakness is hard. Worrying about tomorrow is very hard. Trying to take control of things I cannot control is exhausting. Help me to float in your presence -- help me to hand over those worries and troubles. Help me to be centered, like a dancer is centered in grace. Centered, she will not fall, she will not lose her balance, she cannot be shoved over. Center me in Your grace so that, even if I stumble, I will not fall headlong. Center me in your grace so that I can maintain balance in my life. Center me in your grace so that I cannot be shoved down by the troubles that assail me. Unite me with that grace and love. Unite me with your live and your spirit. Wash your peace over me so that I can say "It is well, it is well with my soul." This I pray in the name of your beloved Son. Amen

Morning Prayer

Quickened by the Spirit's grace
All Your holy will to trace
While we daily search Your Word,
Wisdom true impart, O God.

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
--Romans 12:1-2, The Message

"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."
-- Mother Teresa

O God, you are the King eternal. At the beginning of creations you divided the day from the night and turned the shadow of death into the morning:
God I aske that you drive far away from me all wrong desires, incline my hearts to keep your law, and guide my feet into the way of love and peace. And then, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, make it so that when the night falls, allow me to rejoice and give you thanks in all things. In everyday life help me to live as you would will it -- help me to show great love in small things. I pray for those people who lie heavy on my heart this morning. I pray for those who show one side to the church and another to the world. I pray for those whom they have hurt. Lord, I don't want to be a ice cream bar with the chocolate just on the outside -- a shell of piety for the world to see. I want it worked through my entire life so that in all I do and in all I say and in all that I am, I am yours through and through. In the name of you Beloved Son, Amen.

Dear and Gentle Readers,

I was emailed last night with a comment that disturbed me vaguely -- asking if I knew what I was promoting with the "Beyond Belief" posting -- specifically pointing out the "Islamic Jihad" action figure that appears on one of the site.

First, that was an attempt at humor. That type of humor is called "ridicule by association." The Islamic Jihad and Jesus Action figures on the "Superstore" site are a spoof. These action figures do not actually exist. If you try to order, they may or may not take your money, but it is a humor site. A spoof. They do not exist. The figures were created in Photoshop by someone with a twisted sense of humor.

Second, I was/am disturbed by the first link -- the board game of "Salvation." I believe that the way the game is played cheapens the language of redemption and salvation. This type of language is sacred to me and the casual usage of these phrases is anathema. I was attempting to ridicule the game by placing it in a subset of other things that I consider similar ilk. I was not promoting ANY of these items, hence the use of the "Beyond Belief" in the title. Stated clearly, I find the board game offensive. Perhaps not AS offensive as the action figures, but offensive nonetheless. Stated clearly, I find the concept of "Jesus Action Figures" extremely offensive. It cheapens society's view of what I consider extremely sacred.

I am sorry for any misunderstaning.

Morning Prayer

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
‘For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-- Romans 8:36-39, NRSV

or in the language I grew up with as a child
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
-- Romans 8:36-39, KJV

Lord of all creation, God who comforts and sustains, God who redeems, thank you. You are indeed the Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the end. Make that a reality in my life today. In my getting up for the day and my lying down at the end, make it so -- and make the center all about You, the God who indwells, who shepherds, who loves -- the God whose goodness and mercy, whose glory and steadfast love pursues us unto the ends of the earth.

Let me sow love today. Let me reap whatever blessings you give, knowing that it will be enough. In the name of you beloved Son, Amen.

Sunday Nap

I just got up from a nap. Entropy joined me. She's been a "stick-tight" today. She sat with me at the 8:30 service snuggling right up under my arm, she held my hand all during the service, playing with my fingers. She volunteered to acolyte at the 11:00 service so that she could sit right next to me at that sevice as well. At lunch she snuggled up right next to me again, sitting at the boring adult table instead of the kids table. That was a first in a long time.

She's been right next to me all day, including the Sunday afternoon nap. She draped herself over me on the sofa. She's not a big thing -- she's on the short side and a little light weight for her age. Chaos easily outweighs her two to one. I was snoozing and she snuggled on me entwining her limbs with mine. It's been a long time since she's done this. After a couple of minutes, she jumped up, ran upstairs and got Cassie the lion. She said, "Cassie is scared."

I said, "Oh? What's she scared of?"

"Hospitals." Oh. I know baby, I know. You see, Entropy is getting her tonsils out on Friday.

Entropy fell asleep on top of me, little kisses interspersed with pats on my cheek. She said, "I feel sorry for kids with skinny mamas. Mamas should be soft and fat and happy."

As we snoozed, I thought back about other times Cassies has been frightened or scared. Cassie was scared of the dark a few years back and we had to get Cassie a nightlight. Cassie was frightened of the first day of school. Cassie's fur has absorbed quite a number of tears. She told me once, "Cassie is scared of being alone."

"Really? Why do you think?"

"Her great-grandmama died, and then her Anmama died, and then her other Grandmama and now she's scared I'm going to die." Oh baby, I know.

When we got up, she asked me, "Can Cassie go with me to the hospital?"

"Yes, she can."

"Can she stay in your purse while I'm getting my tonsils out? Will you take care of her for me?"

"Yes, Baby, I will take care of her."

She kissed me again and patted my cheek. "Good." A long pause and then she said, "Mama, is Cassie going to heaven when she dies?"

"Yes baby, I've never been more certain of anything. Cassie is most certainly going to go to heaven."

"Good." And I know she will.

The RevGal Friday Five

1) The weather in your location -- Wonderful, crisp Fall day in the South. Blue skies, gentle cool breeze -- makes me want to garden (a strange urge for this reverend mommy...)

2) Where you are typing this -- On my beautiful blue leather sofa in my living room. Surrounded by books, oriental rugs, antiques and laundry (clean laundry that needs folding.)

3) Where you might like to be sitting if you could be anywhere -- On the beach. Almost any beach. Nearness to water is a must.

4) A chore you have to do this weekend -- clean house. More cleaning house. I'm not the most talented at cleaning house. And it doesn't stay that way for very long.

5) Something delightful you will do or would like to do this weekend -- go have a good dinner (hard to find in my neck of the woods) and attend either the theater or watch a movie. Pretty simple, huh?

From the Beyond Belief Files

Salvation Challenge (trademarked) is a family game for 2-6 players. Each player starts with one million in kingdom cash. Players need to get ‘saved’ by landing on Calvary and making the salvation call, “Jesus save me”, before they are able to carry out certain activities. Wow! Golly! Gee! I wonder what activities.....

I'll need a new Jesus Action Figure to go with my game, don't you think?

Here's the action figures in, uh, action.

You can always go to the Superstore.

And here are some friends for you Jesus Action figure.
and here are more friends.

Aren't these just totally something? Lovely? Awful?

I'm not particularly

I'm not particularly politically savvy. I am usually AWARE of politics, as they swirl around me. I'm usually too involved in lives, that I don't get too concerned with politics. After all, Jesus never went to the Roman Senate to push his political agenda, but healed the sick, forgave sins and pushed repentance.

Recently, I've been involved with a conversation at Shane's Wesley Blog. Shane is conservative, but his articles usually spark interesting conversations. One recently rubbed me the wrong way -- a discussion that started with Shane's opinions about a UMC pastor being appointed to Planned Parenthood. I have opinions about that -- I have opinions about abortion and more. But what struck me was what Paulo Fiore would call the "null curriculum" -- and the fact that, for the most part, women were silent for the conversation. Which did indeed rub me the wrong way.

Comments were made with the initals "RCRC" thrown about. I didn't know what "RCRC" was. I googled and decided against "The Regional Council of Rural Counties," "Royal Chester Rowing Club," "Radio Control Repair Centre," and "Redlands Christian Reformed Church" and decided that RCRC stood for The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. I didn't know what this organization is -- the postings referred to things at General Conference -- and I discovered it *isn't* a caucus.

But I wondered -- what other things exist -- What is a caucus within the UMC?

According to UMC.org a caucus is A group of persons who have joined together to devise policies and positions appropriate to the concerns of the group and who jointly act to advocate for that group and to influence larger entities to respond to their requests and respond to their issues. In The United Methodist Church, a number of caucuses have been formed both denomination-wide and in the Annual Conference. These are unofficial bodies in that they have not been established through action by the General Conference or the Annual Conference and are not accountable to those bodies. Among the oldest and most prominent caucuses are the four which have formed to relate to the issues and concerns of four racial and ethnic groups in America: Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR), Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans (MARCHA), Native American International Caucus (NAIC), and National Federation of Asian American United Methodists (NFAAUM).

What ARE the different caucuses that float around in the UMC? Now to name a few:

Pacific Islander National Caucus of United Methodists
Black Methodists for Church Renewal
The Confessing Movement
Good News
United Methodist Gay Caucus
Affirmation Caucus
United Methodist Hispanic American Caucus
Korean Caucus
Native American International Caucus
UM Women's Caucus
Reconciling Ministries Network
Methodist Federation for Social Action
The Caucus on the Rights of a Child
Methodist Associated to Represent the Cause of Hispanic Americans
Youth Caucus
Association of Physically Challenged Ministers
Vietnamese National Caucus
Vietnam Vet National Caucus
And so on.
I understand there is a list on pages 198-201 in the UM directory, which I do not possess. I would love to see the complete list.

Only those that represent ethnic groups sit at the Connectional Table with the chairmen of comissions and whatnot.

Each represents special interest groups that exist within United Methodism -- none represent a majority. Caucuses began in 1968 with the Black Methodist caucus, who felt they were lost within the connection at the dissolution of the Central conference.

Each represent a different "null curriculum" -- voices that are so faint within Methodism, that they join together in order to be heard. Question: Do we defer to them almost too much? Are these caucuses causing so much division within our denomination that we cannot see ourselves as united? Have some of these outlived their usefulness? Who tracks these in the denomination?

update:
I found out they are listed officially in the UM Directory -- that's what Infosearch says, so I ordered one. I'll keep you up dated.

Mid-Afternoon Prayer

Therefore once for all this short command is given to you:
"Love and do what you will."
If you keep silent, keep silent by love:
if you speak, speak by love;
if you correct, correct by love;
if you pardon, pardon by love;
let love be rooted in you,
and from the root nothing but good can grow.

-- St. Augustine of Hippo

Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control,
Our spirits long to be made whole.
Let inward love guide every deed;
By this we worship, and are freed.

How then do I prepare for dying? It is not by pious activity, I can assure you, but rather by daring to live, by having the courage to be all I am capable of being, by risking all that I am and all that I have in human relationships. I prepare for death by allowing my self to be know, by trusting others with my life, by opening myself to all of the possibilities of loving and caring. This means that I am willing to become vulnerable to hurt by venturing out of my security shell into the real arenas of life. In this manner of living, my faith bids me to prepare for death. Death is finally overcome not by fleeing it and not by truncating or running away from life. Rather it is overcome by plunging to life’s core, risking all in the reckless gamble of loving vulnerability and discovering at life’s center the secret that opens the doors to timelessness, fullness, perfect love, heaven.

-- From The Easter Moment by John Shelby Spong, p. 223

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

-- John 13:34-35

Let us praise the crucified and risen Lord,
who sends upon us the Spirit which makes all things new.

O Word of life,
one God with the Father and the Spirit:

O eternal Light,
who through the working of the Holy Spirit
received from the Virgin our human nature:

O crucified Redeemer,
through your desire to make us anew,
the life-giving Comforter moves among us:

You breathed on the apostles the Spirit of your love,
that sinners might come to know the mercy of God:

You are seated at the right hand of the Father,
from whom we receive the gifts of the Spirit:

Through the power of the Holy Paraclete
you wipe away our sins in the waters of baptism
and open our hearts to the guiding hand of God: Amen.

I'm Delenn

Devoutly dedicated to helping lead others to glory, you are a strong, supportive, and spiritual caregiver. Summoned, I take the place that has been prepared for me. Delenn is a character in the Babylon 5 universe.

Does that mean the Loving Husband is Bruce Boxleitner?

Morning Prayer

I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

Sometimes I feel discouraged,
and think my work's in vain,
but then the Holy Spirit
revives my soul again.

There is a balm in Gilead,
to make the wounded whole,
there is a balm in Gilead,
to heal the sinsick soul.

If you cannot preach like Peter,
if you cannot pray like Paul,
you can tell the love of Jesus,
and say, "He died for all."

Jesus, grant that balm and healing
In Thy holy wounds I find,
Every hour that I am feeling,
Pains of body and of mind.
Should some evil thought within
Tempt my treacherous heart to sin,
Show the peril, and from sinning
Keep me ere its first beginning.

Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your sick servant, and give your power of healing to those who minister to her needs, that she may be strengthened in His weakness and have confidence in your loving care. O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servant the help of your power, that this sickness may be turned into health, and her sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Another one

If I Were a Blog Component,
I would be the MAIN BODY ENTRY.
I love living life - and blogging - to the fullest!Which Blog Component Are You?
Take This Blog Quiz at About Web Logs!

hattip LGF

I’ve been contemplating Death
And she’s been contemplating me.
We sit across the table from one another
Our motions mirrored
One matched to the other.

This is not death as I imagined her – she’s soft
And her billowing cloak is light as mist,
Gray and velvety under my hand.
We’ve been keeping company, she and I
Sipping our tea and eating our bread.

She’s not the ravenous monster I thought her to be
As I’ve known her to be in the past --
Red and black and shiny
But gray and supple as a mother’s breast
Enveloping me in a stillness and a silence
That is indeed otherworldly.

She’s not here for me right now,
She has just come calling for a moment
Building ritual, that is what we are doing
Adding to the dance that all eventually dance
Watching the candle as it burns away.

Around her light hovers in the air, gathering into itself
Particles that halt in motion but
Never fade. She is silent as doves on wing
She is gentle with me. Her breath is as that of God
And she knows of love. And I speak to her of that Light
That Love. Of Life. And she whispers eternity in my ear.
And we weep and we sigh a gentle prayer.

After we stare out the window
We sip our tea in silence
And I hold her hand.

morning prayer

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life!!

Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas
Where storm will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push us in the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
This we ask in the name of our
Captain, who is Jesus Christ.

Amen.

-- Sir Francis Drake

Today

I went for a CAT scan (which is *not* when little kitty gives me THAT LOOK. =o) )
Don't know the results yet.

I'm really not feeling good today -- I don't have any drugs left and am just taking ibuprofen for the pain. I run out of energy really fast. And I seem to be running a fever. I'm going to take it easy for a few more days....

I could do an "organ recital" but I won't. The shower wore me out. The getting in the car wore me out. The eating of lunch wore me out. This is wearing me out.

Later, Gators.

But Of Course I'm Kaylee!

It would either be her or Book.
And I'm too silly to be Book.
Actually, I'm surprised I didn't score 100%.

You scored as Kaylee Frye. The Mechanic. You are a natural mechanic, and you are far too sweet and cheerful to live out here. How you can see the good in everyone around you boggles the mind occationally. Still you don't seem to be any crazier than that, and it is a nice kinda crazy. Kaylee Frye 94% The Operative 75% Shepherd Derrial Book 75% River Tam 69% Capt. Mal Reynolds 69% Hoban 'Wash' Washburne 63% Simon Tam 63% Zoe Alleyne Washburne 63% Inara Serra 56% Jayne Cobb 19% Which Serenity character are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Just stuff

hopefully putting final touches on the submissions for the Advent Devotional.

Chaos started a blog Chaos' Ramblings

And I started a blog for Entropy, Hey, I'm only 9

They can share a room, but can't share a blog. Figure that one out.

I've had visitors the last few days.
I've received two meals (Thanks!)
Cookies from JoKeR and a calendar and cards
A complete set of Red Argus Stemware, with two bowls and a creamer and sugar. (Is that in Emily Post I wonder? For Bell's Palsy a proper gift would be red crystal stemware....)
Offers of bread and Danish from my favorite Danish baker.
Cards and letters and emails and best of all:

A funeral planning kit from my friend Eunice, complete with chocolates and a coozie that says "Any day spent above ground is a good day." Eunice put the fun back into funeral. Don't you love it!

I'm in less pain, I'm out of certain drugs (steroids and pain killers), but there is more loss of sensation and today I'm drooping more. I guess it's a day-by-day kind of thing.

I have a 20 page paper due tomorrow and two one pagers due on Tuesday. I don't think I'll make it. I can't seem to write serious seminary type stuff.

What kind of cross?

You are the San Damiano Cross: Rich in symbolism,
this cross was first painted in the twelfth
century gathering images from the Gospel of
John. Christ is the central figure and is
surrounded by the angles, the apostles and the
Virgin Mary. The cross became well known
because it was the cross in front of which St.
Francis was praying when he received the call
to rebuild the Church.


What Kind of Cross are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Tina! You fat lard! Come get some ham!

adopt your own virtual pet!

Two more people

at church have Shingles. Isn't that strange?? I think that makes 7 people. And they say it's not contagious.... Ri-i-i-ight.

Here's a new song -- I wrote the first verse, you all get to write me more (I need the entertainment)

Shingles, Bell's
Shingles, Bell's
Shingles all the way
Oh what fun
It is to hide
In your house and bed all day -- Hey!

Shingles, Bell's
Shingles, Bell's
Shingles all the way
Oh what fun
It is to hide
In your house and bed all day!

Dashing through the dough
To our great dismay
o'er the roads we go
To the doctor's all the way.
Bell's makes nerves sting
Making my face tight
Oh what fun to take drugs and things
At the hospital all night! OH!

Shingles, Bell's
Shingles, Bell's
Shingles all the way
Oh what fun
It is to hide
In your house and bed all day -- Hey!

Shingles, Bell's
Shingles, Bell's
Shingles all the way
Oh what fun
It is to hide
In your house and bed all day!

(Your turn to make up verses....)

Snoopy, but of course!

You are Snoopy!


Which Peanuts Character are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Time to go to the Doctor

I think I am responding to the drugs -- I go to the Doctor this morning. She may want me to go see a specialist -- and they may want lab work and a cat scan. I hope my insurance is good enough that it will not include small household animals. (get it, LAB work? Like the dog? CAT scan? without the kitty?)

The bad news, the good news

The bad news: I'm on steroids that make my face swell. So I'm going to be slack-jawed, moon faced and drooling
The good news: I get to wear an eyepatch

The bad news: I drool
The good news: I now have an opportunity to buy bibs in the proper liturgical colors so I don't drool on my robe

The bad news: My eye sometimes doesn't shut.
The good news: The kids think I'm watching them ALL THE TIME now

The bad news: My face is droopy
The good news: and that side has no wrinkles

The bad news: Sometimes my face looks frightening
The good news: I won't have to spend extra money on a Halloween costume

The good news: I now have a real poker face -- bluffing will be easy during card games
The bad news: The cigar keeps falling out

The bad news: This HURTS
The good news: I have friends and family who are lifting me up in prayer and sending supportative little notes.

Thanks.

Well, I woke up

this morning feeling -- strange. My skin on one side of my face tingles/burns and my face is starting to droop on that side. I went the the Doctor and she diagnosed Bell's Palsy. It's starting to hurt. I may be forced to "take it easy" for a while. We will have to see what this means.....

morning meditation

Yet nerve thy spirit to the proof,
And blench not at thy chosen lot,
The timid good may stand aloof,
The sage may frown—yet faint thou not.

Nor heed the shaft too surely cast,
The foul and hissing bolt of scorn;
For with thy side shall dwell, at last,
The victory of endurance born.

Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again;
The eternal years of God are hers;
But Error, wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies among his worshippers.

What's in your car?

Pink Shoes in the Pulpit asks:
What would I see if I looked in your car?

While on a certain level I was embarassed by what surrounded me, I was more curious about what the contents of my car said or say about me.
When you walk past a car in a parking lot, do you ever catch a glimpse of what's in the car and have a little clue of what that person's life might be like?

answered:
I have had two garbage bags of very old tupperware, several sets of old sheets, a toolkit and emergency roadside kit, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, a power inverter where you plug it into the lighter and you can plug in regular plugs (like the computer). LOTS of CDs. Karate gear. Seashells in the pockets behind the driver. A large stash of rubber balls. yesterday afternoon -- 18 antique ammo boxes (don't ask). Four umbrellas. Oh, and books.

And then I realized that I had edited myself -- I've had some really interesting things in the car this weekend. And didn't blog about it. There are so many ways that I edit myself. There are things I can share here (and elsewhere) but then there are things that I just don't share anywhere. I've been a school teacher and practiced discretion before, especially on the behalf of students -- this is much more discretion than a teacher would practice. I guess I am coming to the realization that everything in my life is going to be examined. RLP recently shared that he is about 90 percent transparent with his congregation. That is a bold and couragous move. What are reasons to be discreet? Several -- but the reason I didn't share this on Pink Shoes' blog is that what I had in my car touches on a controversial topic. Opinions and beliefs are involved -- and politics.

What was in my car that I hesitate to share -- Firearms. They had been the LH's grandfather's. We didn't have a place to lock them all up -- so off they went to someone who *can* lock them up. I didn't want to deal with the Right to Bear Arms Contingent vs. the Gun Control People. I actually don't know where I stand on this issue. It's really never been an issue -- at least not my issue. But was I avoiding the conversation? Was I not being transparent? Or was I just not "sharing out of school?"

I avoid politics questions in general. Not that I don't have strong opinions. I just wonder how appropriate it is to share my opinions. Discussion on certain topics tend to polarize people -- and we are polarized enough. And I don't see how adding my voice to the argument will help any to heal broken relationships and to bring about reconciliation.

So the most interesting thing in my car this weekend was a 66mm Anti-Tank rocket launcher thingy. How about you?
What's in your car? or should I ask -- What do you avoid discussing?

Morning Meditation

But yield who will to their separation,
My object in living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight.
Only where love and need are one,
And the work is play for mortal stakes,
Is the deed ever really done
For Heaven and the future's sakes.
-- Robert Frost

...And I have felt
A presence that disturbs me with the joy
Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime
Of something far more deeply interfused,
Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,
And the round ocean and the living air,
And the blue sky, and in the mind of man;
A motion and a spirit, that impels
All thinking things, all objects of all thought,
And rolls through all things....
-- Wordsworth

Darkness more clear than noon-day holdeth her,
Silence more musical than any song;
Even her very heart has ceased to stir:
Until the morning of Eternity
-- Christina Rossetti

The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.
Everything was created through him;
nothing--not one thing!-
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn't put it out.
-- John 1, The Message